The Life of Vibiras Took

Thain\_Vibiras was born on 29
Afterlithe 1384, at the beginning of a very turbulent time in the Shire’s
history. The ruling Thain of the Shire was killed when he was only 7 years old,
promoting his father, Paladin, to that position. Although the Rangers and
Bounders were doing their best to protect the Shire, marauding Orcs from
Gundabad and Angmar as well as cruel Men were running rampant, killing and
burning as they pleased. In 1402, when young Vibiras was out recruiting more
Bounders, a group of Men attacked the Great Smials and burned it from the outside
in, killing his parents and countless other Tooks. The now Thain Vibiras knew
that the Shire was in grave danger of falling to the forces of evil, and that
he was its last hope.

He took the titles of Mayor and
Master of Buckland as their former officeholders abdicated and fled to the
Moors to hide, along with a sizable portion of the population, although many
courageous Hobbits such as Ffets stayed. The Thain organized efforts and drove
out some of the Orcs, but he was losing men faster than he could recruit them.
It was at this time that the NSR claimed ownership over all of the Shire Moors.
Vibiras could not combat this claim since he could hardly fend off the attacks
from the outsiders, although MrTinty of Rohan and Combob of Bree would support
him if it came to that. Looking for further help, Vibiras turned to Lord Ragna
of Mount Methedras for help. He did help, by teaching him how to forge Dwarven
armor and create Dwarven bricks. Vibiras used those bricks to help rebuild the
Smials and armored several Hobbits, but the dangers still remained. The NSR,
led by the ambitious James Turpin, bought more of the Shire, and the great
minerofjustice took Buckland (which he later gave to the NSR), but giving land
away was all the Thain could do to avoid war.

War still ended up being the
downfall of the NSR’s presence in the Shire, but it was with Dunland that they
were fighting. James Turpin changed his name to Olaf Volsung and moved to
Forodwaith, and the Thain eventually bought back all the lands taken from him.
The NSR alleviated most of the Orcs’ attacks, and the fleeing Hobbits returned
to their homes, although it was not until the downfall of the NSR that the
threat was extinguished. During and before the NSR’s occupation, Vibiras had
roamed Middle Earth looking for allies and discovering new fighting techniques.
He had even gone to the Red Mountains and Far Harad.

After the Shire had recovered its
strength, Vibiras went to the great city of Minas Tirith, which he fell in love
with and dwelt in for a time, and while there he became the friend of Malinon
Catsman and Zhatelier, the latter of whom was the King of Gondor at the time.
Vibiras and Zhatelier became good friends, and the Shire made a treaty of
friendship with Gondor as a sign of that. He also became acquainted with Kebab
Master and Prince of Dol Amroth, Internet\_miners (also known as Bat), who had
lived in Fangorn and could make a very potent Ent Draught, which Vibiras was
fond of drinking when he visited, which he did many times over the years in his
trips to Pelargir-Zhatelier’s dwelling place-on the way to there or from there.
As a result, he grew very high in stature, about as high as a Dúnadan of that
time. This allowed for Vibiras to blend in easier and the length of his missions
to the South grew to new heights as the Shire prospered after the downfall of
the NSR and the reclaiming of the Shire’s old borders.

Vibiras grew more and more fond of
the Dúnedain until both Zhatelier and Hells\_Metalicus (Chief of the Rangers)
abdicated their positions and the new kings (Atanvarno and Skelesam,
respectively) merged their two kingdoms into one: the Union of Númenor. This
brought both joy and sadness to the Thain, as he had considered the idea of
merging the Shire with Gondor for some time, but he thought that Zhatelier
would remain king for much longer than he had. After discussing this with
Zhatelier, Vibiras decided that he should go for it and join Númenor, but he
was initially turned down by Atanvarno. This was both a sadness because he
wanted to pursue the idea, but also a relief as he was still worried about the
outcome of it. Atan, however, changed his mind and allowed the Shire to be
reunited with the Realms of the Dúnedain, which had not been so since the days
of Elendil.

Inspired by the glory of the
ancient Númenoreans, Vibiras decided to try to discover the way to Meneltarma,
which was rumored to still remain above the waves. Besides the vast amount of
water that he would have to cross, Vibiras had another obstacle as well: a
Hobbit’s innate fear of water and boats. Since he had spent so much time
traveling, he had gotten over that to some degree, but it still was a concern
of his. As he set off in his barrel, Vibiras wondered what troubles he would
have to face. The journey was luckily uneventful, with Vibiras landing on
Meneltarma after 21 days of sailing. He explored the island for a week,
searching for any living things. On the evening of the seventh day, Vibiras saw
the light from a fire nearby. He wondered who that fire belonged to, and
approached it with a drawn sword. Sitting at the fire was a sight that the
Thain had never expected to see: Mewarmy, king of Rohan. They greeted each
other and celebrated through the rest of the night. Unfortunately, Vibiras had
to leave the island the next day, as his provisions would not hold forever, and
he had told Mew all of what he had discovered on the island that was once a
mountain, and as he set sail on his return journey, he wondered what the chance
was of meeting a king on an island three weeks away from anywhere else in
Middle Earth was.

He landed at Umbar, at the tip of
the peninsula enclosed in the bay, and looked in wonder at the ancient ruins of
the Havens and its still intact wall. He walked to the currently inhabited City
of the Corsairs, where he found food and shelter until he saw the king of the
Corsairs, Kvesir, talking a walk on a pier. He knew him by sight, as he had
seen him in his previous journeys through the Harad. Relations with Umbar had
broken down since the formation of Númenor, and the Thain decided to attack the
king and end his raids upon Gondor’s coasts. He could not draw his sword, for
Kvesir’s guards were standing nearby, so he meandered closer and closer to
Kvesir, until with one swift movement punched Kvesir in the temples with his
right hand and shoved him into the sea with the other. The guards immediately
heard his cry and saw his fall, and Vibiras dashed off into the city, where the
pursuing guard lost him in the commotion, and Vibiras met with the caravan he
had seen the previous day that was heading to Harondor. Once he got there, he
walked to Ithilien by foot, and in Osgiliath was welcomed him back from his three
month journey.

Númenor and Umbar had declared war
upon one another, with Vibiras telling king Atanvarno of his attack upon Kvesir
and warning him to prepare for and assault from the south. The king met with
his Council and they sent an army marching down to the Crossing of Poros to
besiege it. The Haradrim forces, backed by Mordor and Isengard, had surrendered
without a fight, which led to Isengard and Mordor’s withdrawal from the war.
Umbar was conquered when in a second siege, Kvesir surrendered and peace talks
began. Now Númenor had wanted Umbar for some time, and when they had sent men
to ask if it would like to join the Union, they were flat out refused in the
past, but now that could not be refused. The terms of the treaty worked out
between the two sides went as follows:

This document hereby declares the end
of the war between Umbar and Númenor, and the addition of all of Umbar into Númenor. Kvesir,
former king of Umbar, shall have joint rule of the said territory, along with
Thain\_Vibiras, beneath the authority of the kings of Númenor. The
Lebethron belonging to Thain\_Vibiras shall also be under Kvesir’s authority.
All members of Umbar, no matter their rank, seniority, or participation in this
agreement, will have the same rules applied to them as the rest of Númenor’s
members. Breaking a law will put you under the Master of Law’s jurisdiction.
Treason, murder, secession, insubordination, sedition, rebellion, and
contravention are the most highly punishable, and will result in immediate
exile, with lands and titles stripped. All claims must have sufficient evidence
put forward to the Council. If any member of Númenor does anything against a former
member of Umbar without a valid reason, then they are to be punished likewise. All
alliances made with Númenor extend to the members of Umbar, as they
themselves are now citizens of Númenor, and are subject to all its laws. If any
member of Umbar desires aid for themselves, they must tell a member of Númenor so
it can be discussed with the Council. With the treaty in place, Vibiras
began rebuilding the Havens, an account of which can be found here. He was
co-ruler of Umbar with Kvesir as the other co-ruler. The City of the Corsairs
was considered the capital of Umbar until Kvesir was caught spying on the
dealings of Númenor for the Dark Council. This outraged Númenor’s
leaders, so Kvesir was banned from Númenor and his rule of Umbar was passed to
Vibiras, who now had total management over it. Vibiras continued to work on the
Havens and rule the Shire and Umbar simultaneously.

The years passed on after the great
conquest of Umbar. Vibiras fought less and focused more on the reconstruction
of The Havens. The walls of the citadel were put into defense first, then the
great outer wall. Houses on a canal system were built to house the ever growing
might of Umbar. Tuckborough flourished and prospered, and the Shire was filled
with secure and beautiful dwellings thanks to the new master of Buckland,
Nopaosak.

Beginning in the year 1435, the
Haradrim had been launching more and more raids into Umbar. Then in 1438
fully-fledged war broke out between the Harad and Númenor. In the face of such
a crisis, Arnor left the Union and great fear broke out amongst the remaining
chieftains that Umbar would fall and the glory of Númenor be further dimmed.
The Viceroy, in his anger against the insolence of the Haradrim, launched the
famed Rhino Raids against the Moredain capital of Aglar-al-harad. These raids
were devastatingly effective, with numerous Haradrim dead and very few losses
on Vibiras’s side. He chose Aglar because it was the city of the Moredain king,
Aglarion II, a Númenorean whom Vibiras had aided during the First War for
Umbar, when he was just a young man named Thj. He later joined the Corsars, and
proclaimed himself the last of the Black Númenoreans after the rest were slain
in the end of the war and he was crowned king of the Moredain. The feud between
the two lords was bitter, but neither was able to meet and slay the other in
combat. Then word came that the Kings and Queens of both East and South were
gathering their forces as a final attempt to wrest the Havens from Númenor.
Quickly the Viceroy sent messages to the whole of Numenor and its allies, and
they rallied around him. Soon Elven ships began sailing into the harbor and the
forces of Gondor and Rohan marched overland before the gathering storm of the
south hit. Even as the forces of Harad were seen marching forth by the scouts,
a small ship, guided by Elven mariners of Sinzpet and manned by loyal rangers
appeared. To the dismay of Dúnedain and Elves alike, news was heard that the
deadly mercenaries of Gladden Fields and dreadful Orcs of the Misty Mountains
were amongst the companies of the south. The walls were manned by archers, and
behind the great gate of Umbar gathered the soldiers.

Then,
at dusk of Trewsday the 5th
of Winterfilth, in the year 1438 S.R., the forces of Harad were seen
marching even from the men on the walls. Trumpets blasted and the battle began.
A hail of arrows fell from the walls, and an answer sprung up from the
advancing line. Some of the attackers charged the drawbridge, but most remained
just within bowshot of the walls. Those who charged were either shot before
they crossed the bridge, or dispatched by soldiers behind the gate. . All that
night the battle raged, with archers and soldiers on both sides taking deadly
hurt, but still the line held. Dawn arose.
Cries sprang up from men within the walls. Somehow two Gladdens, the feared
Sebrom and the cruel Miner, had scaled the high wall and were attacking from
the rear. They slew the famed Mewarmy, a mighty warrior and former king of
Rohan, before they themselves were killed by Lord Celebrimbor of Ithilien. So
that menace to the world was ended. Zirakzagil, the last remaining Gladden,
fled in fear from the Elves and men of Gondor, but in his haste fell into the
quagmire pit, and so was slain. The forces of Harad quailed with the fall of
their champions, and a battle that was once thought a sure victory seemed so no
longer. Then from within the walls blew a trumpet. Forth charged a host of men,
led by the Viceroy and Henry the Great of Rohan, and scattered the host of the
Harad. Vibiras himself shot Aglarion as he fled in fear of the might of Gondor.
The host of Men and Elves overtook their fleeing foes, and Henry slew many of
the Haradrim.

Few were the men who made it back
to queen Shamir to tell her of the crippling loss, though without the Elves or
Rohan, Umbar certainly would have fallen. The allies of Umbar rejoiced in their
victory, for though Harad may still attack again, they greatly feared those
high, black towers of Númenor and the yawning quagmire pit that they themselves
had put at the Havens many ages ago, and now many of their best warriors of
both South and Gladden lay fallen before the high gate. The allies again took
to their ships and sailed back to home, but not without the grateful thanks of
Vibiras, who knew that without their aid he very well may have been a captive
or dead, with his walls and towers ruled by fell folk.

After the departure of Arnor from
the Union, Vibiras, after great thought, decided to make Umbar a fief of
Gondor. This began a new age in the Havens, for the men living there were now
strengthened by the might of Gondor the great.
Vibiras aided Rohan in their war against Dunland, sending men to
strengthen their forces.

The years drew on after the second war over Umbar. The Haven continued to grow and Vibiras realized that he was hardly paying enough attention to the dealing of the Shire, because he was spending nigh all of his time in Gondor and Umbar. As a result, he decided that he would abdicate leadership of the Shire to Nopaosak, the wise Master of Buckland, an excellent builder and superb leader. Vibiras retained his title of Thain for the time being, however, because there was no one who was worthy to continue the uptake and grow of Tuckborough. As compensation for this, as well as recognition of the Viceroy's dedication to Gondor, the King of Gondor granted Vibiras the rulership of Lebennin and Pelargir, in addition to Umbar. He often consulted with Jerrek\_Carnelian, the chief builder of Pelargir and that city's Lord.