‘It comes from Mordor, lord,’ he said. ‘It began last night at sunset. From the hills in the Eastfold of your realm I saw it rise and creep across the sky, and all night as I rode it came behind eating up the stars.
– The Return of the King (Book 5), Chapter 3
The Eastfold is a region in the south-east of Rohan. One of the more populated regions of Rohan, it features many Gondorian ruins, villages and homesteads, and borders the Gondorian province of Anórien. The Great West Road traverses the Eastfold.
History
Originally a part of the Gondorian province of Calenardhon, the Dúnedain population of the province dwindled for many years, until it was ceded to the Éothéod by Steward Cirion in T.A. 2510, after the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. Thus it became the southernmost region of Rohan, and was quickly settled by many Éothéod. As Gondor continued to decline, the people of the Eastfold began to maintain Halifirien, the final beacon hill of Anórien.
Geography
The Eastfold is bordered to the north by the River Entwash, beyond which is the Eastemnet, and to the east by the Fenmarch and the Mering Stream, marking the frontier with Gondor. To the south it borders the White Mountains, and to the west the Folde, the King’s Land. The land itself is sheltered by the Ered Nimrais, and most of the settlements lie close to either the Great West Road, which runs along the foothills of the mountains in the south of the Eastfold, or to the River Entwash in the north. Various ruins of Gondorian settlements and watchtowers can be found around the Eastfold especially, with some repurposed by the Rohirrim. The land itself is good for farming, and many of the herdsmen who take their herds into the Eastemnet bring their animals back to the Eastfold to sell or spend the winter.
Climate
The region is shielded by the White Mountains from many of the cold winds that can be found in the Wold or the Eastemnet.
Culture
The culture of the Eastfold is Rohirric, with settlements consisting mainly of longhouses. They have a deep love for horses, and many inhabitants are skilled riders.
Governance
The Eastfold is a part of Rohan, and they pay taxes and tribute to the King in Edoras. Militarily, they are under the command of Théodred, the Second Marshal of the Riddermark, and must provide troops in times of war. Local lords have their own areas of influence, but are ultimately subject to the King.
Economy
The economy of the Eastfold is agrarian, with both pastoral and arable farming practiced extensively. Trade down the Entwash towards Gondor is facilitated through the Eastfold, and some larger settlements have more specialised trades, such as blacksmiths.
