Lebennin

Lebennin (the 'Land of Five Rivers') is a region in southern Gondor.

Summary

Lebennin is Gondor’s most populous fiefdom. Its chief city, Pelargir, is the oldest and largest settlement in Gondor - a thousand years older than Osgiliath or Minas Tirith. Its people were described as ''a hardy folk between the mountains and the sea. They were reckoned men of Gondor, yet their blood was mingled, and there were short and swarthy folk among them whose sires came more from the forgotten men who housed in the shadow of the hills in the Dark Years ere the coming of the kings.'' As such, they are a mix of Pre-Númenóreans and Númenóreans - presumably with less Númenórean heritage closer to the mountains.

Lebennin contains the following settlements:

• Pelargir - the 'Garth of Tall Ships', the largest city in Gondor and the seat of its navy (2500)
  • Pelargir is Gondor’s chief port, and the largest inhabited settlement in Arda. It was founded in S.A. 2350 as a haven for the Faithful, who faced political persecution on Númenor. In a letter describing an upcoming trip to Italy, Tolkien identified Pelargir as Venice. As such, the city will include many canals in a concentric formation. Since it dwarfs all other settlements in the area, it will be the site of much of the fiefdom’s industry.
• Lebennin Town 1 (500)
• Lebennin Town 2 (300)
• 10 villages (100-200 each, 1,450 total)
• 16 hamlets (40-75 each, 875 total)
• 13 homesteads (~25 each, 325 total)
• Total Population: 5,950

Climate and ecology

The climate of Lebennin is comparable to the Greek countryside. Its vegetation zones are as follows:

• F45 - Padanian hornbeam-pedunculate oak forests (Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus), partly with Quercus cerris, with Dianthus barbatus, partly alternating with hygrophilous ash forests (Fraxinus excelsior) with Salvia glutinosa
• F161 - West Euxinian Oriental beech forests (Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis) with Trachystemon orientalis, Daphne pontica, partly with Rhododendron ponticum
• G19 - Illyrian-west Moesian Balkan oak/bitter oak forests (Quercus cerris, Quercus frainetto, partly Quercus pubescens, Quercus petraea agg.) with Genista species and Crocus veluchensis
• G24 - Northeast Thracian Balkan oak-bitter oak forests (Quercus cerris, Quercus frainetto) with Heptaptera triquetra
• G30 - West Euxinian sessile oak-Balkan oak forests (Quercus frainetto, Quercus iberica, partly with Quercus hartwissiana) with Mespilus germanica, Sesleria alba
• L15 - East Thracian steppes on marl clay alternating with downy oak forests (Quercus pubescens) and Paliurus spina-christi scrub
• U18 - Apennine-Balkan hardwood alluvial forests (Fraxinus angustifolia s. l., Quercus robur, Quercus pedunculiflora, Ulmus minor, Carpinus betulus) with Leucojum aestivum, Carex pendula, Periploca graeca in combination with alluvial forests (Salix alba, Populus alba, Populus nigra) and oak-hornbeam forests (Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur)

Culture

There might be places for folk dancing, which was popular among Númenorean women.

Economy

Pelargir is the main centre of textile production in Gondor. While the weaving guilds of Minas Tirith have placed heavy tariffs on cloth from Pelargir, Anórien merchants will avoid the restrictions by trading on ships docked at Harlond rather than at the port itself. Other exports include ale, wine and garum.

Trade Routes

• Along the Anduin to Anorien (particularly Harlond) and Ethir Anduin
• Celos River, as well as several roads, to and from Lossarnach
• Road connecting Pelargir and Linhir
• Sea route to Belfalas, Anfalas and Tolfalas, particularly Dol Amroth