Seinbar

Seinbar (S. “New Town”) is an urban county in central Anórien, located at the source of the Fionnen (S. “Hawk River”) in the White Mountains. It lies in the ancient heartlands of the prehistorical Gwathuirim kingdom of Rimmon, and most of the inhabitants are descendants of the native Danan Lin tribes. Clans of mountain men still live here under their own laws and customs, and half of the Drúadan Forest lies within the county’s borders.

Most people in the Fionnen valley speak a dialect of Westron called Nardolic. It has developed from a now-forgotten language spoken in the area during the Second Age, but it also has a substratum of Pûkael and clear influence of Donael from Woodwoses and Freemen of the mountains. Much of the lexicon and grammar is based on Adûnaic, just as in Gondorish Westron.

The County of Seinbar experiences a wide array of climates due to variations in elevation. Winters in the foothills are typically long, damp, and cold, with the plains often subject to fog during the coldest months, while summers are usually hot and dry.

Parishes

Seinbar

The town of Seinbar is relatively recent in Gondor’s history. It was granted town rights in 1260 and quickly became an important market for salt trade and local produce throughout the province. After the Kin-Strife, many Northmen settled there, along with immigrants from Calenardhon and Dor Haeron seeking safety. By the 1600s, Seinbar had become the second-biggest city in Anórien, bustling with industries such as metalworking, tile-making, pottery, tapestry-weaving, and furniture-making.

The city has been entailed to the noble House of Seinbar, whose sigil is the Blue Falcon, and their motto is “By Eru and by labour”. House Seinbar is a junior branch of the esteemed and venerable House of Fionnen; they changed their surname when they became lords of the city. The Seinbars own many of the city’s manufactures, as well as breweries and glassworks in the countryside. The current ruler of the city is Count Pelilas Seinbar.

Other parishes

Nardol (S. “Fiery hilltop”) is a fortress and former beacon-hill situated on the broad end of a ridge of the White Mountains, within the wooded region of Tawar-in-Drúedain. It is the site of royal quarries and silver mines, entailed by King Tarondor to Lord Hirgon, burgrave, and mintmaster of Nardol.

Glórindol (S. “Goldenhead”) is a large state and rural town ten miles west of Seinbar, by the Kingsroad. It commands a breathtaking view of the verdant region, with many terraced gardens overflowing with blooms, and rolling fields of wheat and barley that are most fertile in all of Seinbar. Glórindol’s vineyards rival those of Parth Laden; in addition of grapes, the estate cultivates orchards laden with apples, pears and cherries. One of Glórindol’s specialities is its production of aromatic honey.

Parth Laden (S. “Cleared fields”) is a large horse-breeding estate twenty miles west of Seinbar, by the Kingsroad. It supplies pack horses, palfreys and coursers for the Royal Army. Wheat, oats and barley are produced in large quantities; the estate has also extensive vineyards of some reknown on the south side of the road, in the foothills of Ered Nimrais.

Pen-Fionnen (S. “Slope of the Hawk River”) is a large estate and rural town on the steep right side of the Fionnen, near Tawar-in-Drúedain. Once a royal forest and hunting lodge, it is now a noble estate belonging to the lesser House of Sador. Red and fallow deer, roe deer and wild boar are still plentiful in the area. Estate’s income come mainly from pig-keeping and forestry products, such as charcoal burning.

Tharnen (S. “River crossing”) is a rural town and estate where Kingsroad crosses a small brook, twenty miles east of Rimmon.

Erelas (unknown) is a fortress on the site of a former native hillfort, bearing its ancient name. It is situated on a bald green hill, with no trees or plants. Both copper and iron are mined there.

County of Seinbar in 1685

	Type	Lord	Citizens*	Subjects**
Seinbar	City	Pelilas Seinbar	10,000	50,000
Nardol	Copyhold estate	Hirgon Nardol	500	3,000
Erelas	Copyhold estate	Cimrion Erelas	500	3,000
Glórindol	Leasehold estate	Umbarto Seinbar	500	6,000
Parth Laden	Leasehold estate	Raimon Caranthan	500	6,000
Pen-Fionnen	Leasehold estate	Oradan Fiondil Sador	500	5,000
Tharnen	Copyhold estate	Porothir Seinbar	500	3,000