Belewen (S. "Great Woman") was the illegitimate daughter of Borathôr, a Dúnadan lord of Umbar, who at the height of his career was one of the Captains of the Havens (i.e.: one of the oligarchs of Umbar). Her paternity was undeniable, for Belewen was a huge woman, 6'7", 305 pounds. Her girth belied her great strength, for she shared her father's curse of a stubborn layer of fat over her powerful muscles. Though he never acknowledged her as his daughter, her father did grease the wheels for Belewen to begin her career as a captain of one of Umbar's myriad raiding vessels. Belewen had a definite knack for this line of work, but it only served to whet her considerable and frustrated ambitions.
In T.A. 1634, Belewen was involved in a coup against Angamaite and Sangahyando, who had made themselves virtual kings of Umbar and who were off on a great raid against Gondor. She hoped to gain her due inheritance as a Captain of the Havens. Though the plot initially went well, the people of Umbar valued nothing as much as success, and when the victorious brothers returned, Belewen and her co-conspirators were quickly suppressed. Belewen was blinded and languished in the dungeons for almost seven years before being rescued and healed by the servants of the Dark Religion.
As her imprisonment was not too strait because of her noble blood, Belewen had quickly regained her size and musculature. However, she was still very annoyed that her new eyes were light blue rather than the black of the originals. When she knew she was be going to be in a stand-up fight, Belewen had a set of Turtle shell armor that served as Half-plate, but generally wore a chain hauberk made for a stout Dwarf that barely covered her stomach. Considered by her actions and demeanor, rather than by her appearance, Belewen would have been hard to distinguish from any male pirate leader. She was coarse, vulgar, and ruled the crew chiefly through the fear of her very quick and very violent temper. However, Belewen knew enough of courtly ritual, and could act well enough to pass in high or dark society when she needed to. She was torn between her desire to return to Umbar to wreak a terrible and bloody revenge, and schemes to eventually betray her new masters and carve out her own little kingdom in the north.
References[]
- MERP: Raiders of Cardolan