Lid/mormegil history

The Mormegil before the Kinstrife

The beginning of House Mormegil is traced back into the Second Age during the reign of Tar-Meneldur. The descendants of the House of Hador dwelt in the Forostar in Numenor and were there known for their skill in delving and the love of weapons. A lord among them, Orcaldor, who later married Meneldur's daughter, Ailinel, became great in the council of the King. He had many rivals among the Lords of Forostar the House of Hador. One of whom was Ramduath. Ramduath took to wife a descendent of the line of Elros Tar-Minyatur. She was called Silmolwe and was the great-granddaughter of Atanalcar, youngest son of Tar-Minyatur. By this he meant to solidify his position amongst the different households of Forostar and increase his political leverage in the Council of the king in Armenelos. Later, his son Dolcrist took to the sea with Aldarion and often ventured abroad on Middle-Earth engaging in war as a soldier under the elves winning great fortune and the name of elf-friend. The seed of desire for the lands of Middle-Earth were sewn in the hearts of the Lords Mormegil from then on.

From that point on, the policy of Mormegil was ever inclined to warfare and the seeking of wealth in Middle-Earth. They were always proponents of ventures to the Dark Lands and were some of the first to subjugate the Wild Men and set up the colonies. At this time their skill in delving and smithing developed into a love of building and their name became tied to the making of great halls and strong towers far into the dark lands following the Great River from the Bay of Belfalas.

At the time of Akallabeth, Mormegil already held lands in Imlad Isen and down along the Ered Nimrais in Calanardhon. Their lord at the time called himself Amrunhun. He was greatly concerned with the governance of his land, which was richer and wider than those of his ancestors' in Forostar, which the house had long since abandoned in favor of their seat in Middle-Earth. He spurned the call of Ar-Pharazon for the invasion of the West, saying, “War is glorious but battle is fought with blade and bow not earth and air.”

Ever neutral in the conflict between Faithful and Kingsmen, but possessed of powerful lands between the that of Arnor and Gondor, Amrunhun united with Elendil and his sons, subjugating the Mormegili to their kingship. He would have sought to keep his own lands and make himself a king, but there was a great shadow stirring on the borders of his lands near Rhun and he could feel it like the breath of the dragon on his banners. For the time he chose alliance with the kings which later became hereditary. But its worth proved itself shortly thereafter for Sauron rose in Mordor only a hundred years later. In the course of the Last Alliance and the downfall of Sauron, Amrunhun and his youngest sons were slain in the van, for it was ever his wont to seek battle at the fore. He left behind his eldest son called Ambardring for his great deeds during the Last Alliance. Returning to his lands after the fall of Isildur in the Gladden fields, he drove the orcs before him into the mountains and often kept a guard there, building a great holdfast in the Ered Nimrais which he called Thamrass and it stood well into the Fourth Age.

In the year 550 TA, Urubar was Lord of Mormegil and was a great Captain under Turambar. He expanded the holdings of the house to include the hills beside the sea of Rhun upon which he built a great fortress he called Pauriar and it stood well into the third age and never fell while held by Mormegil hands. They were called Emyn Iar from the strange ingots of red gold found in its ravines. The King awarded him with the title of Warden of Rhovannion, much to his profit.

The Sundering of House Mormegil

Elenadar is lord and warden of the Haradwaith. He has an heir, Adelfaeg. When the Kin-strife begins Elenadar does nothing, perceiving his task as warden as greater than the conflict of kingship, but he does not support Castamir's rule. This secretly enrages Adelfaeg who is friend and ally to the Usurper. The twins, Narumir and Alcarmir live on Emyn Iar and have reached the age of majority by the time Eldacar flees to Rhovannion. Alcarmir goes to join him but Narumir remains at Pauriar, seeing little wisdom in the spilling of blood in civil war. Then, word of Elendar's death before the battle of Erui is brought to the twins by a messenger loyal to the fallen lord. He tells the twins of Adelfaeg's betrayal. Immediately, they take up Eldacar's cause. Alcarmir becomes a trusted advisor and captain, while Narumir leads the men of Mormegil against the Usurper. The kin-strife ends with the rebels' flight to Umbar and Adelfaeg being besieged at Annyn Harad. The twins are divided on the punishment of Adelfaeg and the other Mormegili who have joined him at Annyn Harad. Narumir sides with the other members of the house, many of whose second sons or younger brothers are with Adelfaeg, while Alcarmir wants to destroy Adelfaeg and his fellows and raze Annyn Harad. Eventually, the siege is broken and Adelfaeg is taken captive along with many of his lieutenants. During his captivity, Alcarmir maims Adelfaeg and tortures many of the lieutenants.

Alcarmir is outcast from the elder members of the society and renames himself Alcarmir Carmayar Mormegil and goes to King Eldacar who gifts him with a captaincy of Minas Ithil and lands in North Ithilien. Many of the younger members of Mormegil side with Alcarmir and call themselves Carmayar as well, they hold many of the lands around Rhun, which forces many of the other land-holders to take up the name as well.

In response, Narumir renames himself Narumir Cuthalion Mormegil and many of the elder lords join with him in the south. He retains his title as Warden of the South and takes up his seat at Annyn Harad, rebuilding that fortress. He also takes Adelfaeg's bride to wife, who was kept with him during the siege.

Thus were the Mormegil sundered, and the enmity was to last for most of the age...

Modern History (Third Age)

At the time that Hyarmendacil conquered the Haradwaith in TA 1050, House Mormegil controlled lands both in Calanardhon and Rhun, and the House Lord was named Lhughul. His sons were Elugh, Orchaldor and Beleghul. Serving in those wars Lhughul won great renown and was given stewardship over the Haradwaith. He and his wife, a daughter of a Bragollach lord, moved their household to the new lands building a new tower on the River Poros, which he called Baradmegil to inaugurate the place where his second son Orchaldor made a last stand and was slain.

At the death of Lhughul, sixty-four years later in TA 1104, messengers were sent to Elugh who held the lands in Calanardhon but he was no where to be found. Riders returned with the ominous tale by the household guard and servants that Elugh had fallen in love with a beautiful fair-haired maiden who was a daughter of one of the North-men who had arrived from the South. Beleghul himself was told of this and left Emyn Iar to search for Elugh. However, all he heard were tales of a tall, dark-haired lord living in the foothills of Methedras, east of the Isen, but Beleghul could not find him and forsake the lands of Calanardhon. He was bidden to take the stewardship of the Haradwaith leaving his son Anechdor to hold the lands near Rhun. Beleghul gave up his elder brother for lost.