Ren (W, [ɹɛn]), son of Ranûr, is an Umbari mariner, most known for operating a humble dhow-cutter, the Rumratel, along the shores and waterways of Middle-Earth.

History

Ren was born in Umbar Baharbêl as the only son of Ranûr and Remíra. Through his mother's line, Ren possesses an ancestral tie to those once faithful to Castamir's Rebellion. 

Despite his ancestry, Ren was never taught the generations-spanning animosity towards Gondor and Eldecar's kin. Because of this, in his adulthood as a young mariner, Ren was never compelled to join the Corsairs in their raids upon Gondor's southernmost fiefdoms. Instead, during the War of the Ring, Ren chose to serve as a clandestine ally of the Free Peoples; a smuggler running goods, people, and messages along the river Anduin, the river Baranduin, and—though seldom—the river Lhûn. It was during his time as a smuggler that Ren had met his now-wife, Cate.

Once King Elessar and Queen Arwen ascended to Gondor's throne, Ren joined the Umbari and Ambarûli rebellion, driving back against the Heirs of Castamir and the Ordâkhai.
 

Personality

Ren is a product of his upbringing. Having been born into a class of craftsmen and merchants, a person's resourcefulness, cunning, and diligence have always been rewarded over their kindness, generosity, or compassion. Wealth and the pursuit of it have always been strong motivations. Ren struggles, however, in situations where his conscience contradicts his coinpurse; a strong, deeply embedded sense for justice and good have always prevented him from succumbing to true avarice. He often uses a thin facade as a coin-pinching swindler to mask his gentler side; his rare acts of selflessness are often poorly disguised as a merchantman's schemes. In his age, his relationship with wealth became nuanced. Ren seems more proud of being able to fill his pockets, than having pockets that are full.

Ren believes that to steal is to admit that one cannot earn. He holds no sympathy for the endeavors of pirates, brigands, and thieves.

Ren's allegiance has always been towards Umbar Baharbêl, believing the city should live as freely as he does, unshackled by foreign powers and unbound by the schemes of darker forces. This includes severing the city from its history with Gondor, and purging it of the feuds and the hatred embedded in its legacy. Ren believes that the best way to scorn Umbar's enemies, past and present, is to independently prosper.

When confronted with his mortality, Ren unknowingly accepts the Gift of Men, living life unafraid of death. It is unclear whether this reckless courage is born from a light in his heart or a narrowness in his mind, yet ultimately it has been a hidden source of wisdom and clarity throughout his life. His courage has allowed him to be unseduced by the pursuit of legacies, unturned by the signs of age in other men, and unenvious of the more venerable races. Ren claims to hear a quiet song on the wind, and though he feels no obligation to sing along, he sometimes does so anyway. Little does he know, the song and the Gift are intertwined

Trivia

Ren is a native speaker of Westron and the Adûnaic-Haradric creole of Umbarrim. Ren is very proficient in Shagâni, his father's native tongue, spoken in Shagâna. Ren also knows many individual words in Sindarin, but does not understand grammar well enough to form sentences or conversation. Ren knows a handful of miscellaneous, mispronounced, and likely misused Drúedainic words, mostly to scare off troublesome or nosy hobbits.

Ren has an affinity for wild birds, and knows many bird calls. His favorite bird is the Barleybird, native to the Blue Mountains. 

Ren is proficient with a flute, and carries one with him at all times. He knows a lengthy list of maritime melodies and sea shanties.