Variag by John Howe
The Variags were men from the land of Khand, of whom little is known about apart from the fact that they fought for Sauron in the War of the Ring. They first appeared in the year 1944 of the Third Age in the north-west of Middle-earth, fighting alongside the Easterling tribe known as the Wainriders. On March 14 - 15 (Third Age: 3019) the Variags fought in Sauron's army at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Variags were never described by Tolkien. As Khand produced horses for Mordor, the Variags have been guessed to be horsemen. Games Workshop rendered them as similar to Mongols in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game. Other speculation based on the etymology of their name has suggested they may have been axe-wielding berserkers.
Appearances
Inconsistencies in the films
No Variags appear anytime in the film in the War of the Ring, not at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields or the Battle of the Morannon, probably because Peter Jackson had so little to go on.
Behind the Scenes
- In the real world, Variags is another name for the Scandanavian Varangians.
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The People of Middle-earth
Men:
Edain | Dúnedain | Númenóreans | Haradrim | Easterlings | Variags | Northmen | Dunlendings | Drúedain | Forodwaith (Lossoth) Vanyar | Ñoldor | Teleri | Sindar | Nandor | Avari Durin's Folk | Firebeards | Broadbeams | Ironfists | Blacklocks | Stonefoots | Stiffbeards |
External link
- Variags at Tolkien Gateway