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The Men of Darkness or Men of Shadow were the groups of mankind hostile to the Free Peoples of the World at different points in Arda's history, being under the sway of the Dark Lords, Morgoth and later Sauron, or as their agents directly.
Groups[]
Easterlings[]
The Easterlings were the most predominant wicked Men, hailing from Rhûn.
In the First Age, Ulfang the Black and his clan journeyed westwards and swore fealty to Elf-lords Maedhros and Carantir; however, they were secretly in league with Morgoth the Dark Lord, who had promised them rich lands in Beleriand. While Bór and his sons fought loyally alongside Free Folk during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Ulfang's progeny turned on their allies and ensured Morgoth's victory. The Dark Lord reneged on his reward, so the Easterlings led by the likes of Brodda and Lorgan invaded Hithlum instead, oppressing the Men of Dor-lómin. After Morgoth's ousting in the War of Wrath, these Men fled the Host of Valinor over the Blue Mountains into Eriador, mingling with the Middle Men there, while others had long remained in Rhûn.
In the Second and Third Ages, most Easterlings were under the dominion of Sauron the Dark Lord; one of their kings, Khamûl, was ensnared with a Ring of Power, and became the Second Chief of the Nazgûl, the most feared of the Enemy's servants. Envying the prosperity of Men in the West, the Easterlings were used by the Dark Lord against the Northmen and Dúnedain, whom they viewed as "enemies to slain and plundered". Up until the War of the Ring, such peoples as the Wainriders and the Balchoth were repeatedly instigated by Sauron's emissaries to wage war on the Gondorians, often working in tandem with the Haradrim and Corsairs of Umbar. During the Dark Lord's final war, the Easterlings were part of the forces that besieged Minas Tirith and later Erebor. Following their master's downfall, they were finally subdued by King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom.
Haradrim[]
The Haradrim were wild Men originating from Harad.
In the Second Age, these Men were caught between the ambitions of two major powers: Sauron the Dark Lord and the Kings of Númenor. At the time of their first arrivals, the Númenóreans came to the Haradrim as bringers of gifts, teaching them agriculture and many crafts. Later, however, they demanded tribute from the Southrons and began oppressing them. Overcoming the influence of both Númenóreans and the Blue Wizards, Sauron brought most of the Haradrim into his service; upon their master's return from Númenor, the Haradrim were ruled by his thanes, Black Númenóreans such as Fuinur and Herumor. In the Third Age, the Southrons were often stirred by the Dark Lord's emissaries, often joining the Easterlings and later the Corsairs of Umbar against the Gondorians. In the War of the Ring, Haradrim using Mûmakil were in the force used by Sauron's captain, the Witch-king, to besiege Minas Tirith.