House Tarmas

House Tarmeär (Q."House of the Pillar") (W. "Tarmas"), was one of the great Houses of Arthedain. The family's origin was on the isle of Númenor where their ancestors had lived in neighborhood of the Meneltarma and had been courtiers of the Númenorean Kings and members of the Númenórean Seers or Sapthani. The Tarmas', strongest in wealth and influence, ranked highly in both sheer numbers and talent, contributing many family members to both the military and civilian sectors of government and to the Council of Seers and the Guardians of the Palantiri. Their chief stronghold, Tarmabar, sprawled over a hilltop south of Lake Evendim instead of being confined within the walls of a keep. The Tarmas', occupying positions of power all across Arthedain, would say that they were its defense. The Tarmas Clan commanded their own household army known as the Maethyr-en-Arthadan e-Tarmeär. The family emblem was a ring of seven gold stars on a silver-grey background.The traditional Tarmëar lands were relatively green and prosperous , good for farming and grazing , as well supporting a selection of limestone and marble quarries- Their western reaches , around Tarmabar , were dotted with terraced gardens and orchards. Along the southern edge : the Tarmëar fiefdom lay the Meadow Downs (the North Moors to Hobbits).Between the Lake Moors and the Meadow Downs lay the Gladelands —fertile , rolling country , where grains and good oak mixed with stone cottage barns . The Tarmas Lands (Q. "Tarmëarménar") were one of the six great western principalities of old Arthedain.House Tarmeär ruled the North Moors and some of the land south of Lake Evendim.The Tarmas were second in power only to the King yet himself, and they had a history of in subordination against the throne. Surprisingly , their seat of power was not a well defended fortress, but rather a pleasant and open estate filled with dozens of relatives, near-kinsmen, and servants.