Rangers of the North
Encyclopedia
In J. R. R. Tolkien
's legendarium
, the Rangers of the North, also known as the Dúnedain of the North, were the descendants of the Dúnedain
from the lost kingdom of Arnor
. Their menfolk ceaselessly patrolled the boundaries of Eriador
and were by necessity skilled with the sword, bow and spear.
The Rangers were grim in life, appearance, and dress, choosing to wear rusty green and brown. The Rangers of the Grey Company (see below) were dressed in dark grey cloaks and openly wore a silver brooch shaped like a pointed star during the War of the Ring
. These Rangers rode rough-haired, sturdy horses, were helmeted and carried shields. Their armament included spears and bows.
Like their distant cousins, the Rangers of Ithilien
, the Rangers of the North spoke Sindarin
(or some variation of it) in preference to the Common Speech. They were led by a Chieftain, whose ancestry could be traced back to Elendil
and beyond, to the ancient Kings of Númenor
.
During the War of the Ring
, the Rangers of the North were led by Aragorn
, but the northern Dúnedain were a dwindling and presumably widely scattered folk: when Halbarad
received a message to gather as many of the Rangers as he could and lead them south to Aragorn’s aid, only thirty men (the Grey Company) were available at short notice for the journey. The Grey Company met up with Aragorn
, Legolas
, and Gimli
at the Fords of Isen
in Rohan, and at Pelargir, along with the Dead Men of Dunharrow
, they captured the ships of Umbar
. The Dead Men then departed and the others continued on to fight in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields
. There, Halbarad was killed. They are also mentioned as part of the army Aragorn commanded at the Battle of Morannon.
's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
, save for a few mentions in the extended cuts. Even "Arnor" is never mentioned, except for one line in the extended edition of The Two Towers when Aragorn explains to Éowyn
that he is a "Dunedain Ranger" though there are not many of them left because "the North-kingdom was destroyed". Here they are called "Dúnedain Rangers", possibly to distinguish them from the Rangers of Ithilien. However, Tolkien calls both groups Dúnedain (men of the west).
The terminology and distinction made in Jackson's films have made its way into some of its merchandise, like the computer and video games by Electronic Arts
. In one of these, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
, there is an original Ranger character called Elegost. In another, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
, "Dúnedain Rangers" are playable units, but they are like the Ithilien Rangers. Halbarad is featured in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game
and, together with his fellow Rangers, in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game
.
The role of the Rangers of the North has been greatly expanded in The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
, which includes numerous Dúnedain spread across the remnants of Arnor and features several prominent Rangers (including some created expressly for the game) as key characters in the first volume of its epic story. In the game, Dúnedain have at least two major permanent settlements: Esteldin near the ruins of Fornost and Tinnundir at the shores of the lake Evendim, near Annuminas. When the Grey Company sets out to ride south, it consists almost entirely of named Rangers with whom players have already interacted before (in the Book, Halbarad, Elladan and Elrohir are the only named members).
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's legendarium
Tolkien's legendarium
The phrase Tolkien's legendarium is used in the literary discipline of Tolkien studiesto refer to the part of J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy fiction being concerned with his Elven legends; that is, historic events that have become legendary from the perspective of the characters of The Lord of the...
, the Rangers of the North, also known as the Dúnedain of the North, were the descendants of the Dúnedain
Dúnedain
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Dúnedain were a race of Men descended from the Númenóreans who survived the sinking of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion...
from the lost kingdom of Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
. Their menfolk ceaselessly patrolled the boundaries of Eriador
Eriador
Eriador is a large region in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth. In the Second Age, and possibly much earlier, it was largely forested, but the Dúnedain felled most of the forests to build ships. Much of it was encompassed in the early Third Age by the kingdom of Arnor, which...
and were by necessity skilled with the sword, bow and spear.
The Rangers were grim in life, appearance, and dress, choosing to wear rusty green and brown. The Rangers of the Grey Company (see below) were dressed in dark grey cloaks and openly wore a silver brooch shaped like a pointed star during the War of the Ring
One Ring
The One Ring is a fictional artifact that appears as the central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy novels. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility. The sequel The Lord of the Rings describes its powers as being more encompassing than...
. These Rangers rode rough-haired, sturdy horses, were helmeted and carried shields. Their armament included spears and bows.
Like their distant cousins, the Rangers of Ithilien
Rangers of Ithilien
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Rangers of Ithilien, also known as the Rangers of the South and Rangers of Gondor, were an elite group of the Southern Dúnedain warriors who scouted in and guarded Ithilien...
, the Rangers of the North spoke Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
(or some variation of it) in preference to the Common Speech. They were led by a Chieftain, whose ancestry could be traced back to Elendil
Elendil
Elendil is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
and beyond, to the ancient Kings of Númenor
Númenor
Númenor is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. It was a huge island located in the Sundering Seas to the west of Middle-earth, the main setting of Tolkien's writings, and was known to be the greatest realm of Men...
.
During the War of the Ring
War of the Ring
In the fictional high fantasy-world of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of the Ring was fought between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle-earth for control of the One Ring and dominion over the continent. The War of the Ring took place at the end of the Third Age. Together with the Quest of Mount Doom,...
, the Rangers of the North were led by Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
, but the northern Dúnedain were a dwindling and presumably widely scattered folk: when Halbarad
Halbarad
Halbarad is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.Halbarad was a Ranger of the North. He was the second in command of the Dúnedain behind Aragorn and also the leader of the Grey Company. Halbarad was among the Rangers who guarded the Shire. He said of the Hobbits "A...
received a message to gather as many of the Rangers as he could and lead them south to Aragorn’s aid, only thirty men (the Grey Company) were available at short notice for the journey. The Grey Company met up with Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
, Legolas
Legolas
Legolas is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. He is an Elf of the Woodland Realm and one of nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring.- Literature :...
, and Gimli
Gimli (Middle-earth)
Gimli is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. A Dwarf warrior, he is the son of Glóin ....
at the Fords of Isen
Fords of Isen
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Fords of Isen were fords in the river Isen, guarded by the Rohirrim. As the only crossing of the Isen into Rohan, they were of enormous strategic importance....
in Rohan, and at Pelargir, along with the Dead Men of Dunharrow
Dead Men of Dunharrow
The Dead Men of Dunharrow are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium...
, they captured the ships of Umbar
Umbar
Umbar is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. It was a great haven and seaport to the far south of Gondor in Middle-earth.'Umbar' was a name—of unknown meaning—given to the area by its original inhabitants...
. The Dead Men then departed and the others continued on to fight in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields
Battle of the Pelennor Fields
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy fiction, the Battle of Pelennor Fields is the battle for the city of Minas Tirith between the forces of Gondor and its allies, and the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron...
. There, Halbarad was killed. They are also mentioned as part of the army Aragorn commanded at the Battle of Morannon.
Portrayal in adaptations
The Rangers of the North are virtually omitted in Peter JacksonPeter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
, save for a few mentions in the extended cuts. Even "Arnor" is never mentioned, except for one line in the extended edition of The Two Towers when Aragorn explains to Éowyn
Éowyn
Éowyn is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, who appears in his most famous work, The Lord of the Rings. She is a noblewoman of Rohan who describes herself as a "shieldmaiden".-Literature:...
that he is a "Dunedain Ranger" though there are not many of them left because "the North-kingdom was destroyed". Here they are called "Dúnedain Rangers", possibly to distinguish them from the Rangers of Ithilien. However, Tolkien calls both groups Dúnedain (men of the west).
The terminology and distinction made in Jackson's films have made its way into some of its merchandise, like the computer and video games by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
. In one of these, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age is a role-playing game by EA Games for all three of the late sixth-generation game consoles. The player controls a core group of characters that are used during the adventure, levelling up according to experience gained from battles and quests.-Plot:The plot of...
, there is an original Ranger character called Elegost. In another, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, abbreviated BFMEII, is a real-time strategy video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. It is based on the fantasy novels The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien and its live-action film trilogy adaptation...
, "Dúnedain Rangers" are playable units, but they are like the Ithilien Rangers. Halbarad is featured in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game
The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game
The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game is a collectible card game produced by Decipher, Inc. Released November 2001, it is based on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and the J. R. R. Tolkien novel on which the films were based. Decipher also have the rights to The Hobbit novel...
and, together with his fellow Rangers, in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game
The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game
The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game , and often referred to by players as Lord of the Rings, is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop . It is based on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, and the book that inspired it, written by J. R. R...
.
The role of the Rangers of the North has been greatly expanded in The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game for Microsoft Windows set in a fantasy universe based upon J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings...
, which includes numerous Dúnedain spread across the remnants of Arnor and features several prominent Rangers (including some created expressly for the game) as key characters in the first volume of its epic story. In the game, Dúnedain have at least two major permanent settlements: Esteldin near the ruins of Fornost and Tinnundir at the shores of the lake Evendim, near Annuminas. When the Grey Company sets out to ride south, it consists almost entirely of named Rangers with whom players have already interacted before (in the Book, Halbarad, Elladan and Elrohir are the only named members).
See also
- RangersRanger (Middle-earth)In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Rangers were two secretive, independent groups organized by the Dúnedain of the North and South in the Third Age. Like their Númenórean ancestors, they appeared to possess qualities closely attributed to the Eldar, with their keen senses and ability to...
- DúnedainDúnedainIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Dúnedain were a race of Men descended from the Númenóreans who survived the sinking of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion...
- Rangers of IthilienRangers of IthilienIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Rangers of Ithilien, also known as the Rangers of the South and Rangers of Gondor, were an elite group of the Southern Dúnedain warriors who scouted in and guarded Ithilien...
- Born of HopeBorn of HopeBorn of Hope: The Ring of Barahir is a 2009 fantasy-adventure fan film directed by Kate Madison and written by Paula DiSante that is based on the appendices of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
- All that is gold does not glitterAll that is Gold Does Not GlitterAll that is gold does not glitter is a poem written by J. R. R. Tolkien for his fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. It alludes to an integral part of the plot. The poem reads:...
External links
- Rangers of the North at The Encyclopedia of Arda
- Dúnedain of the North at The Thain’s Book