#by Kurunir
#title:The Lands of the Ice Bay
#author:Torgrim, a Cardolan scientist
#types:forochel, forodwaith, eriador
#Especially for the LotrReworked project
#The book was written around 1350 of the Third Age, before the devastation of Cardolan. The fate of the author is unknown, most likely he died, never reaching the Lossoth settlements.

I have always been interested in the mysterious lands of the far north. Some believe that they are completely devoid of all life, and there is nothing but ice and snow. However, this is not entirely true.

Thanks to the stories of travelers, I was able to find out that the lands of Forochel, an ice-bound bay located a hundred leagues from the Shire, are by no means lifeless. Despite the severe frosts and the almost complete absence of any vegetation, this land is home to many animals unknown to us. These are bears with snow-white fur, and strange sea "catfish", and terrible creatures with thick skins and huge tusks instead of teeth. Also, the waters of Forochel are rich in various types of fish.

But this is not the most interesting thing. One traveler, the famous Levapud, told me that there are people on the icy shores of Forochel! Yes, exactly people! They dress in warm fur clothes and build houses from Forodwaith most common and readily available material, snow, he said. This people, called Lossoth, trades in hunting and fishing, using the sharp bones of animals as weapons.

It is surprising that these people, although they are quite wild, did not fall into darkness like the mountaineers of Rhudaur, by no means, they hate the orcs and consider the Angmar Witch-king to be the culprit of all their troubles and misfortunes. Snowmen remember both friendship and long-standing grudges, and they are distrustful of outsiders, and gaining their trust is not easy.

The Lossots do not worship the Valar or build temples like we do. Instead, they sacrifice animals to their strange god, whom they call Karkhu in their language.

I am sure that having learned more about these people, sooner or later we will be able to establish good relations with them. Therefore, I decided to go north and study this strange people on my own. The dangerous lands of Forodwaith do not scare me: after all, if some snowmen can endure the cold, then I - a descendant of Numenor - can and even more so!

 
