Warad, a child from the southern lands of Middle-Earth, is taken from his family and sent north as a hostage of peace. Adopted by one of the principal families of the country, he takes on a new name Baranor and rises through the ranks of the Gondorian army to become second-in-command of one of its principal fortresses. One of the few men capable of keeping the forces of darkness at bay. With that background, you d be forgiven for believing that Baranor is the main character of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. He isn t, initially. He s a prominent NPC in the campaign (even fighting alongside you in some missions), a player skin, and finally, in DLC campaign Desolation of Mordor, he’s the starring character.
This growth is impressive, not just because he s a cool character, but because Baranor is a playable black man. Someone who, in many other fantasy games, wouldn t exist. (more…)