Eorlingas, we. The Eotheod.... Riders of the Riddermark, of the Westfold, the Eastfold, of Snowbourne, the Wolds....of many places we come, and in times of war, our riders make the ground shake as we issue a mighty roar as of one voice. As friends, we are constant, as foes we are dire and deadly. Proud, our Horse-Lords, and that pride stands strong in the lands we were gifted by Cirion of Gondor, famed Steward of the Kings of the Southern Kingdom of Numenor,a race of man that we were allies with long before they entered Beleriand and became so mighty. Alas, his House in no more, but Eorl gave his oath, and we ride for them when the beacons are lit, when the Red Arrow comes.
Our lands are as of a Sea of Grass, a vast rolling plain that runs from the Adorn and Isen in the West, to the Mering Stream in the East, beyond which lies Gondor. It is a land that suits our ways well, for we breed the greatest horses of all, kings of which are the Mearas. Beauteous creatures are horses, and we are their greatest Lords, save those of the Mearas, who are akin to lords of ours. Calenardhon, our land was called, and it was claimed through no right by the savage and uncouth men of Dunland, who could not even speak the tongues of men. We have warred with them before, and will again, but they are not a threat to us – unaided, we ride over them like a horse through a brook. If ever they were to gain strength of others, we may be at risk, but we think not still. Perhaps they covet our horses, for we are strong in trade and in war, and they are not.
Eorl was one of the greatest lords, but Helm Hammerhand was to come from his issue, and he was a mighty warrior of old – once compared to a troll in his ferocity! He forged the safety of Rohan in his claim on our greatest refuge, a place where Rohan can gather it’s people in times of strife – Helm’s Deep, the fortress guarded by the Deeping Wall – a dike that would take a foe beyond normal means to overcome! Here lies the Hornburg – here is the very horn of Helm himself. Many times have our warriors fought in this great refuge, and never has an enemy claimed it as theirs. Helm built it well, and the deeping wall holds no weaknesses for an enemy to exploit. Here lies his great horn, and in times of war, it's signal is one of valour, to remind the Riddermark to never give to our foes.
The line of Helm was at last lost, and his nephew Frealaf took the hand of Kingship. There was war with Dunland then, and Wulf son of Freca, of mixed, cursed blood was able to besiege us until our allies came from Gondor and our people in the hallowed lands of dunharrow, where the ghosts dwell for sure. Even as the Kings blood would seem to run thin have we a king like Thengel, and his metered son, Theoden will make a greater one. Rohan is on the rise, never weakened, never lost, and we are as numerous as of old, whilst our allies in Gondor await each assault of the enemy with less will and greater fear. We await the call to war, and will answer, as we have done before.
Long have we kept to the words, the Oath of Eorl. King Folcwine lost his sons, Fastred and Folcred, at the battle of Poros Crossing , for the aid of Gondor as we have ever done. Many times have we answered their call, but they, in turn have answered ours. Will we or they, once more, be asked to come to aid the one or the other? For war is brewing. It is in the air, and we call our warriors to readiness, the trained Eotheod are ready for war, even as Thengel begins his own preparations. Long has this been in coming, and long will it be 'ere it is done with. Our great trade and our swift riders place us in a position of great strength, but our standing army is not so; never as strong as it could be, and the Eotheod are oft long in their coming. We begin now, otherwise we may be too late; swiftly we must act, and none can lead our armies or guard us, as you, my most beloved of the lords and leaders of men. We await the call to war, and will answer, as we have ever done before.
Our lands are as of a Sea of Grass, a vast rolling plain that runs from the Adorn and Isen in the West, to the Mering Stream in the East, beyond which lies Gondor. It is a land that suits our ways well, for we breed the greatest horses of all, kings of which are the Mearas. Beauteous creatures are horses, and we are their greatest Lords, save those of the Mearas, who are akin to lords of ours. Calenardhon, our land was called, and it was claimed through no right by the savage and uncouth men of Dunland, who could not even speak the tongues of men. We have warred with them before, and will again, but they are not a threat to us – unaided, we ride over them like a horse through a brook. If ever they were to gain strength of others, we may be at risk, but we think not still. Perhaps they covet our horses, for we are strong in trade and in war, and they are not.
Eorl was one of the greatest lords, but Helm Hammerhand was to come from his issue, and he was a mighty warrior of old – once compared to a troll in his ferocity! He forged the safety of Rohan in his claim on our greatest refuge, a place where Rohan can gather it’s people in times of strife – Helm’s Deep, the fortress guarded by the Deeping Wall – a dike that would take a foe beyond normal means to overcome! Here lies the Hornburg – here is the very horn of Helm himself. Many times have our warriors fought in this great refuge, and never has an enemy claimed it as theirs. Helm built it well, and the deeping wall holds no weaknesses for an enemy to exploit. Here lies his great horn, and in times of war, it's signal is one of valour, to remind the Riddermark to never give to our foes.
The line of Helm was at last lost, and his nephew Frealaf took the hand of Kingship. There was war with Dunland then, and Wulf son of Freca, of mixed, cursed blood was able to besiege us until our allies came from Gondor and our people in the hallowed lands of dunharrow, where the ghosts dwell for sure. Even as the Kings blood would seem to run thin have we a king like Thengel, and his metered son, Theoden will make a greater one. Rohan is on the rise, never weakened, never lost, and we are as numerous as of old, whilst our allies in Gondor await each assault of the enemy with less will and greater fear. We await the call to war, and will answer, as we have done before.
Long have we kept to the words, the Oath of Eorl. King Folcwine lost his sons, Fastred and Folcred, at the battle of Poros Crossing , for the aid of Gondor as we have ever done. Many times have we answered their call, but they, in turn have answered ours. Will we or they, once more, be asked to come to aid the one or the other? For war is brewing. It is in the air, and we call our warriors to readiness, the trained Eotheod are ready for war, even as Thengel begins his own preparations. Long has this been in coming, and long will it be 'ere it is done with. Our great trade and our swift riders place us in a position of great strength, but our standing army is not so; never as strong as it could be, and the Eotheod are oft long in their coming. We begin now, otherwise we may be too late; swiftly we must act, and none can lead our armies or guard us, as you, my most beloved of the lords and leaders of men. We await the call to war, and will answer, as we have ever done before.