Ithilien

Ithilien, the 'garden of Gondor' now desolate, is a region of great beauty and peril lying east of the Great River Anduin, between the Ephel Dúath and the river's course. Once a fair and prosperous land of climbing woods and swift-falling streams, it was the eastern bulwark of the Númenórean realm of Gondor. By the time of the War of the Ring, it had become a debatable land, a frontier where the Rangers of Ithilien, descended from the Dúnedain of old, waged a secret and ceaseless war against the encroaching forces of Mordor and its allies.

Geography and Character

The land of Ithilien is described as a country of great natural beauty, even in its fallen state. It is a region of 'climbing woods and swift-falling streams', with a climate sheltered from the east by the Ephel Dúath and open to the moist southern airs from the Sea. This allows for a rich and varied flora, including trees like fir, cedar, cypress, olive, and bay, and a wealth of sweet-smelling herbs such as thyme, sage, and marjoram, far beyond the garden-lore of the Shire. The hobbits Frodo and Samwise, upon entering Ithilien, found it a place of 'dishevelled dryad loveliness', where spring was already busy, with fronds piercing moss and small flowers opening in the turf. The air was fragrant, and the sound of birds singing was a welcome change from the desolate lands they had traversed. This beauty, however, is a thin veneer over a land scarred by war. The hobbits discovered a ring scorched by fire and a pile of charred bones, a 'place of dreadful feast and slaughter' not ancient, but recent. Trees had been hewn down wantonly and left to die, marked with the evil runes or the fell sign of the Eye.

The Rangers of Ithilien

The region is the domain of the Rangers of Gondor, a secretive and hardy folk who cross the Anduin to harry the enemies of the West. They are led by Faramir, Captain of Gondor, a man of high Númenórean blood who is both a warrior and a lover of lore. The Rangers are clad in green and brown, the better to walk unseen in the glades, and they speak the Common Speech in a manner reminiscent of the older days, sometimes even using the elven-tongue. Their primary mission is to ambush and destroy the forces of the Enemy that march through Ithilien, such as the Men of Harad who come up the ancient roads to swell the hosts of the Dark Tower. Their hidden refuge, Henneth Annûn, the 'Window of the Sunset', is a cave behind a waterfall, a place of great secrecy and beauty, where they can rest and plan their forays.

The War in Ithilien

During the War of the Ring, Ithilien becomes a key battleground. The hobbits Frodo and Samwise, guided by Gollum, pass through the region on their way to the Morgul Vale. They witness a skirmish between Faramir's Rangers and a company of Southrons, including a fearsome Mûmak, a great beast of war. Faramir's encounter with Frodo is a pivotal moment, as he learns of the Ring and, unlike his brother Boromir, resists its temptation, choosing instead to aid the Ring-bearer. The land itself is under a growing shadow, and the air becomes heavy with the threat of war. The final stages of the conflict see the forces of Mordor driven from Ithilien, and after the fall of Sauron, the region is granted to Faramir as his princedom. Legolas brings Elves from Greenwood to dwell there, and it is said that Ithilien once again becomes the fairest country in all the westlands.