Variags

2012-03-17T15:37:13Z

184.153.153.137: they were allies of both Rhun and Harad, not one or the other.

[[Image:John Howe - Variag.jpg|thumb|''Variag'' by [[John Howe]].]]
The '''Variags''' were a little-known people who dwelt in the land of [[Khand]].
==History==
They were allies of both [[Rhûn]] and [[Harad]], to neither of which they belonged.

Khand was east of [[Mordor]], at the time of the [[War of the Ring]]. They were allied to [[Sauron]], and their warriors were seen at the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]].

==Etymology==
''Variag'' is a word of a [[Harad]] language<ref>{{HM|PM}}, [[The Appendix on Languages]]</ref>, but its meaning is unknown.
==Inspiration==
[[Wikipedia:Variag|Variag]] is a Slavic word derived from [[Norse]] ''Varingar'' "mercenary people" (''vár'' "contract"). The Norse root indicates that perhaps Tolkien intended ''Variag'' to be a "translated" [[Northern Mannish]] word.

Also, the meaning suggests that the Variags of Khand were not an ethnic group but a kind of elite mercenaries or corps in service of Mordor.
==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[Image:Variags (Angus McBride).jpg|thumb|''Variags of Khand'' in [[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game|MECCG]]]]
'''1982-97: ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
:Variags, who speak the tongue Varadja, share ties with both Easterlings and Haradrim.<ref>{{ICE|2000}}</ref><ref>{{ICE|8003}}</ref>

'''1995-8: ''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]'':'''
:Variags of Khand is a Man Faction.
==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Variags|Images of Variags]]
{{references}}
[[Category:Easterlings]]
[[Category:Mannish words]]
[[de:Variags]]
[[fr:encyclo/peuples/hommes/variags]]
[[fi:Varjaagit]]

6 March

2012-03-16T19:01:50Z

184.153.153.137: Added a rather important event.

<noinclude>{{month|March}}
Events that occurred on {{PAGENAME}}
==On Earth==
</noinclude>
* '''[[1941]]''' - [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] starts writing [[Letter 43]].
* '''[[1955]]''' - [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] writes [[Letter 160]].
* '''[[1969]]''' - Scholar [[Gergely Nagy]] is born.
* '''[[1973]]''' - [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] writes [[Letter 348]].
* '''[[1996]]''' - Voice actor [[Simon Cadell]] dies.
* '''[[2002]]''' – Fan site [http://www.councilofelrond.com/ Council of Elrond] goes online.
* '''[[2002]]''' - "Mines of Moria", the second set in [[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]], is released.
* '''[[2004]]''' - The second day of "[[RingCon|RingCon IV]]" in [[wikipedia:Seattle|Seattle]].
* '''[[2010]]''' - [[The Tolkien Society]]'s [[Smials#In real world|Smials]] Day in [[Leeds]].

==In Arda==
* {{TA|3019}}:
** [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] and [[Gollum]] travel towards [[Ithilien]].
** {{Cal Travel-Gandalf3}}
** [[Aragorn]] is overtaken by the [[Grey Company]] in the early hours of the day.
** [[Aragorn]] uses the [[Orthanc-stone]] and reveals himself to the enemy.
** [[Théoden]] and the [[éoherë]] leave for [[Harrowdale]] and travel across the plains of [[Rohan]]. Aragorn leaves later, but takes a faster route through the mountains. <noinclude>[[Category:Dates|066]]</noinclude>

Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Variags

6 March