Interesting article about Variags - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Rhun charioteer · 08-13-2017, 12:08 PM

I read the post and I honestly disagree.

The Varangians were historically Vikings that traveled south and famously served as the palace guard of the Byzantine emperors.

The Variags are a horse people, living on the far edge of the map-east of Harad even.

The black numenorians and Umbar as I understand it settled largely on the coast south of Gondor.

While the linguistic similarity between Variag and Varangian is fairly obvious I think the post is reading a little too much into it.

We know the Variags were a horse people, a fierce people, and servants of Sauron who lived pretty darn far away from Gondor and far even from Near Harad.

I doubt the Black numenorians settled so far.

The best comparison between the Varangians and Variags is that they were fierce foreign combatants in the service of someone else.

I'd say they were natives to the region.

08-13-2017, 12:08 PM	#20
Rhun charioteer Wight Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 118	I read the post and I honestly disagree. The Varangians were historically Vikings that traveled south and famously served as the palace guard of the Byzantine emperors. The Variags are a horse people, living on the far edge of the map-east of Harad even. The black numenorians and Umbar as I understand it settled largely on the coast south of Gondor. While the linguistic similarity between Variag and Varangian is fairly obvious I think the post is reading a little too much into it. We know the Variags were a horse people, a fierce people, and servants of Sauron who lived pretty darn far away from Gondor and far even from Near Harad. I doubt the Black numenorians settled so far. The best comparison between the Varangians and Variags is that they were fierce foreign combatants in the service of someone else. I'd say they were natives to the region.