Caranthan

County of Caranthan is a large feudal county in northern Anórien, encompassing the entire Ethir Onodló (Mouths of Entwash) and the right bank of the Anduin from Ligaelin to Bar Malthen, spanning some ninety miles in length. These lands are regularly flooded, rendering them exceptionally fertile when cleared of unhealthy marshlands. Approximately half of the county consists of reclaimed farmland, while the other half is sparsely populated and consists of treacherous fen and mire, primarily utilized for extracting iron ores, harvesting peat, bird hunting, and fishing.

At the heart of the county lies the magnificent castle and settlement of Dol Caranthan. According to local legends, it was granted to one of Isildur’s faithful soldiers, a humble Dúnadan who bore a plain red shield as his device. He and his kin were pioneers and settlers, tirelessly digging channels to gradually drain the inhospitable fenlands they had been entrusted with. After centuries of toil, the lowlands of Caranthan flourished into fields of golden wheat, plowed by sturdy oxen. The county is renowned for its cattle-raising prowess and is home to several prized stud farms. Over time, the Caranthans diversified into banking, amassing great wealth and becoming personal financiers of King Tarondor.

Farms in the county are vast, each employing hundreds of day labourers. In addition to the great noble estates managed by House Caranthan, several large farms are rented to citizen clients of the House. However, only about one in twenty farms are inheritable freeholds. Caranthan has a humid subtropical climate, with continental influences. Summers are hot and winters are cool, with occasional snowfall. In autumn and winter, fog is very frequent, often very thick and constant even for several days in a row.

Parishes

Dol Caranthan (S. “Hill of the Red Shield”) is situated atop a low hill at the confluence of Fionnen and Anduin rivers. It is a prosperous town boasting a population of five thousand citizens, renowned for its high-class pottery.

Bar Malthen (S. “House of Gold”) is an opulent noble estate and small market town located on the west bank of Anduin, situated slightly elevated above the flood plains. The town’s sigil is a striking emblem featuring three golden balls on a red shield.

Esgarlad (S. “Reedland”) is a noble estate and small market town perched on low ridge overlooking the Onodló river, approximately thirty miles east of Bar Astorion. Initially marshlands reclaimed for agriculture, Esgarlad has flourished into a remarkable settlement. Yearly spring festival in Esgarlad revolves around a mythical character called Ogol Lachenn¹, a mischievous nocturnal elf with a red cap, who is said to disrupt sleep, make objects disappear, and is particularly attracted to beautiful young girls. A young man masked and dressed as Ogol Lachenn leads the Carnival procession around Esgarlad and leave sacrificial cakes in a sacred grove two miles from the town.

Fenbar (S. “Door/treshold to a dwelling/home/inhabited land”) is a noble estate on the opposite bank of Fionnen to Dol Caranthan. Shipper and real estate investor Gundor Caranthan (1625–1692) expanded it with colonnades made from yellow marble brought all the way from Gobel Ancalimon in Harnendor. Name of the estate is probably a corruption of Fenmar (Q. “Reed house”). Another story, most likely an apocryphal one, recounts the coming of the squire of Isildur, who camped on the site with his followers before finally crossing Fionnen and establishing his new home at Dol Caranthan.

Losgobel (S. “White Town”) is a small but picturesque town nestled in the uplands, five miles from Fionnen river. A dense network of arcaded streets open into a large communal square with a beautiful romanesque chapel built entirely from white marble, dedicated to Fanuilos (Varda Elantári), Our Lady of Holy Wisdom. Small but elegant palace built in the 1500s by Galdor Caranthan, Comptroller-General of the Royal Army, is aprominent feature of the town its high walls and mosaic-paved porticoes. Grandson of Galdor, banker Huon Caranthan, adorned it with several ancient marble statues, bronze busts and other works of art brought from Osgiliath.

Rond Gaer (S. “Ruddy Hall”) is a quaint town on the west bank of the Anduin river, with a ferry connection to Arandal in Northern Ithilien. It is mostly known for its grand Halls of the Faithful, erected by Sador Caranthan in the 1200s to serve as their family mausoleum. Green copper dome of Rond Gaer rises far above the otherwise sleepy and unremarkable town.

Thamas Tawaren (S. “Wooden Hall”) is a bustling market town situated in the center of the reclaimed former wetlands south of the Anduin. A focal point of agriculture and cattle-rearing in the county, Thamas Tawaren hosts yearly fairs and competition for the finest bulls.

Pelennas (S. “Fenced People”) is an autonomous municipality encompassing most of the Mouths of Entwash, from Ligaelin to Onodló. Inhabited almost solely by fishermen, gypsies, and Donael-speaking Marshmen clans, the town of Pelennas is shaped like a traditional wooden hillfort, with a a raised circular palisade enclosing huts, gardens and fields. Many natives are still pagans, worshipping an earth-goddess called Jevinne or Javannen² in local dialect. A castle and settlement named Barad Tathren was built twenty miles east in the 500s to pacify local clans, but has been abandoned and ruined since the Kin-Strife.

County of Caranthan in 1685

	Type	Lord	Citizens	Subjects
Dol Caranthan	Copyhold estate	Calendir Caranthan	5,000	29,000
Bar Malthen	Leasehold estate	Haldamir Caranthan	1,000	6,000
Esgarlad	Leasehold estate	Halbarad Caranthan	700	4,000
Fenbar	Leasehold estate	Gundor Caranthan	500	3,000
Pelennas	Autonomous municipality	–	200	4,000
Losgobel	Leasehold estate	Huon Caranthan	500	3,000
Rond Gaer	Copyhold estate	Beor Caranthan	600	3,500
Thamas Tawaren	Leasehold estate	Haldir Caranthan	500	3,000