THE KINGDOM OF ARNOR IN ERIADOR

Fan Fiction by

Hildigrim

INTRODUCTION

Throughout the Third Age, the cities of Arnor prolonged the traditions of Númenórian civilization in the north. There, the Lords of Arnor were visited by the great Elf Lords, the Dwarf Kings, and the kin of Gondor to the south. It is said that when the Istari first came to Eriador, they went first to Annúminus in Arnor before visiting the Elven strongholds of Imladris and Lothlórien farther east.

Lord Elendil founded Arnor after the destruction of the island kingdom by Eru. Númenor was destroyed when its people fell under the influence of Sauron and become evil, and in their pride the Númenórians sailed westward to Valinor, to claim it as their own. Númenor had been a gift of the gods, raised from the sea, but it had been cast beneath the waves by their pride. All of its people perished, but a few in the nine ships of Elendil. These were driven eastward by the destruction of Númenor on great waves and wind.

The four ships of Elendil were driven ashore at Mithlond in the north of Middle Earth, and the five ships of his sons Isildur and Anárion came ashore far to the south, at Pelargir.

Elendil and his followers had long prepared for flight from Númenor, so the nine ships were filled with their kindred and the relics of their people. The most precious of these relics were seven palantíri that had been made by the Elf Lord Fëanor at the height of his power. These "crystal balls" had the power to see over great distances and to allow communication among the persons using them. One of these had the power to see into the past and to see to even to Valinor.

Other relics made by Elves and Men were aboard the ships, including great swords and rings of antiquity. But more important than these heirlooms was the knowledge and skill saved from the ruin of Númenor by the people on the ships. At its height Númenor had been greater in might, and little less in understanding than the greatest kingdoms of the Elves.

The four ships of Elendil landed in a region already peopled by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The Elves welcomed them as kindred, because the Númenorians were descended from the Sindar Elf Lúthien. Indeed, the Elf Lord Elrond, who dwelt still in Lindon, was the brother of Elros, the first King of the Númenorians (The Dúnedain).

The Dwarves took little notice of the coming of the Númenorians, but the Men of Middle Earth fled before the them. To common Men, the Númenorians were little less than gods, and in the final, evil days of Númenor they had been exploited and enslaved by Númenorian conquerors.

THE COMING OF THE DÚNEDAIN TO ERIADOR

The barbarians viewed the arrival of the Dúnedain as an invasion, and even though they later lived in peace and became citizens of the kingdom of Arnor, they never trusted of Númenorians, who far exceed them in life and accomplishments. The barbarians called the men from Númenor "The Kings of Men" but this title was not always given in adoration or loyalty.

The first 100 years of Arnor were filled with peace and prosperity. Sauron had perished beneath the waves during the destruction of Númenor, but his spirit returned unnoticed to Mordor, and with the aid of his Great Ring he was restored to a form dark and terrible.

For a time, Sauron remained weak, and there was peace in Middle Earth. In the south, Isildur and Anárion founded the kingdom of Gondor, and between them lay Enedwaith, a land of barbarians. Arnor and Gondor were united by the palantíri, which allowed Elendil and his sons to communicate across the vast distance separating the two Kingdoms.

The four ships of Elendil had landed at the mouth of the River Lúhn. There, Círdan, the Lord of the Grey Havens had welcomed him. The lands along the western coast were known as Lindon. This was the kingdom of Gil-galed, the last of the Great Elven Lords - The High King of all Elves of Middle Earth.

Even though Gil-galed and Círdan welcomed Elendil, the Númenórian soon departed Mithlond to find a new home for his people. At first they kept to the River Lúhn, but after a day's journey, they turned again eastward, following the ancient Elven paths to Evendim, where Galadriel and Celeborn had dwelt in the Second Age. On the fourth day of their journey, as Elendil crossed over the mountains of Evendem, they were surprised by a storm, and hurried down into the forst to find shelter.

In the early morning, they beheld the rising sun reflected by the waters of Lake Nenuial. To Elendil the golden waves appeared as the lost Númenor, and there on the shores of Nenuial, Elendil built his capital. This region of Middle Earth, between the Lindon in the west and Isildur in the east, became Arnor, the kingdom of the refugees of Númenor.

Lake Nenuial (Evendim) was the largest and most beautiful lake of Eriador, but when Elendil first arrived no Men or Elves lived there. The southern shore of the lake was a vast swamp, filled with biting flies and the evil beasts of Sauron.

Among the Dúnedain were those who had been architects and engineers of Númenor. They built great engines that drained the swamp and piled up rich soil that became fertile fields and pastures. In the fields the Dúnedain sowed seeds brought from Númenor. Scarcely ten years after leaving Lindon, the Dúnedain were able to repay the generous welcome of the Elves with grain and vegetables from the fields of Evendim.

To the barbarians of Eriador, it seemed that the crops sprung eagerly from the ground and grew as high as trees, and that the sheep and cattle of the Dúnedain were twice the size of normal animals. Such was the knowledge brought to Arnor from fallen Númenor.

Soon, by the reckoning of the long-lived Dúnedain, the vineyards and orchards of Evendim bore fruit, and the Elven paths to Lindon and the Grey Havens became paved roads that carried commerce in all seasons. As time passed, the roads spread northward to the halls of the Dwarves in the Blue Mountains. In return for cheeses, wines, fruits and other goods, the Dwarves built many of the great structures of Arnor.

Two great towers were built by Dwarves and Men to hold palantíri of Fëanor, and a third was placed in Elostirion, in the ancient tower protected by the Elves. The other four were carried to Gondor by Isildur. When word was brought by the elves that Isildur and Anárion had been seen in Gondor, Elendel set sail and met his sons in their city of Osgiliath, for which the foundations had just been laid. Isildur returned with his father to Mithlond, and went with him to Annúminus; and when he departed, he carried with him four of the stones, including the great one, which he placed in the tower of Osgiliath.

The white towers of Emyn Beraid had been rebuilt at Elostirion by Gil-galed after the ruin at the end of the first age. The dark palantíri was placed there before Elendil ventured eastward into Eriador, and it was later moved to a greater tower built at Elostirion by Círdan and Valandil to honor the Last Alliance of the Elves and Men.

The foundations of these towers had been laid in the First Age, and it was said that the Valar protected them, and that they still stand. At the twilight of Arnor, when the Lord Angmar raged westward through Arnor, he turned back before Elestirion, for the power there was too great for him to face. In Elestirion was placed the dark palantír, the one most difficult to use, the one with which the wise could see even to Valinor. There often did Elendil go before the War with Sauron.

The Dúnedain built their largest tower high atop Amon Sûl in the middle of Arnor, and in Annúminus the Dwarves built the "Tower of the Faithful" to house the palantír and other relics of Númenor. There the King would go to perceive all that happened in Arnor, and to communicate with the other palantíri in his own kingdom and in Gondor.

The third palantír of Arnor was placed in Elestirion, the highest of the white towers of Emyn Beraid on the western border of Arnor. The Elf Lord Círdan kept these towers, for their

THE END OF THE SECOND AGE

In just over 100 years after the fall of Númenor (II 3429), Sauron had reformed, and in secret he had built a vast army of orcs in Mordor. His attack on Gondor was unexpected, and he quickly captured Minas Ithil, the throne of Isildur. But Isildur's brother Anárion was able to defend the other great fortresses of the southern kingdom - Osgiliath and Minas Anor.

Isildur then fled by ship with his wife and four sons to Aronr. There in the Tower of the Faithful he met with Elendil his father, and the Elf Lords Círdan and Gil-galed. After long debate, the Elves and Men concluded that they must join together or be destroyed one by one by Sauron's army. Under Elendil, they formed the Last Alliance of Men and Elves. The army marched eastward to Imladris (Rivendell) and there they joined the armies of Elrond and Galadriel, lead by the Elf Knight Glorfindel.

In Rivendell new weapons were forged and Glorfendel marshalled the Army of the Last Alliance. Two years later, the army crossed the Misty Mountains and marched southward down the River Anduin to the Plain of Dagorlad before the Gates of Mordor. There, with the Dwarven kin of Durin, they defeated Sauron, who retreated into his stronghold at Barad-dûr. In that battle, not even the Ringwraiths could stand against Gil-galed and his spear Aeglos. And Narsil, the sword of Elendil filled the Orcs with such fear that they fled before him.

The army of Elves and Men then laid siege to Barad-dûr for seven years, and in one of the battles Anárion, King of Gondor, was slain. Finally, Sauron was drawn forth, and his army was defeated. Sauron was killed in hand-to-hand combat by Gil-galed and Elendil. But so great was the power of Sauron that the King of the Elves and the King of the Dúnedain also were slain. Then, Isildur cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand with the broken haft of Narsil, Elendil's sword brought from Númenor.

Thus ended the Second Age of the Sun. And even though Sauron's tower of Barad-dûr was thrown down, the death of Elendil and Gil-galed ended the alliance of Elves and Men. The loss of Men and Eelves left both peoples in grief and great weariness.

But the evil of the One Ring survived the defeat of Sauron, and while Isildur was returning to Arnor, Orcs summoned by the Ring killed him and three of his sons. And the One Ring, which fell from Isildur's hand as he swam across the Anduin, was lost until the end of the Third Age.

Isildur's youngest son, Valandil, had remained in Rivendell with his mother during the War of the Alliance. When news of Isildur's death reached Rivendell, Valandil was taken to Annúminus by Elrond, where he was crowned King of Arnor. There he reigned for nearly 250 years.

After the coronation of Valandil, the Elf Lords left Annúminus, and for long they had few dealings with the Dúnedain.

Seven generations of Vanandil's heirs then ruled in Annúminus as the Kings of Arnor. After the reign of Eärendur (III 777-861) Arnor was divided into 3 kingdoms and the throne was moved to Fornost, which became the capital of Arthedain, the Northern Kingdom of Arnor. The first king of Arthedain was Aranarth, who was followed by 14 Kings of Arthedain, the last being Arvedui, who was defeated by the Witch Lord of Angmar (III 1974). Thereafter the bloodline was carried by "Chieftains" who were the Captains of the Rangers. There were 17 of these, the last of which was Aragorn II, who became King of Gondor at the end of the Third Age.

ANNÚMINUS AND THE REGIONS OF ARNOR

Through the labor and craft of the Dwarves and knowledge of the Dúnedain, Annúminus became the most beautiful city of Middle Earth. The deep canals that had drained the swamps became filled with clear water that flowed through the city into the Lake. They were lined with white stone from the Hills of Evendim, and at intervals wide stone bridges were built where the major avenues of the city crossed the canals.

The grand canals were lined by shops and inns. All through the day and long into the night music was heard in the inns and from strolling minstrels. Boats of every kind traveled the canals, from barges laden with produce, to the floating shops of craftsmen.

The avenues were straight and wide, and paved with white stone. They were lined with high trees that overtopped the many-colored lamps that were lit each evening. Throughout the city were many parks. and in each park there were many fountains.

Elendil, the first king of Arnor, dedicated Annúminus to Ulmo the lord of water, for he had lifted up the ships of the faithful when Númenor fell beneath the waves. A grand statue of Ulmo stood in the fountain before the city's Tower and Palace. The Palace of the King of Arnor faced northward across Lake Evendim. Three flights of stairs lead up from the fountain, so that the great hall of the palace looked over the shoulders of the statue onto the lake. In the midst of the palace rose the Great Tower that held the palantír.

Also, King Elendil dedicated Annúminus to Undying Lands to the West, and he filled the city with light. At night the avenues and canals of the cities were lit with lamps, and light shone from every window. But, the greatest light came from the "Tower of the Faithful" which held the palantír of Annúminus. At night the Tower illuminated the city and it sent forth a light that could seen from the northern shore of Lake Evendim, but the source of this light was known to only a few of the Dúnedain.

Annúminus was not fortified, because the men of Eriador were backward and peaceful, and because Elendil knew that Sauron had perrished during the distructions of Númenor.

The splendor of Annúminus and the might of Arnor filled all of Middle Earth, and in awe the Men from of Eriador swore loyalty to its King and they became citizens of Arnor. The Dúnedain spread throughout Eriador, building roads and taking with them the prosperity that they had brought from Númenor.

The "Great Road" of Arnor lead eastward from Elestirion, crossed the Brandywine by a great bridge, and then passed south of Midgewater and Amon Sûl. From there it crossed the Hoarwell by another great bridge and the Loudwater River by a ford. That river was the eastern edge of Arnor, but the road continued by winding paths and over passes of the Misty Mountains, across the Anduin, through the Greenwood, and eventually it reached the River Running by which one could travel to the East.

The North Road lead south from Fornost and forded the Grayflood west of the land of Hollin; from there it crossed Dunland, and through the Gap of Rohan it entered Gondor.

After the reign of Eärendur (III 777-861), Arnor was divided into three regions, the greatest of which was Arthedain in the Northwest, where lay Annúminus and Fornost the great cities of the realm. To the west Arthedain was bounded by the towers at Elestirion and to the east the tower of Amon Sûl, which held the palantíri.

The city of Fornost, 100 miles east of Annúminus, became the commercial center of Arnor. Perishable goods arrived there on the "North Road" from the southern region of Cardolan. Furs and wool came from the region of Rhudaur to the east. Gold and lesser metals came from the Dwarf mines of Blue Mountains far to the west.

Livestock and wild animals of all kinds were sold in Fornost, and services of all kinds could be purchased. All the bounty of Arnor was sold in the shops and traded in the sprawling markets of Fornost - behind its high walls and under the watchful eye of the Army of Arnor. The safety this army provided was felt from the Sea to the Misty Mountains. As the commerce of Fornost grew, prosperity spread throughout all of Eriador. And the people of Arnor flourished

But as prosperous and grand as Arnor became, the Dúnedain were never numerous. The men of the west who founded and ruled Arnor were long-lived, being descended from the Elves. But although their lives sometimes spanned centuries, they left few heirs. And, therefore their army was mostly willed with lesser Men. In battle, each Dúnedain was said to count for ten barbarians, or for 20 orcs, but in time the barbarians of Arnor came to number in the thousands, and the orcs of the Misty Mountains in the ten thousands.

Even with its great cities, the population of Arthedain remained small, but the populations of the southern and eastern regions - Cardolan and Rhudaur - grew rapidly. Those regions had been filled with Men before the coming of the Dúnedain. These Men lived shorter but more prolific lives, and they quickly filled Cardolan and Rhudaur with their children and their grandchildren.

The barrier between the Dúnedain and the other Men did not weaken with time. There were many marriages among them, but the children of these unions were of lesser stature and they led shorter lives than the Dúnedain. Many of these children grew to accomplish great things for Arnor, but they did live in fair Annúminus. They served in the Army, but they never lead it. They had large and happy families, but they did not know the King. The Dúnedain grew in pride and wealth, but they diminished in might.

The people of Rhudaur, in the east of Arnor, continued their nomadic existence, tending herds and living off the bounty of the plains and forests of the region. The Dúnedain rulers of Rhudaur lived in three towns: the capital Armithel, on the great bridge over the Hoarwell; Sorontil, at the ford of the Loudwater near Imladris; and in the small communities at Amon Sûl.

Armithel consisted primarily of wooden buildings, clustered within the walls of the garrison built to protect the bridge over the Hoarwell. The walls were expanded to protect the community as it grew, but Armithel's large winter population lived in huts and tents scattered over the broad river terrace on either side of the East-West road. Armithel remained a simple town throughout its existence, and the Dúnedain royalty who ruled it lived in high towers in the wooded valley northeastward from Armithel.

Armithel was Rhudaur's primary trading center as well as the winter residence of many of its citizens. It's chief exports were beef, mutton and cheese, but more important were it's sturdy young men who swelled the ranks of the army of Arnor. With the coming of the Dúnedain, horses had become more common in Rhudaur, and the barbarians proved to be excellent cavalrymen.

Rhudaur's only other large settlement was Sorontil, a raw, brawling burg at the ford of the Loudwater. This melting pot was home to Dúnedain who befriended the Elves of Imladris, and the Elves themselves were sometimes seen on its dusty streets. Dwarves were common in Sorontil, both as visitors traveling to and from Erebor and the Gray Mountains, and as craftsmen who repaired the high roads or as guards. But, the chief inhabitants of Sorontil were the mercenaries, rogues, and merchants who traveled the High Pass across the Misty Mountains.

This was the chief route for silks and spices from the east and gems and gold from the west. Fortunes were made by the Men and Dwarves who guarded the caravans crossing the Mountains, and by the thieves who plundered them. Orcs were common in the high mountains, and storm giants were a constant threat.

Sorontil was ruled by a member of the royal family of Rhudaur, supported by an outpost of the royal guard (Dúnedain) of Annúminus, garrisoned at a small fortress on the road, overlooking the ford. The merchants paid dearly for the protection of the elite guard, whose astonishing skill in battle, and remarkable capacity for violence kept Sorontil from exploding into chaos.

Among the many small villages of Rhudaur, the most prosperous was Fennas Drúnin, in the angle of the Loudwater and Hoarwell rivers. This was the sothernmost region of Rhudaur and the only extensive area of river bottomland. It was the only part of Rhudaur where farming was actively practiced, primarily by Hobbitts from III 1050-1350. Fennas Drúnin consisted of a small citadel surrounded by huts.

In comparison with Rhudaur, Cardolan was a gentle land flowing with milk and honey. This was the southern region of Arnor, between the Brandywine and Grayflood rivers, south of the Great Road. Under the instruction of the Dúnedain, its people became skilled in farming the rich river bottomlands. The vales of the lower Brandywine and the middle Grayflood were cultivated, and the chief cities of Cardolan grew up amidst the fields at Sarn Ford, and at the ancient city of Tharbad.

Wheat for bread and barley for brew came from Cardolan, as well as vegetables and fruits of every kind. In time, Cardolan surpassed the fields of Evendim in the bounty of its crops. The vineyards and orchards along the Grayflood below Tharbad were renown, and only Greyflood vintage was served at the Kings table (if it did not come from distant Rhûn).

Tharbad became the grand city of Cardolan in the Third Age. The Noldor Elves had fled Hollin for Imladris and Lothlórien in the Second Age, but the Sindar elves, who had learned much from their long association with the Noldor, helped the Cardolanians to rebuild the ancient city. Although it never rivaled Annúminus as a center of culture, it became a center of learing in its own right. After III 861 it become the capital of Cardolan.

Tharbad was captured and burned by the Army of the Witch King in III 1409. A small force of occupation was left behind, but they were driven out the following year by the Prince of Cardolan. With the city in ruins, the Prince withdrew northward to the fortifications at the Barrow Downs (Tyrn Gorthad), which he occupied until III 1636, when the great plague killed everyone there. Nearly all of the Dúnedain, and many of the other Men had followed the Prince into exile. Others had fled southward to Gondor, but some remained in Tharbad and became dependent on travelers on the North-South Road, until III 1974, when Arthedain fell and all travel ceased.

In III 1980, the Dwarves were driven from Moria, ending trade with Tharbad and further damaging its economy. However, the farms downriver remained productive and the population slowly began to recover. In III 2050-2100, Tharbad received an influx of people fleeing the devistation of Ithilien following the fall of Eärnur to the Nazgûl. The immigrants soon put all of the farmland along the Grayflood into cultivation and Tharbad became prosporous once more. Trade was renewed with Gondor through river travel, and much of the city on the north bank of the river was rebuit. However, the flood of III 2912 killed much of the population, destroyed the ancient city and the great bridge, and the fields beneath many feet of stinking mud.

OF ANGMAR AND THE WITCH KING

Following the division of Arnor, relationships among Cardolan, Rhudaur and Arthedain worsened. Disputes were common between Rhudaur and Cardolan - most often over control of Amon Súl, which lay on the border between the three regions. But, for a time Rhudaur and Cardolan remain linked to Arthedain by their common descent from Elendil, commerce with Fornost, and by the army of Arthedain.

Fornost held the throne of Arthedain, but Annúminus remained the center of learning for Arnor, and the Army of Arthedain was garrisoned there. Disputes among the three kingdoms were argued in Annúminus, but seldom resolved. The great city remained the symbol of Númenor and the pride of the Dúnedain, but in time its canals became choked with sediment, its fountains ceased to flow, and its lamps were dark at night.

Soon after the division of Arnor, a new kingdom arose in the North - the evil kingdom of Angmar. Its men came from the east beyond the mountains, and it was ruled by dark sorcerers who became undying liches after death. Neither the Kings of Arnor nor the Elf Lords realized the true nature of its ruler - the Witch Lord of Angmar. Only after centuries of conflict did the Elf Knight Glorfindel discover that he was Sauron's chief servent - the Lord of the Ringwraiths.

When the armies of the Witch Lord poured southward from their stronghold of Carn Dûm, the kingdoms of Arnor united and drove them back in defeat. But the temporary alliances were soon forgotten, and the kingdoms did not mount a siege of Carn Dûm, or pursue the Captain of Angmar.

During the reign of King Beleg of Arthedain (III 1000), the six wizards of the Valar first came to Middle Earth. Círdan greated them in Mithlond, and he told only Elrond and Galadriel that they had come from the Undying West. From Mithlond, the Istari traveled to Elostirion and from there to Annúminus. But, the King did not perceive the true nature of the wizards, nor did the Dúnedain welcome their council. Therefore, continued on to the east, and were forgotten by the Lords of Arthedain. Of the six wizards, only Gandalf returned to aid Arthedain

The attacks of Angmar were felt first and most strongly by Rhudaur. The tenuous existence of Sorontil became precarious as Orc depredations increased on the High Pass. In II 1300, the royal guard was recalled to Annúminus and Sorontil collapsed in violence. Armithel remained the capital of the realm, but the Dúnedain steadily lost control of its government. A "hill man" name Angamon seized power with the secret support of Angmar. The Witch Lord pretended to pity Rhudaur for its dependence on Arthedain, but secretly he sought its downfall.

In III 1356, Rhudaur renewed its ancient claim to Amon Sûl and its palantír. Angamon refused an invitation to parley in Annúminus and abruptly laid seige to the tower and blocked passage on the Great East Road. When Argeleb, King of Arthedain, arrived with the Army of Arthedain, the small force of Rhudaur withdrew. But, Rhudaur had blockaded Amon Sûl, so Argeleb fortified the Weather Hills and forbade access to the palantíri to all from Rhudaur, including the former Dúnedain nobility. Cardolan allied with Arthenor against the threat of Angmar, and fortified the Barrow Downs (Tyrn Gorthad) south of Bree.

The Witch King then openly joinded forces with Rhudaur, and attacked Amon Sûl. In the height of battle, the King�s Guard suddenly withdrew, and Argeleb was slain. It was said that the Captain of the King�s Guard was a kinsman of the King of Rhudaur (a rumor spread by the Witch King), and a vicious pogrom followed in which the Captain of the Guard was executed, and many of his Kinsman were expelled from Arthedain.

The next Fall (III 1357), the Army of Arthedain surprised the main force of Rhudaur in the North Downs, and destroyed most of the army, including King Angamon. Thus was Argeleb revenged, but the the conflict had reduced the strength of Army of Arthedain.

Argeleb was followed as King by Arveleg I who enjoyed a period of peace, during which Rhudaur was occupied by the Army of Arthedain. The peace ended in III 1409, when the Witch Lord surprised Amon Sûl with a vast army of Trolls, Orcs, and Men of Rhudaur. The scattered outposts of Arthedain had been so quickly overpowered that no word reached Arveleg I, until Amon Sûl had fallen. The Witch King then his army west along the Great Road to Bree, which he sacked, and then turned his wrath on to Tyrn Gorthaid. The Army of Angmar quickly overpowered the defenses of Cardolan and put the entire royal family to death.

Heedless, King Arveleg I, rushed to rescue the palantír. So great was his haste that his retinue soon left his army behind. Beside him rode Círdan, who with the palantír of Elestirion had witnessed the capture of the palantír of Amon Sûl. They caught the Army of Angmar as it retreated from Tyrn GOrthaid toward to Carn Dûm, and so great was their charge, that they captured the palantír and other relecs of Amon Sûl. But they were soon surrounded by the Army of Angmar, and King Arveleg was killed.

For the first time since the slaying of Sauron, Aeglos, the spear of Gil-galed was wielded in battle by Círdan. Seven Trolls he slew and many Orcs and Men. Yet so great was the force of Angmar that all of the Elves might have perished had not the Army of Arthedain arrived. They rescued Círdan, and retrieved the body of Arveleg and the relics.

Both armies then retreated from the field. But the Witch King knew well the role that Círdan and the Elves had played in denying him the prize of the palantír. So in III 1413, he attacked the Elf stronghold of Rivendell. Elrond and Glorfindel repelled the attack and sought the aid of the Elves of Lórien and Lindon. The combined army of Elves under the command of Glorfindel then surprised the Army of Angmar in the forest of the upper Miteleithel. Many orcs fell that day, but the greater force escaped northward through a pass in the Ettenmores, which they held against the Elves. In the night, Glorfindel led a small force over the Mountains and surprised the defenders of the pass from behind. When the main force of Elves drew near the Army of Angmar, they fled to Carn Dûm at great loss.

For the first time since his arrival, Galdalf returned to Eriador to seek audience with the King of Arthedain. King Arphor was young when he came to the throne, but it was said that he was like the High Kings of Arnor, and indeed most like Elendil. He accepted Gandalf�s council and joined the Elves in the seige of Carn Dûm. After 2 years, the gates were thrown down, and Glorfindel and Gandalf entered the fortress. The Witch Lord fled before the White Knight and the Grey Pilgrim, but his true nature was laid bare to them.

Arphor returned victorious to Fornsot, and ruled Arthedain for 180 years of peace. But although Carn Dûm lay empty, there followed many disasters that weakened Arthedain as much as had its battles with Angmar. First, during the reign of King Araphor, a decade of cold summers produced a famine that reduced the populations of Men throughout Eriador. Nearly a century later (III 1636), a plague swept through the region, emptying Cardolan. Finally, a great earthquake struck Arthedain, destroying much of Annúminus (III 1740). The Tower was thrown down, and the western portion of the city was drowned beneath the water of Lake Evendim.

During the time of cataclysms, the Hobbits entered Arthedain, fleeing the cold and famine in eastern Eriador. The Hobbits had first settled in Rhudaur during the reign of Beleg (III 1050). In III 1579, some moved to Bree and settled there among Men. Bree was sparsely settled except for a guardpost at the crossroads, and the inn. The King took little notice of the trespassing of the Hobbits in a land made vacant by famine and disaster. Soon the surplus of the Hobbits' farms was finding its way to the tables of Fornost. King Argeleb II rewarded their industry by granting The Shire to Marcho and Blancho Fallowhide in III 1601.

By III 1810, the last of the Dúnedain of Cardolan and Rhudaur had died, and Dúnedain population of Arnor was reduced to a few thousand people. King Arveleg II declared himself the King of all Arnor. But, Arnor was never to recover its former glory.

THE FALL OF ARNOR AND ANGMAR

In III 1974, the Witch Lord of Angmar swept out of the north with 10,000 Men, Orcs and Trolls to destroy the civilization of Arnor. He had built his force in hiding, in Forodwaith, north of the ruins of Carn Dûm, and neither the Elves nor the Arnorians anticipated the attack. The Lord of the Ringwraiths drove his army - hidden in storm - around the North Downs, and entered Fornost in the dead of night.

This was the last battle of a war that had lasted hundreds of years - in which the lands of Arnor had been slowly overrun and its glittering towers thrown down. Fornost, it's capital was sacked, and the Witch King took it as his throne. The surviving Dúnedain fled westward to Lindon, but Arvedui, the last King of Arnor retreated northward into Forodwaith with the palantíri from Annúminus and Amon Sûl. Círdan sent a ship to rescue him, but it was crushed by ice and all aboard, including King Arvedui, drowned and the palantíri were lost.

In the Spring of the next year (III 1975), a vast fleet of soldiers and cavalry from Gondor landed at the Gray Havens. The Kings of Gondor were kindred and allies of the Arnor, and their crown prince Eärnur came in command their army. The Elf Lord Círdan welcomed him to Mithlond on the River Lhûn. There, they gathered the remaining men of Arnor and the Elves of Lindon, and with the Army of Gondor, they departed eastward with an army of 4000. In secret, the cavalry of Gondor, 500 strong, slipped northward into the hills of Evendim.

The army of Círdan's and Eärnur was soon espied by the Witch Lord, who was made over-confident by his recent victory and the size of the opposing force. Recklessly, he left the walls of Fornost to attack them on the plains of Annúminus. But the smaller force was eager for revenge and the might of the army of Gondor was greater than its numbers belied. The Witch Lord's charge shattered upon its ranks. Soon the Witch King was forced to retreat to the North.

Before the Witch King could gather his forces, the cavalry of Gondor, come 'round the Hills of Evendim form the north, and crashed upon the faltering flank of Angmar's army, and the retreat became a bloody rout. The orcs and barbarians fled first and the Trolls last, but all who stood and fought fell to the sword.

The Witch Lord and his greatest knights fled eastward toward Carn Dûm. And so great was the power of the Witch Lord, that the horses of cavalry of Gondor would not approach him. Then, north of the Trollshaws, his escape was cut off by a force of elves from Rivendell, lead by Glorfindel. Together Eärnur and Glorfindel destroyed the last of the Knights of Angmar. But when Eärnur drew near to the Witch Lord, his horse was filled with madness, and it carried him away from battle.

Then the Witch Lord laughed, because it had been prophesied that he could not be killed by any man. But Glorfindel came forward horseless in his wrath, and the Witch Lord knew that before him stood no Man or Elf, but only the appearance of one, whose might was hidden from the world. And the Witch Lord saw before him death and devastation forever. Then the Witch Lord put forth all his power fled into darkness where none could follow.

The Lord of the Ringwraiths did not forget the role Eärnur had played in his defeat. He fled to Minas Morgul and there lay hidden for many years, and after Eärnur had become King of Gondor, the Lord of the Ringwraiths taunted Eärnur and challenged him to personal combat. So prideful had the King of Gondor become, that Eärnur went alone to Minas Morgul, and there he was captured by a great force, and the Witch Lord took slow revenge upon him.

Of the Ringwraith's once great Army, only a few barbarians of Rhudaur remained. These fled southward from the battle to Fornost, which they burned to the ground in vengeance. Thus, the cities of Annúminus and Fornost were destroyed, and the kingdom of Arnor was lost forever. Its King was dead and its army decimated, and their greatest prize - the palantíri - were lost beneath the sea. The Army of Gondor had also suffered heavy casualties during the battle, so there was ample room in its ships to carry the women and children of Arnor back to Gondor.

Arnor had fallen, but Angmar was cast down and the Lord of the Ringwraiths had fled Eriador in defeat. Only once did he return, and again was met by Glorfindel, who took from him his mortal form. And, although Sauron clothed him anew in flesh, his time on Middle Earth was soon ended forever.

Prince Aranarth of Arthedain had been wounded at the Battle of the Planes of Annúminus. But under the care of Lord Círdan, he recovered. Aranarth refused the title of "King," and instead took the title of "Chieftain." Instead of an army, his followers were a few grim men who kept to the shadows and dealt with their foes with stealth and cunning. These were the Rangers of Eriador, for the Kingdom of Arnor was no more. By their vigilance Eriador did not fall wholly into darkness.

In the east of Eriador, Rivendell became hidden by the arts of Elrond. Soon, none could find Imladris without the invitation of Elrond. There, he protected and counciled the heirs of Arnor. Círdan and the Elves retreated into Lindon and thereafter seldom ventured east of the Tower of Elestirion. In The Shire the Hobbits prospered. But the Shire too became closed to outsiders except for the few travelers on the Great East Road, and the Old South Road, which remained open as they had promised the King.

Only Bree remained open to the outside world. Hobbits and Men lived there together and the Rangers passed through there often. Their connection of the Rangers to Arthedain was soon forgotten by Men, and they became the objects of rumors and distrust among the Breemen. They were left alone and that suited their purposes. Dwarves sometimes stayed in the Inn at Bree, and Elves were sometimes seen on the roads, or in the Chetwood north of Bree. But the cities of Arnor were abandoned and its towers were thrown down, and there was no King in Eriador.

Chronology of Arnor