[Dulcinea]

Hi! I am in need a beta with good knowledge of all things Tolkien and who maybe knows some basic elvish---or who can direct me to a dictionary for some elvish words. Also, someone who knows about Harad, the Dark Numenorians and other races of men who were tricked by the Dark Lord into fighting for him.

I am writing a story that will probably be 10 posts long at most. It is set in Middle Earth a few years after the fall of Sauron. The main character is an OC, a woman of the Haradrim. The story focuses on the rocky start to peace between Harad and Gondor as triggered by the OC's trip to Minas Tirith to seek asylum for her tribe of people. As I have it set, the Haradrim are a nation composed of various tribes who are cobbled together into nation states. They trace their roots to the Dark Numenorians. Long ago, their leaders were decieved by Sauron and established the worship of Sauron as their religion. The practice of the religion varied among the nation-states/tribes and over the generations, falling off greatly after the Last Alliance but resurfacing as the War of the Ring began. The nobility and rulers forced the worship on the people with dire results for disobeying. I have also set it up so that not all of the tribes pledged alligence to Sauron, but took the path of neutrality. The OC comes from such a tribe. However, their men were still impressed into service (some even used in early experiments for making uru-kai) and their defiance cost their leaders power, respect and eventually their land. So, after the fall of Sauron, Harad is understandably a hot-mess. People are confused by Saurons defeat, their leadership is fractured--many killed in the war or discedited by defeat. There are skirmishes and battles for control and the tribes that tried to remain neutral are ostracized, attacked or forced into exile---they are partly blamed for the defeat. The OC is from one such tribe and fearing for her people, she travels into Gondor (who has never had good relations with Harad) as an emissary seeking asylum or safe passage through Gondor for her tribe as they try to find a new home.

Also, the OC and her people are described as dark skinned with cruly to kinky hair. Her arrival in Gondor sparks some unrest and issues of race, forgiveness, national pride and peace making are all brought up. Aragorn, Arwen and Faramir are major characters of course, as is Haldir (now an advisor to the king as most of the elves of the golden wood have sailed west, including Galadriel), Legolas and possibly Orophin and Rumil (although I am not certain yet). There is also some romance involved, some battles and intrigue and the like.

Would anyone be interested in being a beta for this? I am working on the first chapter and will probably post once every two months (as I have school and another novel length Jane Austen story I am working on).