In the last days of King Elessars life, he imparted a certain portion of knowledge to his son Eldarion, that there were sundered kin of the Gondorians, who the Rangers of Arnor had battled over many years, due to their hatred for the Dunedain. He bequeathed it to his son to find them.

This troubled Eldarion, as he knew not what this new threat might be. And so, a year after receiving the Crown of Gondor, Eldarion was residing in Annuminas, and taking his fathers wish, arrayed himself in light attire with earthy tones, and taking three score or so of the descendants of the Rangers, journeyed into the wilderness to hunt for these mysterious peoples. Far into the north they came, just south of Forochel. Eldarion questioned the Lossoth of wicked people of Numenorean descent, but the Lossoth appeared fearful, and would not answer. 

They continued though, coming to the North Downs. No one had dared to go here since the days of Aragorns chieftanship, and it had remained an evil place. They were walking along the edge of the Downs when arrows began whistling by them. More than one found their mark. Several Rangers were killed. Assailed by an unseen enemy, Eldarion and his men took what little cover they could and returned the salvo. But Eldarion had inherited not only hardiness and battle prowess from his father but also wisdom. Keeping half of his men to continue the volley, Eldarion and the rest drew their swords silently and crept through the fog towards the Downs. They came right to the center of the Downs but found no one, and there were only very faint tracks, fresh, but made as if someone skilled in deception and disappearance had been there. Indeed the tracks were just as light as those of the Rangers themselves. And the Rangers quickly spread out silently in their fashion. At last a cry brought Eldarion to a large barrow, and against it sat a man with an arrow in his leg. He was darker skinned than the Dunedain, and darker haired. But tall and noble he seemed, despite the fact he was clad in weather beaten clothes. A band of steel he wore around his head, with a golden sun in the middle.

The man only declared himself as Valtor son of Vandoril, but would say no more about where his people came from or who they were.

Eldarion had him bound, and ordered the men to search the barrows. They did so, and found not empty tombs with treasures but actual dwellings. Then Eldarions captain Maethor found one that appeared to be a storage room of some sort. And there were many parchments and annals kept there. It is told that these were brought back to Fornost. Eldarion and his men in time captured or killed the rest of the men, who they called Dark Rangers. But there were more elsewhere, and after two long years in the North Eldarion, after losing many men, emerged victorious with many prisoners. From them he could learn nothing of their history or people. All he could learn is that they had a lifespan equal to that of the Dunedain, and so were quite certainly of Numenorean descent. And so Eldarion spent a year in Fornost poring over the records found in the North Downs. And so he made a history of the Dark Rangers, entitled, The Tale of Nardor.

The people of Nardor first began as a branch off from the people of Numenor. Before the golden reign of Ar-Pharazon, a group of Numenoreans, not from the Faithful, settled a small island a few miles off the coast of Middle earth south of Umbar. They began a new settlement there and prospered, more than a few thousand, for the land was bountiful like Numenor. Their lord was a direct descendant of Turin Turambar. For though it was thought Nienor Niniel died in the waters, Ulmo was kind to her, and rescued her from the torrents, and she delivered. And so her descendants became leaders of these islanders. The black sword Gurthan was an heirloom to the lords, and remained the sword of the kings of Nardor, long past the realm's fall. These people followed Ar-Pharazon and Sauron, but they had no part in the vast armada the King invaded Eldamar with. They could see the destruction Numenor by the will of Illuvatar, and were afraid. Indeed, it did not please the Valar that any other than the Faithful should escape the Downfall. But the people of the island were also wise. After Numenor fell, they loaded up their ships and set sail for Middle-earth, south of Umbar, for they feared that the Black Numenoreans there would kill them, thinking them part of the Faithful. And it was well, for Eru destroyed the island shortly after they left, and the ruin of the island was so violent that 4 ships were lost in the waves. 

They landed in the sparse land near Far Harad, and they were now a great host, with women and children and many herds of livestock. They journeyed inward, looking for land suitable for them, but were barred in by an endless mountain range. The cliffs were steep, and many died trying to climb over the mountains, as no pass could be found. But the people of the island started to dwindle, for there was little food and water to sustain a large population, and their livestock started to die, and the sun was very bright. Many morepeople died before hope eventually came. A wanderer, very tall, singing beautifully, they came across. He was not a man they could see, but an elf. His hand was clenched as in pain, and in his eyes was sorrow. Taking pity on the people, he led them through a secret pass in the mountains, and the land inside was good, unlike the fierce deserts of Harad. They took the elvish saviour as their king, and he named himself as Maglor, son of Feanor. Of him they knew much, and they marveled still. Maglor married the lords daughter, and his son they named Amadril. And so the House of Hurin vanished, and was renamed the House of Maglor. Within the shadow of the mountains Maglors people prospered, and they mined into the mountains and became a powerful force. More than once they had to fight off raids from Haradrim tribes. And always Maglor was increasing the size of his realm.

In the sides of the mountains they carved great cities after the fashion of Numenor. But the greatest city was in the south of the land, and it was named Forrelon. The city that guarded the sea entrance was called Tilion, and the port outside the mountains was named Antorin. Maglor named his realm Nardor, Land Behind the Mountains. But he became mortal, and died just as men die. For a thousand years the Nardorians prospered, untroubled in their secret kingdom.

Now the wizards Alatar and Pallando and Curunir journeyed into the east they were searching for the remnant of Numenoreans. Curunir gave up and returned, but the Blue Wizards persevered, and found the people. The Blue Wizards stayed away though, and kept their presence hidden from the Nardorians. They put forth their power to veil the young realm from the malice of Sauron. And that was key, for Nardor was weak in its beginning, and had Sauron destroyed them quickly, Gondor would have fallen many centuries before the time of Aragorn. But Sauron did not invest much thought into any other surviving Numenoreans besides the Faithful. Indeed, had he strengthened his gaze to the south he would have seen through the Blue Wizards spell, and perceived the Nardorians. But the Last Alliance and Maglor came and went, and Nardor slowly increased its strength, guarded by the Veil of the Blue Wizards, although none of the Nardorians knew they were being protected by Alatar and Pallando. None in fact knew this, except the Wizards close friend Daeron the minstrel, who had become a nomad, and when he was killed fighting a were-worm his secret died with him. Only in the days of Calaher when the Blue Wizards revealed themselves did the full extent of the aid from the wizards become known.

The Nardorians had learnt through spies of Saurons fall to Isildur, but they had sent no aid as they distrusted the Faithful. Twice though in later years they did send aid, to battle the enemies of Gondor, because they hated Sauron fiercely because of the Destruction of Numenor. And even to Gondor it had seemed like great hosts, but it was but a small portion of Nardors true strength. Sauron hated this new people because of this, as much as the Dunedain, and plotted their destruction. But the Nardorians waited behind their walls of stone. 

But soon out of the northwest two wanderers came to the mountains. They were clad in sea blue, with grey mantles and one wore a hood. They both carried staffs, which seemed to radiate a hidden power. The watchmen on the high towers on the mountaintops espied them, and King Calaher of Nardor admitted them. Learning that they were Istari from Valinor, they were mistrusted, and were not permitted to leave the kingdom. But they made it clear what their purpose was. The people of Nardor were not as secret as they thought. Word had reached the newly arisen Sauron through the Haradrim, that people other than the Faithful had escaped the Downfall of Numenor, and that they were powerful and many, and that they served themselves. Sauron, they said, would certainly want to remove this threat, as they had saved Gondor before. The Blue Wizards counseled Calaher to mine the mountains, and make a great store of weapons and armour. And the king was fearful, and did as they bid. And these wizards, Alatar and Palando, became Calahers counselors, and oversaw the defense and preparation of Nardor, weaving spells into the cities to protect them. They warned him not to let Gondor fall. Calaher was not pleased with this, as the rift between the Gondorian Faithful and the Nardorians had been expanding. They did not trust one another. But nonetheless, when Sauron attacked Gondor in the days of Minalcar, Calaher sent a massive force and crushed Sauron's invading armies, and also destroyed the Corsairs of Umbar in a vicious sea battle. He did this because he understood that with a threat in the west, Mordor would be less agressive and contained. Then Sauron saw that he could never destroy the remnants of the Elendili, unless he first removed Nardor.

In the days of Calaher's son Celimar, during the time of the Kin-Strife in Gondor, Sauron saw his chance to assail Nardor. The Witch-King of Angmar was attacking Arnor, and Gondor was diminished with the civil war. Sauron sent a great host of orcs and wicked men, and they set up a great camp near the start of the mountain range. And there were Nazgul. The Blue Wizards with a force held them off and with their magic drove the Nazgul off, and the host was sent packing. However, Sauron then sent another force, larger and with many sorcerers. The Blue Wizards advised Celimar to withdraw to the cities. But Celimar had already brought a force out, and engaged the enemy. However, the might and skill of the Nardorians and the radiating power of the Blue Wizards was too great for the host of Mordor. And across the sands of the Harad the orcs fled, with the horsemen of Nardor on their heels. The army then circled to the south and retreated to the safety of the city walls. But Alatar warned Celimar that Sauron would send a much greater force next time, with trolls and mumakil, and siege engines, and sorcerers. However, Celimar successfully defeated Mordors armies, and the might of Nardor was indeed great. But Sauron knew this, and bided his time, though he made feint of attack.

In the days when King Telumehtar of Gondor retook Umbar, Sauron unleashed his full force on the people of Nardor. And Vorondil, great-grandson of King Celimar, receiving the news from the scouts, knew that they would be hard pressed to hold off this force. And he sent word to Umbar and Gondor, requesting aid. But the King of Gondor would not send any, for he feared a new threat coming out of the east: the Wainriders. However Sauron had left Mordor virtually unguarded, and had loosed his full force of orcs, trolls, mumakil, Haradrim, Black Numenoreans, Variags of Khand, and Wainriders on the Nardorians. And so no help came from Gondor or Arnor, for Arnor was hard pressed with Angmar at this time. Alatar and Palando advised Vorondil to retreat to Tilion, and hold off as best as he could. Vorondil took their advice and ordered his soldiers to retreat to the cities, while he and his royal guard withdrew to Forrelon. His men killed many from the high towers on the mountains, as the forces of Mordor battered the citie. But in the end the Nazgul found a secret entrance into Tilion through treachery, for there was a traitor in Nardor. A certain man, Imrod, a Gondorian ambassador, who had been captured by the Nazgul and daunted betrayed Nardor. For a while Alatar and Palando held the Nazgul at bay, but as the main Mordor host drew close, a terror greater than anything imaginable assailed them. No one knew what they were fighting. All they saw was blinding flashes of light and deafening noises. However, in the end the Blue Wizards fled, and escaped from Nardor. And this troubled Sauron. For though his conquest of Nardor was progressing, the capture of the Blue Wizards would have been far more valuable to him, for he perceived who they were, and knew that they were behind the threat in the south.

Long was the battle and siege before Tilion, but it at last fell and the Nardorians there retreated across the long plains south to Forrelon. As they approached the capital, pursued by the orcs and trolls, a mighty host, led by Vorondil himself, issued forth from Forrelon. And that was the undoing of Nardor. For if they had remained in the city and defended from there they might have won. But with their great power came great pride. Still things might have gone otherwise, for Vorondil was a great warrior, strong and inspiring. But as they slaughtered the orcs and Easterlings, the lines of Mordor broke, and walking through the ranks the Nardorians saw the Dark Lord himself. Clad in black armour, none could abide his Eye. Vorondil's courage wavered, but he gathered his resolve and challenged Sauron to single combat. Sauron smiled inwardly, and accepted the challenge. Many songs are sung of the duel between Sauron and Vorondil, and of the wound Vorondil imparted on the Evil One. Indeed, the skill and might of the king were so great that his sword pierced through the black armour, and as he wrenched out Gurthang the black blood spurted from Sauron's side. And as Vorondil went to hew the head off of Sauron, he was stabbed from behind by the traitor Imrod, who later became the Mouth of Sauron. Treachery it was that won the day. With the death of their king the Nardorians wavered, and were broken. The Haradrim, fierce and deadly, burned the cities and the orcs ravaged the land. Antorin repelled 4 invasions of the Corsairs, but when the mainland host of Mordor and Harad surrounded it, the port-city fell after a month-long siege. There were some Nardorians, however, who survived and escaped the great battles, and somehow they managed to take with them Gurthang. Among them was Vorondil's three children. It was believed by these survivors that if Gondor had but lent small aid, or threatened Mordors dominion, they would have been saved and the armies of Mordor forced to retreat. But they were willing to put this anger aside, and humble themselves. 

How these people and their families escaped is not told in the annals, but it is said there were a thousand at least, plus women and children. They traveled north. As they fled they came through southern Ithilien, and came upon the orc garrison in Osgiliath. These they utterly destroyed, but word came to Morgul, and other troops were prepared. The Nardorians requested passage over the Anduin, but the garrison of Osgiliath denied them passage, and bade them be gone, thinking them renegades and traitors and spies of Mordor, forgetting the aid that Nardor had sent long ago. And as fresh troops came up from Minas Morgul, the Nardorians were caught between the Great River and their enemies. Hastily they gathered rafts and sailed down the river, some having to swim. The Gondorians, thinking they were attempting to cross, killed many; and many died from orc blades, or from torture at the hands of the orcs. The screams of pain haunted the survivors to the end of their days. And so they harboured a deep hatred for the Dunedain, and sought to do them as much harm as possible. They fled through Gondor to the western edge of the Ered Nimrais. Gondor was strong at this point and they did not dare attack it. But after the destruction of Nardor the might of Sauron was so crippled he could not do anything for a long while, as he had been preparing this assault force for hundreds of years. The Wainriders however, still had many chariots and they planned an invasion of Gondor. The Nardorians however were already into Dunland by that time.

As they came farther north they heard of the Witch-Kings conquest of Arnor, and how King Arvedui was holding out with dwindling strength but the Witch-King could not break him. The Nardorians now became a stealthy secretive people, trained with the bow, able to blend in and disappear. They were called the Dark Rangers. They joined the ranks of the Witch-King because of their hatred for the Dunedain, and because of their added strength and skill, Angmar was able to defeat Arvedui. After Cirdans victory and the destruction of Angmar, the Dark Rangers removed themselves and settled in the North Downs. And they battled with the Dunedain Rangers from that day on. But other enemies they also had. Orcs from Mount Gundabad and rogue trolls they fought. And they removed the wights from the North Downs there, and made the barrows livable dwellings. But their hatred for the Dunedain ever remained, because of Imrod, and the lack of reciprocating aid from Gondor, and the bitter slaughter at the Anduin River.

And that is the Tale of Nardor, one of the greatest tragedies in the history of Arda. But Turins line lived on, and so did Maglors and they became one.

Many will wonder why Sauron himself left Dol Guldur for this conquest. The true reasons are not known, and perhaps he saw that only with his power could the Blue Wizards be destroyed. The physical embodiment of his spirit, and the dreadful wounds suffered however drained much of his power, and he would not be able to take a physical for a long long time. 


This tale actually falls nicely in place with one of Tolkien's ideas. He stated that the Blue Wizards may have joined the enemy, but later said they probably were instrumental in delaying the War of the Ring in the West. As it turns out, they most certainly were. Had they not fashioned Nardor into the war machine that challenged Mordor's might, Gondor certainly would have fallen long before the time of Aragorn.

-- Edited by Bard the Bowman on Saturday 10th of March 2012 02:20:57 AM

-- Edited by Bard the Bowman on Saturday 10th of March 2012 02:21:40 AM