The Story of Halgast

Halgast was born in a small village of the Eastemnet of Rohan in the year 3001 of the third age to a poor family of yeomen and herdsmen. His mother and father were peasants. The semi nomadic life they led was poor, and the food was scarce. The herdsmen of the village travelled with the herd between seasons, while the villagers stayed behind to work the fields and grow crops for winter. Halgast's grandparents Hamling and Isbreht were among the oldest herdsmen of the village and hence held much sway over the herd. It was not the largest of herds and its horses were not blessed with the speed or beauty of the Mearas, but they were strong and resilient and they did not tire easily. Together with their crops, these horses were the villagers' primary source of income. The herd would move between the village and a camp further east with every season so that the grass of one region would not suffer too much strain. For food, they relied largely on their crops, with gruel being a staple meal. But in summer and autumn the men would go hunting or fishing and bring meat and fish to the table, and those would be the best days.

Every so often, the strongest men of the nearby villages would assemble an éored to patrol the Mark till the eaves of Fangorn. For while Rohan was not yet at open war, orcs and wargs were known to come down from the mountains to attack villages and steal horses. Men like Halgast's father Hammund were then called upon to ride out with what armour and weapons they possessed. Iron was a rare commodity, and what iron Hammund's family possessed came mostly in the form of farming tools. He did, however, own a decent enough battle-axe. While the wooden handle had been replaced several times throughout the years, the axe head had been passed on for almost 5 generations.

A Lover's Injustice

When Halgast was but 5 years old, his father's love for his mother waned and carelessness made his heart grow cold. It was known he had relations with a woman from another village, someone he met on a patrol with the éored. It broke his mother's heart. She miscarried shortly after and in her sadness she roamed northward for nigh seven days, soaking the dry summer grass with her tears to the borders of Entwood. There, in the shadow of a big tree overhanging the plains of Rohan, her tears watered the seeds of her misfortune, and she passed away.

Upon his return, Hammund learned of her death and he was overcome by grief and guilt for her passing, but more so for his unborn daughter, for while Hammund had proven himself a terrible husband, none doubted his fatherhood. It was perhaps his devotion to his son that redeemed his unfaithful actions in the eyes of the villagers, and thus, in time, everyone went again about their business without making it the subject of their daily conversations.

On Hammund's Disappearance

Regardless of this tragedy, young Halgast grew up quite peacefully. Together with his closest friends Eoroth and Dunhelm he learned how to ride on horseback, how to cut wood and tend to crops and how to herd a group of horses. He never learned how to read nor write, for that was not custom with the men of the Mark. He was also quite skilled with the bow for one his age. When he was 11 years of age, his father mysteriously disappeared with several other woodcutters into Fangorn Forest. Rumour has it they were killed by the very trees they tried to chop down in defiance of the legends of old. Others speak of a witch who prowls the eaves of Fangorn and lures men into the forest, never to return. Even others claim it was the ghost of Hammund's late wife who had returned to act vengeance upon her husband. The less superstitious folk of the village tell simply that it must have been orcs or wargs from the mountains. Yet none dared speak of it in Halgast's presence. Bereft of his mother and father, his grandfather Hamling and his grandmother Isbreht took him under their wing.

The Power of  Friendship

These misfortunes did not take a hold of Halgast's spirit. His friends Eoroth and Dunhelm were a great support in the aftermath of Hammund's presumed death. They shared many adventures together, often sneaking off when they weren't supposed to, and getting into all sorts of childish mischief. For 7 years, Halgast lived his youth out in relative peace. But the thought of his mother still lingered in his mind, and oft his mind would stray to his father also. Sometimes he would ride his steed Haflód to the borders of Entwood to gaze upon the old trees he had grown to fear. Several years later, Hamling died peacefully in his sleep. Isbreht used her share of the herd's profit to pay for a coat of mail. She always had the foresight to see the needs of the future.

For indeed, a wizard in his tower had already begun scheming his war with Rohan and the Dunlendings were being riled up against the 'strawheads'. Orcs and brigands bearing the mark of the White Hand first appeared in the Eastemnet raiding villages and burning crops. The éored rode out to meet them, but they were too few in number to defend all the scattered villages. Children were therefore no longer allowed to venture out alone. Horses were stabled, mills served as watchtowers and the lumber meant for new homesteads saw use as spears and arrows. Times were changing indeed as Isbreht had portended.

Rick, Cot and Tree

Today, life is harsh in the Eastemnet. A recent attack on the village saw several houses burn to the ground and crops turned to ash. The éored came in time to stop the destruction of the entire village and they armed stable boys and old peasants to protect the village should the orcs return. They gave Halgast a helmet and a leather cuirass, which were both too large for him still. Carrying his father's battle axe, he truly did look like a rider of the Mark, albeit a scrawny one. Some of the villagers have been talking of building a bell-tower like they have in other villages to call for aid when the need is high. That would require strong wood of which they were bereft during the raid. Instead, they have decided to seek refuge in Snowbourn, hoping to enjoy the protection of a larger éored.

Disclaimer:

I do not own the picture used as header.

Picture comes from Jackson's film 'The Return of the King' and is sole property to its respectful owners.

Notes on RP'ing with Halgast:

-I RP Halgast generally only in Rohan, unless I RP his journey to Gondor to participate in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

-Halgast has never seen dwarves or elves. To him they are a myth from stories he heard when he was younger. Also remember he cannot read nor write.

-Halgast will eventually participate in the Battle of Helm's Deep as he comes there as a refugee. He will also take part in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, wielding both sword and shield, and finally, at the Battle of the Black Gate, where he and his friends witness the coming of the fourth age.