About Akallabêth

Akallabêth is a Tolkien-based MUSH, set in the Second Age before the fall of Númenor (during the reign of Tar-Palantir; starting year 3175 in the alternative MUSH timeline). It has a small player base, and so at the moment only a few cultures are open (which is why Barzag started off in Umbar!). However, the small numbers have sometimes allowed more freedom in roleplay than on a 'crowded' MUSH. The room descriptions are carefully crafted, and often breathtaking - you could spend hours just wandering round admiring the scenery.

Akallabêth can be found at
telnet: akallabeth.pennmush.org
port: 3175

About Barzag
Name:	Barzag uHalmar
Gender:	Male
Species:	Men
Kin:	Rhevain (Hillmen)
Culture:	Mordor
Title:	Slave labourer; flint knapper

You look upon one of the Hill-Folk, the race known to the Elves and Edain as Rhevain or Men of Twilight. At about six feet in height, he is taller than most of his kind, and this is complemented by a strong build; his well-muscled frame and calloused hands show that he is no stranger to hard work. Indeed, his shoulders are slightly stooped as if from carrying heavy loads. His skin is swarthy, weather-beaten from long days spent outdoors.

A mass of dark hair hangs to just above shoulder level, shadowing his face, and he wears a short beard, usually kept neatly trimmed. It cannot, however, hide this man's main distinguishing feature. His upper lip, upon which only a few sparse bristles grow, is cloven in the manner of a beast, and twisted slightly so that his mouth appears to be set in a perpetual sneer. Above this, his nose is long and straight; amber eyes generally regard the observer coolly from beneath lowering black brows, bitterness all too often visible within their depths. Were it not for the wrongness of his mouth, he might even be considered handsome, but his disfigurement prevents this.

He wears a plain tunic of coarse grey cloth, which is in fairly good condition still. The sharp-eyed might notice some sort of mark on his upper right arm, although the short sleeve of his tunic has been pulled down as if to conceal this. His trousers are of a dark material, faded now in many places. On his feet are a pair of scuffed leather moccasins.

A slave of the tanner Kavan, purchased from the slaver Rashan, who brought a caravan up from Harad. Where Rashan found him, who can say? Barzag is clearly foreign, for he shows little understanding of the Eastern Mannish tongue. He looks to be in his late twenties.

Barzag is one of the Hill-Folk, known to the Elves and the Edain as the Rhevain or Men of Twilight. He was originally an itinerant flint knapper by trade; a little-valued position in Hillman society, yet a job he grew to love. Barzag was one of a group transported to Umbar in the spring of 3184 as unskilled labourers to repair the city walls; he was one of the few who went voluntarily. Barzag's aptitude for stonecutting was noted by the mason, who retained the Hillman to work on other construction projects. Barzag worked under Ureziran's direction for three years - there is even a rumour that towards the end of that time the Hillman became the mason's paid employee. However, Ureziran left Umbar to return to Numenor, and about the same time Barzag disappeared. Few had noticed his presence; fewer still his absence.

Barzag is currently in his late twenties. He is a loner by nature, being accustomed to the scorn of others, but is strongly loyal to those few who do win his trust. It is rare for him to show open anger, although he does have a tendency to bear grudges.

Barzag's history is on a separate page.

Barzag logs and writing

These are arranged in chronological order. In the case of logs I've followed the standard practice of not correcting typos (aagh - how come I don't notice them till they're posted?) unless the player made an OS amendment. The texts with no players credited are solo writing to fill in the gaps and give my character's life some background.

3183 and 3184

3185

3186

3187

3188

Other logs

My non-Barzag logs from the time I roleplayed in Umbar can be found here.

Use your browser's back button to return after viewing a log.

Useful stuff

Maps of Umbar

Umbarhelp files

A map of Second Age Middle-Earth is at http://demon.unh.edu/images/tolkien/atlas/second_age_of_arda.gif
A map of Númenor is at http://img-fan.theonering.net/rolozo/images/maps/numenor.jpg

A history of Númenor is at http://members.ozemail.com.au/~sdgeard/hccnum.html

A map of Mordor can be found at http://www.isildur.com/tolkien/maps/mordor.gif

Links

My Dunland pages are at http://www.oocities.org/halwynofdale/dunland.htm
(yes, that's right, I really am a rabid Tolkien fan! Anyway, go check them out.)