[varialectio]

Hi, I have a question about the River Harnen and the terrain and peoples around it. I'm thinking about writing a story about the Haradrim peoples and how one fairly influential kingdom of theirs comes into a treaty with Mordor (this tale will be slightly pre-War of the Ring, obviously). I'm going to base this imaginary culture on ancient Egypt, post Alexandrian era, and the events and characters in it will be reminscent of those in Cleopatra's time.

My main problem is where to set it. I'm tempted to invent my own kingdom and big Nile-like river, and set it down in the Far Lower Space Of The Map That Tolkien Never Drew In. But I'm also tempted to put this kingdom on the banks of the Harnen River, since that was a 'debatable land'. However, this seems to be far too close to Gondor for comfort. Currently, I am leaning toward inventing my own river, and putting it south of Umbar. What do you guys think?

[SpaceWeavil]

For my story 'Bodysnatcher' on this archive, I was going off the 'Middle Earth is our world in the forgotten past' idea, and have Harad as Egypt. I couldn't find a great deal of geographical information on the lands, other than a few bits in the Atlas of ME, so I am just using my imagination mainly. For the religion, culture, language etc I've tried to get a sort of 'halfway' point between Numenorean and Ancient Egyptian, and I'm intending to do the same with the landscape; have the layout fairly similar to modern Egypt, so that it's feasible that one became the other.

I have absolutely no idea if that helps, but what I'm trying to say, I think, is that I always think you can do more or less what you like, if there is nothing in canon to argue against your idea.

[varialectio]