Edain

The Edain were the first race of Men that appeared in the First Age. They emerged from the distant east and settled in Beleriand's lands. Also called the Fathers of Men or Atanatári (Quenyan term), Edain is a Sindarin term which translates as Second People (its single form is Adan). Three Houses of Men comprised the Edain. First is the House of Beor, then the House of Haleth, and the third is the House of Marach.

The men of the House of Beor had a similar appearance to the Noldorin Elves, they had the same dark-colored hair, but they had a sturdy physique. The Lord of Nargothrond, the Noldor Finrod Felagund of House of Finarfin, was the first to encounter them. He learned their language and taught them Elvish. Later on, he led them to a new land, ruled by the Noldor Lord Amrod. They named it the Encampment, also called Estolad. The House of Beor kept their allegiance with the House of Finarfin. Afterward, they moved to the region of Dorthonion. [1]

The House of Haleth, also called Haladin, was the second House of Men. They also have dark-colored hair but have a shorter physique than the House of Beor. They kept their tribe secluded and maintained their distance from other clans of men. They also do not participate in wars. Later on, the realm of Doriath allowed them to settle in the Brethil Forest.

The House of Marach was its initial title, but later they named themselves House of Hador to commemorate their chieftain. Most of them were tall, having blue eyes and blonde hair, alike in appearance with the Vanyarin Elves. The Green Elves of the land of Ossiriand dreaded their might in warfare as well as their vast number. They also maintained an allegiance with Fingolfin. The House of Hador originally lived in Estolad, in the south region of the Mountains of Shadow or Ered Wethrin. After some time, they moved to Dor-lomin.

The Edain dialects, especially those of the House of Beor, developed into the Language of the West or Adunaic. It remained up to the Second Age, in the time of the Numenoreans. Later on, this dialect vanished. But the Haladin dialect of the House of Haleth [2] was distinct from their people. And the common tongue widely spoken in Beleriand was Sindarin.

The Edain lived an average of seventy years, but their lifespan improved to ninety years upon Beleriand's settlement. Most of them were pleasant, tall, and mighty. They also turn away from malice and are dangerous in battle. The Edain adored the Elves and were constant allies with them in Beleriand. The two races later intermarried with Tuor and Idril, as well as Beren and Luthien.

In the First Age, the Edain Men journeyed out of the east, enticed by Aman's brightness radiating to the land. They arrived in Middle-earth, in the land of Beleriand, around the beginning of the fourth century. There they came across the Elves and formed a good relationship with them. The Elves entrusted them with their land while the Edain offered their loyalty and fought for the Elf lords. These men waged war to support the Elves against Morgoth in the Battle of Beleriand. But some also escaped the atrocities of war and headed to the east and south. Most settled in Estolad in which they resided through the Third Age. But Morgoth's ferocious army decimated the Edain's brave warriors, yet a remnant of the House of Hador led by Earendil endured. They voyaged to Aman and sought the aid of the Valar to stand against Morgoth. In the Last Battle, the Valar subdued Morgoth with their might. Afterward, Eonwe enhanced these men's strength and wisdom, and the line of Edain endured through them. They settled in Numenor and established a new realm and became the Numenoreans, from which the Dunedain came forth. In Numenor's downfall, a remnant of them sailed to Middle-earth and founded Arnor and Gondor's kingdoms.

Morgoth decimated the numbers of the House of Beor, and only a few survived. They merged with the House of Hador (House of Marach) and later called the Numenoreans. Meanwhile, the wars also obliterated the House of Haleth or the Haladin from Beleriand, the people who endured vanished or turned into different tribes. A separate tribe called the Dunlendings, who were unfriendly to the Numenoreans, were also relatives of the Haladin. Another group related to the House of Haleth was the Drughu, also called Druedain (combined with the Sindarin term Edain). They inhabited the Forest of Brethil, with the House of Haleth. Some of them even reached Numenor, but upon its destruction, they also perished or escaped. During the Third Age, a tribe called Woses inhabiting the Druadan Forest emerged as a distant relative of the Drughu. In the War of the Ring, they also came to aid Rohan. Later on, their population diminished, and their people remained isolated in the forest. In the Second Age, the Numenoreans came back to Middle-earth and found several clans and tribes called Middle-men. These are the Men from Bree, the Men of Dale, and the Men of Rohan or Rohirrim. The Edain acknowledged them as having the same race of Men and the same forefathers. Therefore, they maintained good connections with the Middle-men.

1. ^Region of Dorthonion.
2. ^House of Haleth.