Rangers of the North

The Rangers of the North, known among the Bree-folk as "Strider" and his kind, are the hidden guardians of the northern lands of Middle-earth. They are the last descendants of the Dúnedain of Arnor, the Men of Westernesse who once ruled a great kingdom that stretched from the Misty Mountains to the Blue Mountains. After the fall of the North-kingdom, the Rangers became a secret and wandering people, their true lineage and purpose known only to a few. They are tall, dark-haired, grey-eyed, and wear cloaks of dark green or grey, often travel-stained and mud-caked from their long patrols. They are skilled in woodcraft, tracking, and warfare, and are said to have strange powers of sight and hearing, understanding the languages of beasts and birds. Their chief dwelling is in the wild, but they maintain ties with Rivendell, where the sons of their chieftains are fostered and the heirlooms of their house are kept.

Origins and History

The Rangers of the North are the heirs of Isildur, the son of Elendil, who cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. After the fall of the North-kingdom of Arnor, the line of kings was continued by the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, of whom Aragorn son of Arathorn was the sixteenth and last before the restoration. For centuries, they have fought a secret war against the forces of the Enemy, patrolling the borders of the Shire and the lands of Eriador, protecting the simple folk who do not even know of their existence. They are the "Rangers" that the Bree-folk speak of with a mixture of fear and respect, knowing them as mysterious wanderers who bring news from afar but are not to be trusted. Aragorn himself, the chief of the Rangers, is known in Bree as "Strider," a name given to him by the local folk, who see him as a ragged, weather-beaten vagabond. Yet he is the heir of Isildur, the bearer of the Sword that was Broken, and the one who will lead the Rangers in the War of the Ring.

Role and Purpose

The Rangers of the North serve as the last line of defense for the free peoples of Eriador. They guard the Shire, the home of the hobbits, from the evil things that creep out of the wild, though the hobbits themselves are largely unaware of this protection. Aragorn explains to Boromir at the Council of Elrond that the Rangers are "hunters ever of the servants of the Enemy; for they are found in many places, not in Mordor only." He contrasts their hidden, thankless work with the open warfare of Gondor, saying that if the Dúnedain were asleep or all gone into the grave, there would be no safety in quiet lands or in the homes of simple men at night. The Rangers are the "last remnant in the North of the great people, the Men of the West," as Gandalf tells Frodo, and they have helped him before and will be needed in the days to come. Their task is to keep the darkness at bay, to guard the borders, and to ensure that the simple folk remain free from care and fear, even if it means that the Rangers themselves are scorned and given names like "Strider."

Key Members and Leadership

The most prominent Ranger is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, the Chieftain of the Dúnedain. He is the leader of the Grey Company, a band of thirty Rangers who answer his summons and ride with him to the War of the Ring. Among them are Halbarad, who bears the standard that Arwen made for Aragorn, and the sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, who are half-elven and ride with the Rangers. The Rangers are described as grim men of face, worn like weathered rocks, and they are silent and courteous. They are clad in cloaks of dark grey, and each cloak is pinned upon the left shoulder by a brooch of silver shaped like a rayed star. Their horses are strong and of proud bearing, but rough-haired. They are a company of the Dúnedain, the last of the faithful Númenóreans in the North, and they are ready to follow Aragorn into the Paths of the Dead and to the final battle against Sauron.

The Grey Company and the War of the Ring

When Aragorn needs them, the Rangers answer his summons. Halbarad brings word from Rivendell that the days are short and that Aragorn must remember the Paths of the Dead. The Grey Company rides with Aragorn through the Paths of the Dead, summoning the oathbreakers to fulfill their pledge. They then sail with the black fleet up the Anduin to the relief of Minas Tirith, where they fight in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Halbarad falls in that battle, but the Rangers prove their worth, fighting alongside the men of Gondor and Rohan. After the war, Aragorn is crowned King Elessar, and the Rangers of the North are finally recognized for their long service. Their wandering days are over, and they take their place in the Reunited Kingdom, guarding the peace that they have helped to win.