Rangers

There are two groups called "Rangers" - the Rangers of the North, and the Rangers of Ithilien.

The remnant of the Dúnedain of Arnor are known as Rangers to many, and Watchers to others including people in Bree and the Shire. Rangers are devoted to protection of the land they wander, but are often perceived as a threat and danger because of their appearance and secretive ways, maintaining an unapproachable look, and attired in grey or dark-green. They wore a clasp on their cloak that looked like a star. The southerners of Gondor and people of Rohan called them the Rangers of the North to differentiate between them and the Southern Rangers. Yet they were all of the same ancestry, being the Dúnedain, descendants of the Edain.

The Dúnedain of Arnor [1] slowly declined through the years, and the kingdom fragmented into three smaller kingdoms in the year 861 of the 3rd Age when the younger sons of Eärendur refused to recognize Amliath as king. The younger sons each claimed the parts of the kingdom which they had overseen under their father as their own. Soon they warred with each other, further eroding their strength, and soon Rhudaur and Cardolan were lost following the wars with Angmar.[2] The burden of maintaining the lineage and legacy of Isildur fell upon Arthedain, but they too would fall during the winter of 1974 of the 3rd Age after a protracted seige by the Witch-king's army of Fornost Erain, the forterss of the Kings of the North. Arvedui, the last King of Arthedain, sawt his wife and sonsflee the sacked city, and hoped they would find their way to Lindon. He himselfwith his Royal Regiment attacked to divert attention from the refugees before retreating and setting a defense in the North Downs. There he held out long before retreating northwest to Forochel where thy were taken in by the Lossoth people. When spring came, Cirdan sent ships north in search for Arvedui; finding him on the shore of the Ice Bay of Forochel. With the ice breaking up, the ships were able to get Arvedui and his remaining men aboard, along with the two palantiri he had kept from being captured. But as they set sail out of the bay, a winter storm blew in hard from the north, dashing the ships against the giant shards of ice, and they perished in the icy waters lost.

Arvedui's eldest son Aranarth became the first Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. Aranarth's heirs grew to maturity in Rivendell. Elrond guarded and cared for the treasures and legacy of Isildur there, protecting the Scepter of Annuminas, The Ring (silver) of Barahir (from Lossoth), Narsil’s Shards, and the Star of the North Kingdom. After Arnor was destroyed little record remained of it in history save what was recorded of it by the elves in Rivendell. With the last remnant of the northern kingdom crushed, The Witch-king fled the north and returned to Dol Gildur to turn his attention to the remaining kingdoms of men; Gondor and Rhovanion.

The Rangers, ever opposed to Sauron, devoted themselves to protecting the remains of their lands from his men, orcs and ravaging wolves. They became secretive nomads, and with Gandalf, struggled together to protect the Hobbits (Halflings) and help them survive.

Arathorn II, the son of Arador, died in pursuit of Orcs when he was hit in the eye with an arrow. Aragorn II, the young son of Arathorn II was taken by his mother Gilraen to Rivendell where they lived with the Elves under the protection of Elrond Half Elven. Elrond hid his true name from him and everyone else until he felt Aragorn II was ready to assume the path of his forefathers. Elrond gave him the heirlooms of the house of Isildur, except for the Sceptre of Annúminas. That Aragorn would need to earn.

Aragorn II continued his role as a Ranger, guarding the Hobbits, aiding Frodo and his companions in their journey to Rivendell, and going on with them on their quest to destroy the One Ring. He aided Théoden of Rohan against Saruman's treachery. Aragorn gave his service though hiding his identity. He then joined with Gondor and Gandalf in distracting Sauron from perceiving what Frodo and Sam were doing with the Ring toward its end.

After the destruction of the Ring and Sauron, Aragorn stood before his people to receive his crown as King Elessar, uniting and restoring the Two Kingdoms again. Thus began the Fourth Age, with the lineage of High King Elendil preserved and the restored kingdom and Middle-earth living in peace.

The Rangers of Ithilien were soldiers of Gondor that operated as a covert special force in North Ithilien. After Ithilien was overrun by Orcs in 2901 III, most of the Ithilien Rangers were the Dúnedain from Ithilien who were driven out. As the years went on, many of their descendants filled the ranks along with handpicked soldiers who volunteered for the duty.

They would cross the Anduin to raid and harass Sauron's forces there using various hidden sanctuaries they established by the direction of Steward Túrin II. One of the most important of these was Henneth Annûn.[3]

In the years leading up to the War of the Ring, Faramir, son of Steward Denethor II and great-great grandson of Túrin I,I became the captain of the Ithilien Rangers, and he was a very effective leader.

1. ^The Dunedain of Arnor.
2. ^The Emblem of Arnor.
3. ^Robert Foster: The Complete Guide to Middle-earth