LotR -- Book 5 - Chapter 02 - The Passing of the Grey Company

[Aldarion Elf-Friend]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Problematic...difficult. How were these spirits denied the Gift of Men for so long? Was it in some way their own choice to remain and by the time Aragorn came along they had changed their minds and decided they wanted to go West?

I got the impression that the denial of the gift of men was a curse based on their earlier treachery. Aragorn offered them a chance to redeem themselves and thus be released to wherever men go when they die.