Khand was a land southeast of Mordor, lying between the Sea of Rhun and the country of Near Harad, home of the Variags -- a warlike people who hired themselves as mercenaries and bound themselves to the service of Sauron. The Variags of Khand fought in the great host that came to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, allies of the Haradrim and the Easterlings against Gondor.