THE PELENNOR FIELDS
Gandalf passed now into the wide land beyond the Rammas Echor. So the men of Gondor called the out-wall that they had built with great labour, after Ithilien fell under the shadow of their Enemy. For ten leagues or more it ran from the mountain's feet and so back again, enclosing in its fence the fields of the Pelennor: fair and fertile townlands on the long slopes and terraces falling to the deep levels of the Anduin.
At its furthest point from the Great Gate of the City, north-eastward, the wall was four leagues distant, and there from a frowning bank it overlooked the long flats beside the river, and men had made it high and strong: for at that point, upon a walled causeway, the road came in from the fords and bridges of Osgiliath and passed through a guarded gate between embattled towers.
At its nearest point the wall was little more than one league from the City, and that was south-eastward. There Anduin, going in a wide knee about the hills of Emyn Arnen in South Ithilien, bent sharply west, and the out-wall rose upon its very brink: and beneath it lay the quays and landings of the Harlond for craft that came upstream from the southern fiefs.
The townlands were rich, with wide tilth and many orchards, and homesteads there were with oast and garner, fold and byre, and many rills rippling through the green from the highlands down to Anduin.
The Ranger Training Grounds can be found outside of the White City's walls.
- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, chapter I: Minas Tirith
(bolded text and white spaces are my chosen layout, not Tolkien's)
OSGILIATH
Founded by Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anárion at the end of the Second Age, Osgiliath straddled the Great River Anduin at a point approximately half way between the cities of Minas Anor to the west and Minas Ithil to the east. While Anor was the chief city of Anárion and Ithil that of Isildur, the brothers had their thrones alongside each other at Osgiliath.
During the first overthrow of the Dark Lord Sauron, Minas Ithil was taken and Isildur was forced to flee down the Anduin and seek Elendil, but Anárion rallied Gondor's forces at Osgiliath and drove the Enemy back to the mountains.
Osgiliath was burned during the Kin-strife, with its palantír being lost in the rebellion. Afterwards, having not fully recovered from the ruinous civil war, it was struck by the Great Plague, causing it to become partially deserted and fall into ruins. As a result King Tarondor moved the capital to Minas Anor in T.A. 1640. Around the time that Minas Ithil fell to the Ringwraiths and became Minas Morgul, Osgiliath became unsafe and the remaining population was driven out in T.A. 2475 when Uruks from Mordor occupied Ithilien and destroyed the Great Bridge of the city. Although the Uruks were driven back by Boromir, son of Denethor, the city was finally ruined and from then on it became a city of ghosts watched over by a Gondorian garrison at Minasnumen on the western embankment.
In T.A. 3018 the eastern half was taken by Mordorian troops, led by the Witch King of Angmar. Boromir and his men managed to destroy the last of the great bridges and slow down the march of the Enemy. A second, later attack from Mordor, however, forced Faramir to evacuate the city. After Osgiliath was overrun, it became a crossing for orcs, Haradrim and Easterlings during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
It is highly likely that Osgiliath would be rebuilt in the Fourth Age. One would be safe to assume this was a lengthy proces, considering the dwindled population of Minas Tirith as well as the necessary repairs and projected renovations to Gondor's capital itself.
- Thank you to Pellaadarion for his sterling work on the original Osgiliath thread, from which the first three paraghraps of the text above is copied.
THE NORTHERN FIEFDOMS
Harlond
The port and docks of the Minas Tirith, 3-4 miles south of the city.
Anorien
Anorien is located north of the White Mountains, bordered on the east by the Anduin, on the west bordering Rohan. The Great West Road runs through Anorien, connecting Minas Tirith with Rohan. On the border between Anorien and Rohan is Firien Wood. The seven Beacon-hills are stretched out across Anorien. Also there is the Druadan forest in which the Druedain dwell. On the western edge of the forest there is a stone quarry from which the stones are taken to Minas Tirith through the Stonewain Valley.
Lossarnach
Lossarnach is a well populated region in the valleys south-east of the White Mountains. The river Erui flows from the mountains through Lossarnach towards the Anduin. The woods and fields of Lossarnach are filled with flowers in spring, and there are great orchards in the lower valleys. From this fief the herbs are brought to the market of Minas Tirith and are used in the Houses of Healing.
Lamedon
The fiefdom of Lamedon is north of Belfalas at the foot of the White Mountains. The town of Ethring is located at the crossings of the river Ringlo, and the town of Calembel at the fords of the river Ciril.
- The Northern Fiefdoms info above was copied from the "Minas Tirith, Pelennor, The Northern Fiefdoms (Free RP) threat, posted by Burnt Toast in 2020. Thank you to everyone who has in any way contributed to the creation and the enrichment of these descriptions.
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