| ! | Non-canon alert The subject of this article originates from non-canonical sources. To learn about what is considered "canon", see LOTR:Canon. |
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- "Then he was filled with a red wrath and shouted aloud, and displaying his standard, black serpent upon scarlet, he came against the white horse and the green with great press of men; and the drawing of the scimitars of the Southrons was like a glitter of stars."
- —Description taken to refer to Suladân in non-canon material
Suladân was a Man of Harad who served Sauron in the late Third Age, and appears only in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game.
Biography[]
Suladân, also known as the Serpent Lord, lived during the War of the Ring, and the time when the grassy lands of Gondor, Rohan, and Dale and the sunny, scorched domains of Harad were in constant conflict, and led the Desert-Men forces (Haradrim) with merciless precision. He was considered a mysterious being, perhaps even a monster of sorts, by the soldiers of Gondor, a shadow that would strike like an assassin and kill without fault, and even by his own loyal troops.
Suladân was already a renowned chieftain in the armies of Harad when he ventured into ruined Karna and found the sword of Mardat. Since then, the name of the Serpent Lord has once more become a famous one throughout Harad, and grows further still with each victory.
Unlike his Haradrim soldiers, whose weapons were of haphazard assortment, some faulty, or mottled together from pieces of other weapons, Suladân reserved for himself the finest armour, bows and poison darts, and used them with the deadly efficiency expected of a Leader of the Sandy Regions. Even the fine equipment of Rhûn and Khand could not match Suladân's finery. Suladân was said to be a keen archer in the southern lands. He is said to have been killed by King Théoden, at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, though this is uncertain, and the only possible proof that he was present at the time lies in the mention of a warrior, whom Théoden refers to as "the black serpent".
- "Farewell, Master Holbytla! My body is broken. I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed. I felled the black serpent. A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset!"
- —Last words of King Théoden
Appearance[]
It was no coincidence that Suladân was considered a monster, even among his own troops. However, he had no disfigurations. He wore golden plated armour high above the likes of any eastern craftsmanship. Turquoise stones and jewels were encrusted into his armour. His sword is that of Mardat, the former serpent lord of Harad. It was a crooked scimitar, angled so as to decapitate a foe with ease. His helm was the shape of a golden serpent. On his back he wears a large red banner with the symbol of the eye of Sauron in black. He rides a white war horse, trained by the serpent guard, plated in fine gold armour. He wears fabrics of grey, red and rich purple. Suladân's hair is grey and long, with a grey beard and mustache. He was a true terror to behold on the field of battle.
"Suladân" from Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Appearance in other media[]
- In the 2017 video game Middle-earth: Shadow of War, another character known as "Suladân" served Sauron as one of his Nazgûl, as a "King of Harad" who was given a Ring of Power.