Imdorad

Imdorad is a sparsely populated urban county in north-western Anórien, bordering Calenardhon and Dor Haeron. “Imdorad” is local corruption of Imardhath (S. “Between Two Provinces”). Town of Imdorad is the largest market in the Mouths of Entwash, the focal point of all local commerce. River Glanhîr (S. “Border Stream”) runs through the county to be joined with the Entwash (Onodló), a well-traveled trade route connecting the granaries, herders and wool merchants of Dor Haeron with the Anduin, Gondor’s main artery.

Most of the population descends from the native inhabitants of the land, closely related to men of Calenardhon. They converse in a distinct local dialect of Westron¹, most prevalent in the town of Ard-Elmar. There are also several clans of landless “gypsies”, descendants of Freemen of the Mountains and other Danan Lin tribes, who have kept their ancestral Donael language. Only the educated are proficient in more than a few words of Sindarin.

Local customs are full of peculiar relicts from earlier times, such as the Hunting of the Earl of Enhîr during May Day celebrations, where a group of soldiers, a hobby horse, and a jester hunt down a mythical character called “Earl of Enhîr”, and ritually drown him in the river. Mummers’ plays, souling and various folk dances are also very popular in the countyside. A peculiar sacred confection that is made in Imdorad is called Masta Lenwentë (Q. “Cake of the departed”). It is a sweet focaccia topped with raisins, almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts, and traditionally eatern in November for Hallowmas (Airilaitalë).

Parishes

Imdorad (Imardhath)

Town of Imardhath or Imdorad, as it is called in the local dialect, is located on the right bank of the Glanhîr river. To the west, the Glanhîr river forms most of the border with Dor Haeron. The plains around the town are subject to periodic flooding. Only modest wooded areas survive, the sole exception being the forest of Wolfswood (Eryn Gaur), belonging to the count of Imdorad. This forest is mainly made up of oak, hornbeam, alder, elm, field maple, hawthorn and dogwood, and is used as a hunting ground for elk and boar. It is also known for its strawberries.

The town was probably originally a Númenorean post and customs station built soon after Kingdom of Rimmen was incorporated into Gondor. Imdorad was separated from Rimmon as an independent urban county in 1072. Thanks to Glanhîr river, it became an important river port in the 12th century. Castle of Tir Glann and adjoining chapel of Our Lord of the Breath of Arda are imposing structures dominating the town. Since 1665, Tir Glann has also been the seat and office of the Royal Plenipotentiary and Burgrave of the Ethir Onodló, responsible for collecting taxes and pursuing smugglers, outlaws and cattle thieves who plague the region.

Other parishes

Carlost (S. “Bleak House”) is a noble estate five miles upstream from Imdorad. It is the biggest producer of agricultural produce, including wheat, barley, vegetables, smoked fish (mostly marble trout) , sausages, and wide variety of cheeses. Local beech and hickory forests and wetlands provide hunting grounds to shoot pheasants and hazel grouse. Despite the unfortunate name of the manor, Lord Ada Anarríma is often regarded as one of most benevolent men in the region, and known for his hospitality.

Loennin (S. “Watery Swamp”) is an unremarkable noble estate in the plains between Glanhîr and Rimmon. Its name alludes to historical fenlands between the Wolfswood and Onodló, which were dried out to make room for crops.

Ard-Elmar is an ancient parish of non-Númenorean origin, near the Mouths of the Entwash, consisting of four villages: Overwash (S. Tharion), Twyferry (S. Adulynt), Slough, and Midden. The parish chapel of Ard-Elmar is of peculiar kind, being both very simple and very old, built of white limestone and decorated with murals reminiscent of ancient Danan Lin style, depicting the Three Sisters (Vairë, Vána, and Nessa), and also Oromë as a mounted rider slaying a serpent or dragon.

Most of the inhabitants are herders, hunters and fishers. They keep flocks of sturdy sheep in the poor grazing lands, and catch the plentitude of eels that migrate through the marshlands to breed upstream. Wetlands of Ard-Elmar are also home to quite a few nasty creatures: snakes, minds, leeches, flukes and gorcrows.

Other places of note

Lisgardh (S. “Land of Reeds”), a large marsh with great stands of tall reeds and nishes frequented by cranes and herons, near Ard-Elmar.

Sunken Chapel of Uaer-Adab, a derelict ruin in the middle of the Onodló, once known as Aer Ylmir. Built in Gondorian romanesque style in the early 900s, the chapel and surrounding village sunk to the river after a period of floods in the 13th century, when Onodló changed its course.

Adulynt (S. “Two Boats”) , or Twyferry in local dialect, has a Captain of the Royal Army as a warden overseeing dredger boats making Onodló fully navigable to the Anduin. There is also a well-organised ferry service for those who are traveling to Formenlos and Parth Galen, costing two pence per person, baggage negotiable.

County of Imdorad in 1685

	Type	Lord	Citizens*	Subjects**
Imdorad	Town	Anardil Araglas	3500	20,000
Carlost	Copyhold estate	Aderthad Anarríma	500	3,000
Loennin	Leasehold estate	Amroth Araglas	500	3,000
Ard-Elmar	Leasehold estate	Oroburam Araglas	500	3,000