Rangers: Where'd they come from, how did they live, who were they?

[Knight of Gondor]

I got to thinking about Rangers. They sound like a cool batch, wandering the wilderness, defending the Shire. But - and maybe I just don't know because I haven't read up on all my Histories yet - where do the Rangers come from? Who all were they fighting, just the bullies from Deadman's Dike and whatnot? Were they Gondorians? What compelled them to go out into the Wild? Where did they go after Aragorn's crowning?

[Secret Fire]

THe rangers were the final remnant of the kings af Arnor, of the kingdom of Arthedain, if I am not mistaken. They preserved the line of the Kings for years after their kingdoms fell, unlike the kingdom of Gondor that retained its kingdom, but lost its lineage. There is more in the Unfinished Tales and in the appendix to LotR.

[Lord Elrond]

When the witchking of Carm Dum took over the North Kingdom the remaining people that were still left after the plague fled into the wilderness of the North and for a while took refuge with the icemen of Forochel. Among the people who fled was the heir to the throne and his line. In order to seek refuge with the icemen the heir(I dont remember which ancestor) gave them the Ring of Barahir to secure their safety, the main cities of Anor fell (Elostirion, Fornost, and Anuminas. After a while they left the far north and simply became wanderers and nomads if you will and lived in the old north kingdom but never established a city. I believe it says somewhere that they settled in the area around the lake (Evendim ? I think that was the name of it, I don't have my atlas here and I never really studied the North area). Anyways they hunted orcs, traveled and still protected the smaller towns and villages of men and hobbits from evil creatures without knowledge or gratitude.

[Theron Bugtussle]

LotR Appendix A has the condensed history of the Kings of the West all the way to Aragorn. Fascinating reading, but harder to follow than the book. But not too much harder. Worth reading for the background.

I think knowing Aragorn's history shows why he could whack so many orcs. He was the man!

[Elladan and Elrohir]

THAT IS RIGHT!

And every time he returned to his kindred in triumph, the band struck up the tune "Hail to the Chief" . . . LOL.

[Knight of Gondor]

I'm well aware of the stories in the Appendices of Return of the King, and even of the story of the men at Forochel. But as I recall, the men who dwelt among them for a time ventured out into the icy seas and were lost, along with several of the palantirs.

I think knowing Aragorn's history shows why he could whack so many orcs. He was the man!

This brings to mind another question. Is a person's skill is based a good deal on his heritage?

[Secret Fire]

In the world of Middle Earth, heritage and lineage play a large part in somebody's abilities and powers. However, teh reason for Aragorn's skill is due to the fact that he was mah in whom the line of the kings of Numenor ran nearly true. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] He had his special abilities and long life due to his lineage, but the fact that he used them and was raised by elves probably refined them to a greater degree. His keen sight and physical abilities are due to his lineage, but even the most genetically gifted person can choose not to use their gifts, Aragorn, however, somply used tehm to the max.

[Eöl]

"Few now remember them ... yet still some go wandering, sons of forgotten kings walking in loneliness, guarding from evil things folk that are heedless." - Tom Bombadil

just thought i'd share a quote about it [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Rumil]

The Rangers apparently had a settlement in the 'Angle' between the Bruinen and Mitheithel rivers, South-West-ish of Imladris.

This was probably their stronghold, where the younger and older members would have lived, while the rest were wandering the wild.

[Finwe]

Knight, look at it this way. A person with no history of any illness in their family is generally going to be healthier in long-term than a person who has a great history of illness in their family. It works the same way with heritage. One of royal, or even more superior, blood like Aragorn has much more innate power than, say, Eomer, who is of lesser, Rohirric blood. The Numenoreans were also inherently stronger because they had an Elvish strain in them, and were also descended from the mighty heroes of the First Age. That strength and longevity was passed to their direct descendants, like Aragorn.

[doug*platypus]

Is a person's skill is based a good deal on his heritage?

Being a Knight of Gondor, you will of course know that yes your social standing does have a huge impact on your combat skills, at least in medieval warfare. Aragorn and all the kings of his line would have had the best training (physical and otherwise) available. The best weapons and equipment would have helped as well, as would the ability to fight on horseback.

Meanwhile poor Joe Schlubbucket the peasant might one day be called up to active duty, given a rusty old spear and a dubious hat, and shoved out into the front lines. That's the reality of medieval war and the class system in place. Just because it isn't mentioned specifically in LOTR doesn't mean it wasn't going on. How do you think so many troops were available from the southern fiefs? I doubt that places like Lossarnach or Morthond had a significant standing army.

But back to the thread, it would be damn cool to see some stories about the Rangers. Excellent fanfic fare. It seems they never really dwelt in a town (Aragorn mentions they are unused to stone houses, and they weren't very commonly seen in Bree). They must have just camped all over Eriador. Luckily. There were lots of baddies on the roads. Bilbo was attacked by trolls only 50 years or so before the War of the Ring, and that was apparently during one of the safer periods before the rebuilding of Barad-Dûr.

[Fire-Galad]

I did some reserch on the history of Gondor and I found out that yes Rangers are Gondorians that have decided to live in the Wild. the Chiefs or leaders were the Heirs of Isilldur and sense Aragorn was , in Elrond's words, the last of that blood line that made him the leader.

[Imbefana]

Knight, I was wondering exactly the same thing, and came here to propose my question: Where did the Rangers live? I remember reading an essay online about a year ago explaining how their stronghold, you could say, was situated in the Angle, as Rumil stated before. I cannot seem to remember where I had read it, or who it was written by either. Does anyone have any additional information which goes over the Rangers living in the Angle?

[Gil-numen]

The Rangers are the last remnant of the dunedain of Arnor after the Witch King ravaged their kingdom. They probably came back north to help spread Aragorn's rule after he became King.

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"Show it to me !"
Thingol to Beren

[Amarie of the Vanyar]

Imbefana, I think that the essay you are looking for could be this one written by Michael Martínez [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] :

Of Thegns and Kings and Rangers and Things

[Elladan and Elrohir]

So here's a question for you:

Would Eldarion be inherently stronger than Aragorn? On the basis of his heritage alone, I might think so. After all, he had a much stronger strain of the blood of the great heroes of the First Age than did his father, thanks to Arwen.

What do you all think?

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by Elladan and Elrohir

So here's a question for you:

Would Eldarion be inherently stronger than Aragorn? On the basis of his heritage alone, I might think so. After all, he had a much stronger strain of the blood of the great heroes of the First Age than did his father, thanks to Arwen.

What do you all think?

I would think the re-introduction of Elven blood to the line would have enduring properties for the descendants of Eldarion,much like the past bonding of elves and men. Of course, little is written about post war events and people, so plenty of speculation can be had here.