The wild men's fertile land was Dunland. It was a hill land in the region of Enedwaith; it had Isen towards the South, Glanduin towards the North, and it faced the Misty mountains from the mountains' west. Towards the end of the Third Age, Dunland served as home for many wandering men, dwarves, and hobbits.
Inhabitants
The major race that lived in Dunland was the Dunlendings or wild men. They had a characteristic unkempt appearance: their faces and hairs were usually dirty and tangled. Their clothing was mainly leather from animal skin; they would wield basic tools and act aggressively with other men. The weapons of choice for the Dunlendings were pitchforks, clubs, and torches--that served as lights for their path in the night and weapon in the day, to incarcerate enemy dwellings.
The wild men spoke a local language called the Dunlendish. Wild men had their origin from the Gwaithuirim that lived in the forest regions of Gwathlo in Endor during the Second Age. Their language was close to those of the House of Haladin, which was uncommon relative to the Beorian-Maarachian Dialect that formed the foundations for Adunaic. The vast difference between these languages further caused a strained relationship with fellow races of men. When the Dunedain migrated to Endor, they wanted to make ships out of the woods in the forest and began indiscriminate deforestation of the Dunlendings’ lands. The wild men opposed their action but met a dishonorable community of Numenoreans that was ready for a fight.
After a long period of fighting, the wild men abandoned their lands and moved to Hithaeglir, the White Mountains, and Eryn Vorn. The region of Enedwaith and its people received their name in 2050 TA when Gondor abandoned the region. Enedwaith means the Middle Folk or Middle region, which was the same name. The name was to show their geographical location, but also to clarify their stands as not having any allegiance whatsoever with the Southern Nation or the Northern Nation. Gondor had control over the region in the Second Age and named the area between Guathlo and River Brandywine, “the land between rivers”, which is Minhiritah. Hithaeglir's Hillfolk remembered the actions of the Numenoreans and detested them greatly. The majority of them did not want anything to do with Dunedain. Some wild men clans did not hate the Numenoreans but still would not cooperate with them.
This probably explained why Dunharrow's dead men betrayed Isildur as they were descendants of the Gwaithurim. When Smaug began its reign with the destruction of the Kingdom of the Khazads, the dwarves escaped and found refuge in Dunland. It was there that they lived without help and in poverty before Thror and his long-time companion, Nar, left for Moria in 2790 TA. It was also where Thrain and Thorin returned with their dwarven army after the events of Azanulbizar, before moving to Ered Luin. The Hobbit breed called the Stoors crossed Red-horn Pass in their migration from the region of Anduin and settled in different regions that included Loudwater and Dunland. Before the founding of the Shire, the Hobbits in other locations left the regions but those in Dunland stayed. It was only after the Shire was established that they moved out of Dunland.
The wild men spoke a local language called the Dunlendish. Wild men had their origin from the Gwaithuirim that lived in the forest regions of Gwathlo in Endor during the Second Age. Their language was close to those of the House of Haladin, which was uncommon relative to the Beorian-Maarachian Dialect that formed the foundations for Adunaic. The vast difference between these languages further caused a strained relationship with fellow races of men. When the Dunedain migrated to Endor, they wanted to make ships out of the woods in the forest and began indiscriminate deforestation of the Dunlendings’ lands. The wild men opposed their action but met a dishonorable community of Numenoreans that was ready for a fight.
After a long period of fighting, the wild men abandoned their lands and moved to Hithaeglir, the White Mountains, and Eryn Vorn. The region of Enedwaith and its people received their name in 2050 TA when Gondor abandoned the region. Enedwaith means the Middle Folk or Middle region, which was the same name. The name was to show their geographical location, but also to clarify their stands as not having any allegiance whatsoever with the Southern Nation or the Northern Nation. Gondor had control over the region in the Second Age and named the area between Guathlo and River Brandywine, “the land between rivers”, which is Minhiritah. Hithaeglir's Hillfolk remembered the actions of the Numenoreans and detested them greatly. The majority of them did not want anything to do with Dunedain. Some wild men clans did not hate the Numenoreans but still would not cooperate with them.
This probably explained why Dunharrow's dead men betrayed Isildur as they were descendants of the Gwaithurim. When Smaug began its reign with the destruction of the Kingdom of the Khazads, the dwarves escaped and found refuge in Dunland. It was there that they lived without help and in poverty before Thror and his long-time companion, Nar, left for Moria in 2790 TA. It was also where Thrain and Thorin returned with their dwarven army after the events of Azanulbizar, before moving to Ered Luin. The Hobbit breed called the Stoors crossed Red-horn Pass in their migration from the region of Anduin and settled in different regions that included Loudwater and Dunland. Before the founding of the Shire, the Hobbits in other locations left the regions but those in Dunland stayed. It was only after the Shire was established that they moved out of Dunland.
Portrayal of Dunland in Adaptation
Dunland's Adaptation in LOTR Online
In the game, Gondor gave out the sparsely populated region of Calenardhon to the large population of Eotheod in 2510 TA. Dunlendings hated Eotheod people and would call them derogatory names for their appearance. Gondor's decision did not go well with the Dunlendings, and they secretly plotted and executed the colonization of Calenardhon, conquering their lost lands in the region between Isen and Adorn. When the Dunedain began to lose their population, the Dunlendings openly declared war for their lands during the reign of Helm Hammerhand in Rohan. The Dunlending grew strong and their ruler, Freca, suggested the union between his son, Wulf, and Helm Hammerhand's daughter. After the demise of Freca, Wulf led an attack on Rohan, he killed Haleth and conquered Edoras, but he failed to lay siege on Hornburg in Long Winter. Helm's nephew, Frealaf, led his forces against the Dunlendings and killed Wulf with his hands. Frealaf successfully defeated the Dunlendings, and he later became the successor of Helm Hammermhand. Isengard fortress guarded the Gap of Rohan for hostility from Gondor. The duty was under a bloodline that would pass it to others of the same line.
However, during the reign of Steward Beren, the bloodline had mixed with the Dunlending and was corrupt. They treated Gondor with hostility when Beren realized this would be a problem, he transferred the duty to guard Isengard. When Saruman's desire for the ring overpowered him, he allied with Sauron and began to use the pre-existing history of hatred and hostility between the Dunedain and Dunlendings to incite them to offer their support to him during the War of the Ring. When Saruman's army fell in Hornburg, the army of Rohan allowed the Dunlendings to live for their home in exchange for a retreat beyond Isen, to stop in their hostilities against Rohan.
However, during the reign of Steward Beren, the bloodline had mixed with the Dunlending and was corrupt. They treated Gondor with hostility when Beren realized this would be a problem, he transferred the duty to guard Isengard. When Saruman's desire for the ring overpowered him, he allied with Sauron and began to use the pre-existing history of hatred and hostility between the Dunedain and Dunlendings to incite them to offer their support to him during the War of the Ring. When Saruman's army fell in Hornburg, the army of Rohan allowed the Dunlendings to live for their home in exchange for a retreat beyond Isen, to stop in their hostilities against Rohan.
Portrayal in Peter Jackson's films
The people of Dunland were portrayed in the films [1] and not the region itself in his second part of LOTR. Saruman demanded a blood oath from a Dunlending.
Dunland in LOTRO
It is available on a LOTRO [2] for exploration and for those who would like to take an adventure.
