Caladorn Esteldir was born on the 18th of December, 2781, in Melgobas, a small fishing village nestled beneath the cliffs of Dol Amroth. His father had served as a Tirchadan, a corporal, in the army of Ost Arndír until he lost his leg in a skirmish with Umbarim soldiers in Anfalas. After that, he settled in Melgobas and made a living as a fisherman, trading his catch in Dol Amroth.
Caladorn’s mother was the village healer, known for her steady hands and knowledge of herbs. Their home was modest, but warm, filled with the smell of salt, fish, and drying plants. Caladorn grew up watching the sails come and go, helping his father on the boat and fetching herbs for his mother from the cliffs above. He became strong and agile from his daily tasks, knowing he would have to join the army when he turned 25. He chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the garrison at Ost Arndír, rather than seeking service in Lond Cirion or among the Swan-knights of Dol Amroth.
When the day finally came, he moved to Pinnath Gelin and joined the army as a Tirron, the lowest rank of soldier, on the 1st of January, 2807. He enjoyed the calmness and the green of the region after having lived in Melgobas for so long. Often standing guard in Ost Arndír or patrolling the small settlements of Iáphel and Mereham, he quickly rose to the rank of a Tirchadan in the town of Iáphel. It was in Iáphel he met the youngest daughter of the mayor of Iáphel, Eleniel Faelivrin, born the 5th of March 2784, and they fell in love. They married on the 1st of June 2817 when Caladorn was 35 and Eleniel 33 years old in the beautiful gardens of Iáphel.
After their marriage in 2817, Caladorn and Eleniel settled in a modest stone house within the outer quarter of Ost Arndír, not far from the barracks. Eleniel continued her work maintaining the archives of Ost Arndír, while Caladorn’s duties in the army grew steadily more demanding. He served mostly along the western coast, helping guard against Corsair activity and escorting supply lines between Dol Amroth, Erech, and the inland forts. Though the years brought moments of tension and travel, their life was a steady one. Eleniel kept a small garden and read often, and Caladorn, when home, enjoyed evenings at the hearth with her, sharing quiet meals and stories from the field.
In the spring of 2838, Eleniel’s pregnancy brought new energy to their household. On the 15th of June she gave birth to a son, which they named Thaendir Esteldir. Three years later they got another son named Doronir on the 18th of November 2841. At this time, Caladorn had shown great skill and was promoted to serve as Turog, a Sergeant, of a garrison of Dol Amroth. In May of 2843 they moved to the city of Ost Lontir just east of Dol Amroth and Caladorn was put on the garrison protecting the Bay of Belfalas.
Over the years Corsair attacks became more frequent and in 2851 the region of Andrast asked for reinforcements to protect its borders. Caladorn was ordered to go with a garrison to the city of Calenhir in Andrast while other garrisons aided the other cities. It was here that Caladorn captured four Corsair ships, but he himself was killed in the process on the 19th of June in 2851, on the age of 69.
After the loss of their father and husband, the father of Eleniel travelled to Ost Lontir to help Eleniel with the household. He had retired and his son, Eleniels brother, had taken the position of mayor of Iáphel. When Thaendir turned 18 he took a job as a courier and often was travelling between the cities of Calembel, Dol Amroth and smaller towns like Morlad and Tadrent till he was old enough to join the army. He joined the army of Dol Amroth on the 1st of July of 2863 and was put in the garrison that protected the Bay of Belfalas.
His first mission was to protect the beacon of Nendath and securing the Belfalas Mountains. It was here in the ruins of Ost Amondal that he encountered a drake of the White Mountains. He was badly burned in the battle and was hurried by two fellow soldiers to the town of Tadrent, just north of Nendath. Here he met Maedhiel Carnimirë who was a young healer. The burning was mostly cured, except a scar on his left arm which would make him be out of the running for a month. He talked often with Maedhiel and he fell in love with her. Doronir had also joined the army in the meantime, and where Thaendir was considered smarter and more of a leader, Doronir was stronger and more agile. He was chosen to become a Swan-knight in Dol Amroth.
Thaendir was able to again serve his country after a couple of months. Having a relation with Maedhiel and stationed in Tadrent he was very well accustomed, quickly rising to the rank of Tirchadan thanks to his ability to take charge and his wit. When Thaendir was 35 and she was 30, he married her in Dol Amroth on the 3rd of March in 2873. They lived in Tadrent for 7 years till there came a request from Steward Thorondir. Maedhiel was particularly crafty with herbs, and was asked to join the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith. Gondor was preparing for war as there was a Haradrim threat mustering in Harondor. If she accepted, Thaendir would be promoted to Turog of the Court of Turin in the Sixth Circle of Minas Tirith.
Although hesitant to move away from his mother and brother and her parents, they accepted and moved to Minas Tirith. They were given a house in the Sixth Circle and quickly became accustomed to the work. A year after they moved to Minas Tirith Steward Thorondir died and was followed by his son, Túrin II. Unlike his father, Steward Túrin II was more active in the war and didn't want to wait till the Haradrim would attack and sought help from the armies of Dol Amroth and Rohan before the battle would happen.
And he did this just in time, as only three months later the Haradrim attacked Ithilien. The princes of Rohan, Folcred, Fastred and Fengel attacked from the north, while the army of Swan-knights from Dol Amroth struck from the south. The Haradrim were caught between the three armies and fought mainly on the Crossing of Poros. The princes Folcred and Fastred died in this battle, as did Doronir as he drowned in the Anduin after a Mumak had thrown him in. Thaendir however fought valiantly alongside the armies of Gondor and witnessed Steward Túrin II defeat the Haradrim. After the mourning of the death of his brother he was promoted to Hîrdagor, a Lieutenant, of Minas Tirith, and just a couple years later he and Maedhiel were expecting.
The North South Road
The first child was a daughter born on September 21st, 2889 and was named Caladol after the father of Thaendir. Because both Thaendir and Maedhiel were both busy, Eleniel, who had lived in Ost Lontir for many years, also moved to Minas Tirith to watch over the child. On October 29th 2891 the second child would be born, a boy named Himnir and five years later on the 25th of may 2896, the third and last one would be born, a boy named Ereglos. On October 1st 2909 Caladol, now 20 years of age would join the notary of Minas Tirith, and a day later Eleniel would die due to old age. She would become 125 years old.
On the 1st of November 2916 Himnir would be choosen to be one of the Rangers of Ithilien. Since his father was a Hîrdagor he would immidiatly be granted the rank of Tirchadan and send to Bâr Húrin in South Ithilien. Ereglos however would become a Tirchadan in Minas Tirith on the 1st of June 2921. In 2925 King Fengel and Steward Turgon would decide to retake Tharbad. In 2912 Minhiriath and Enedwaith would be devastated by floods. The city of Tharbad would be abandoned and bandits and orcs would make their home here to threat the Rangers of the North. Arador had asked the Steward of Gondor and King of Rohan for reinforcements to drive the enemies out of the ruins.
Because Tharbad was also located on the great North South Road was it important for Gondor to regain a route to the north. Turog Thurindol was tasked with recapturing Tharbad and Ereglos would join him as Tirchadan with his men. On the 8th of Febuary 2926, the company wrote first to Isengard where they would be joined by a company of Rohirrim. With a total of 100 men they would travel to Tharbad and set up a permanent camp to the east of the city, which they called Laimdir, or Mossward in the common tongue. First trying to contact the Rangers of the North from here, they chose not to attack yet. They created farmland and set-up a wall and secretly searched for refugees or the rangers. The rangers made contact at the start of August and together they planned the attack on Tharbad.
Decided was that a stealth mission would be the best idea. Tharbad was mostly inhabited by goblins from the Misty Mountains. Unorganised and not suspecting an attack it would be easy to sneak into a deal with the thread from within. Attacking at night the rangers would use the river to get behind the guard and quietly take them out. Then the forces of Gondor would attack the western bank of Tharbad and Rohan the eastern bank while the rangers would delve deeper into the city using the attack as a diversion. Tharbad would be reclaimed and just a small amount of goblins would be able to flee to the north into the South Downs.
Tharbad however was inhabitable after the floods a decade earlier and the rangers, Gondorians and Rohirrim decided to let the refugees live in Mossward. Ereglos became good friends with Arador the coming year, even joining the rangers in missions from time to time. In the spring of 2927 Thurindol got a message that they could come home by Steward Turgon. Ereglos however was to stay at Tharbad to make sure Tharbad stays inhabited. He would get the command of a garrison of 24 pengadhron (archers). Mossward grew in size and quickly became an independent town again, with an own guard and facilities. Also was it used as a ranger post and during that time a female ranger was situated here, Lothmiriel Caleneth.
Ereglos and Lothmiriel became very close, often patrolling together throughout the Swanfleet and Tharbad. They started a relationship in the winter of 2927 and Ereglos joined the marriage of Arathorn II and Gilraen as her partner, visiting Rivendell for the first time in his life and meeting the elves. At the start of 2930 Steward Turgon ordered Ereglos to move south again to Gondor as Tharbad seemed to stay secure. Ereglos was reluctant to do so because Lothmiriel could not leave the rangers in the north with their little number, but could also not refuse the call and the oppurtunity to bring his men home. He promised her he would soon return to her in Tornhad.
After two months he returned in Minas Tirith and asked the Steward his pardon to go north again to stay with the love of his life. The Steward accepted on the condition that he would serve their brethern in the north. Saying goodbye to his father, mother and siblings, Ereglos rode north again. In the north however, Aradar was slain by hill-trolls in the Coldfells and Arathorn II would be the new Chieftain of the Dúnedain. Ereglos would join the rangers under Arathorn II and be based in Mossward. A year later his son would be born, Aragorn II and another year later Ereglos would marry Lothmiriel on the 11th of May 2932, with Ereglos being 35 years of age and Lothmiriel being 34 years of age.
In November of 2933 a band of orcs made their way to Tharbad again and the rangers caught on to them close to Echad Mirobel. Ereglos and Lothmiriel joined the pursued, attempting to trap them from the south. In the battle that followed, Arathorn II would be killed by an orc arrow. With his son being only 2 years old, the rangers would be without an adult Chieftain. The command was given to five individuals under guidance of Elrond Half-elven who would foster the true young Chieftain. With his experience, Ereglos would become Leader of Minhiriath. Setting up a base in Tharbad, away from the citizens of Mossward, he took command from here. The other commandcenters would become the ruins of Dolindîr, called Esteldín, in the North Downs. The ruines of the Tinnudir at Lake Evendim. The ruined tower of Baradros in the Towerhills. And in the south there would be Aeglosrond, a ruined fortress.
The Quest of the Stone
In charge, Ereglos made sure the region of Enedwaith and Minhiriath were peaceful. In this time Ereglos stayed mostly in Tharbad till he recieves a letter from his father. On the request of Gandalf the Grey they would have to travel to Rivendell to meet with him at the 1st of August in 2940. Ereglos and Lothmiriel journeyed to Rivendell and debated with Elrond about what Gandalf would want from them. Elrond appointed another Leader of the Dúnedain for Tharbad and Ereglos and Lothmiriel waited on Gandalf. Gandalf came on the 1st of August and explained his reasoning. Gandalf has become increasingly concerned about the threat of Smaug in Erebor and its strategic vulnerability should Sauron return. He wants to recapture the mountain and has asked Gondor to send help to the region around the mountain.
Ereglos was proposed as one of the scouts making sure the Misty Mountains were clear as he had experience both as a warrior and as a ranger, making it easier for him to clear the passage without bringing to much attention to himself alerting the orcs and maybe even Smaug. Ereglos accepted the task with hesitance. Lothmiriel however would accompany Gandalf till Bree and would spy on the Hobbits looking for a good "burglar", although it was not clear to her why Gandalf would want a "burglar". Ereglos set out to Hrimbarg, moving almost unseen through the pass. Having scouted almost the entire pass he stumbled on the entry of Goblin-town. Journeying further into the Gladden Fields he saw no further sign of enemies in the pass itself. However, in the Gladden Fields he discovered orcs searching in the river for something.
Deciding to first go report what he found to Elrond and Steward Turgon, he left the orcs for now and journeyed back through the pass. Here is stumbled on a mountain troll, making his way eastwards, which is unusual because trolls never went this far east already. Having no way of escape he decided to attack the troll. He fired a couple of arrows into the troll his neck, but the tough skin didn't let them pierce that deep. Furious the troll attacked Ereglos roaring hard. Ereglos killed the beast afterwards, but had to hide immidiatly because the roars of the beast had drawn the attention of the goblin camp a little further into the pass. Waiting till night, Ereglos managed to escape the goblin patrols and made his way south. Here he manages to stay unseen for the Gauredain tribe and Giant tribes residing in the mountains before coming to Rivendell.
Here he reported to Elrond his findings. Elrond send Ereglos back over the mountain to meet with the Beornings and deal with the orcs searching in the Gladden Fields. Returning over the mountain undetected, Ereglos travels to the town of Vegbár to seek help. The men of Vegbár send him to Beorninghús to meet with Beorn. Beorn and some others of his family help Ereglos with driving of the orcs out of the Gladden Fields. Surprised that the orcs did not try to put up a fight, Ereglos pursues them further, thanking Beorn before doing so. Ereglos follows them towards the south of Mirkwood. Just west of the Narrows he comes across a group of Gondorians being send by Steward Turgon. They follow him on a distant not to alert the orcs. The orcs seem to go to Dol Guldur and Ereglos decides not to enter the ruines as he feels it is not save to enter them. The Tirchadan of the group Gondorians decides to set up a camp further to the west and send a scouts to guard the stronghold. They stumble on an abandoned building closer to the Anduin, which they call Ost Galadh.
Ereglos journeys back northwards to bring his report to Elrond. He returns in May 2941 to Rivendell and meets with Saruman and Elrond there. Ereglos tells them of Dol Guldur and what he has seen there. Lothmiriel also returned to Rivendell earlier that year and said she suspects Gandalf to arrive somewhere in June or July with a company of Dwarfs. Worried about the report of Dol Guldur, the white council attended a meeting while the dwarves continued their journey. Ereglos warned them to be quiet as there are goblins in the pass. Ereglos and Lothmiriel however were not trusted by Thorin, so they did not join the journey to the Vales of Anduin.
After the meeting Gandalf pursued the dwarfs and was joined by Ereglos and Lothmiriel who tracked the dwarfs. They discovered the capture of them by the tracks made and showed him to Goblin-town which they helped to breach. While Gandalf went further inside Ereglos and Lothmiriel hold the entrance. After Gandalf and the company had escaped, Ereglos and Lothmiriel led the orcs away by a diversion, loosing them in the gianthalls and returning westwards.
The Lands of Eriador
The following years Ereglos and Lothmiriel partook in more missions till 2948, when Lothmiriel was pregnant. She would give birth on the 4th of October to a boy which they named Hirroch. Hirroch would grow to be a formitable warrior joining the rangers on the age of 18 in 2966. His first position would be in Northern Emyn Uial, a secluded area on the west of lake Evendim. Here he would have to report on the Woodtrolls to the south, the Giants to the west and the Gauredain to the north. Here Hirroch also needed to watch Annúminas' western entrance. Annúminas was taken by a large Angmarim force at the time which the rangers could not manage to eliminate. It was Hirrochs job to take care of any who went to far into the wilderness alone.
The following years he manages to stay uncaptured here, but in 2969 the news of the death of his grandmother Maedhiel came. She passed away on the 9th of September and had aged to 122 years old. Together with his mother and father they travelled south to Minas Tirith to pay their respects. Reuniting with Thaendir, who had retired by now, Caladol and Himnir they visited the burial of Maedhiel. The stay was of a short period however as the situation in the north became more dire every day. In 2974 the rangers tried to gain allies with the Lossoth. Long isolated from the world they took no side, yet, but with Angmar rising again the rangers could use every ally they had. With a company of four, Hirroch set out to Forochel.
Their goal would be Sûri-kylä as there the Chieftain of the Lossoth lived. However, they were caught in a snowstorm just north of Taur Orthon. Trying to find shelter they got caught in an avalanche. Hirroch got stuck with his legs under a tree and would have perished if he was not saved by a fellow ranger, Alamwen, niece of Aragorn. She managed to get herself loose and with her sword managed to free Hirrochs leg. Badly hurt he set aside the pain in search of the other two rangers, but they could not be found. After a days search with Hirrochs rightleg broken and Alamwen being very tired because she had to help Hirroch to walk over the snow. They found a cave with its opening out of the wind. Hirroch helped Alamwen heal her wounds and made sure his leg was in a comfertable position. In the morning the storm had stopped and Alamwen tried to search for their fellow rangers, without succes. Accepting the other two died, she made sure Hirroch and her would survive.
Two days later they heard voices speaking in a strange language. The voices belonged to a patrol of Lossoth, who found the two rangers huddled in the cave. Wary but not hostile, the Lossoth took them to their camp. Hirroch's broken leg was a serious injury, but the Lossoth healers, skilled in treating such wounds in their harsh environment, tended to him with great care. It was in Sûri-kylä, the Chieftain's village, that Hirroch and Alamwen were able to explain their mission. The Chieftain, a stern but fair man, was impressed by their courage. He agreed to an alliance, seeing the growing threat from Angmar as a danger to his own people. Hirroch and Alamwen spent the winter with the Lossoth, recovering, learning their customs and growing close. A deep bond formed between them, forged in the crucible of their shared ordeal and their mutual respect for the Lossoth people. In the spring of 2975, Hirroch and Alamwen, now fully recovered, journeyed south, bringing the Chieftain’s promise of alliance with them. They reported to the Ranger command, and their success was met with great celebration.
Meanwhile, in Minas Tirith, the threat of war loomed large. Steward Ecthelion II called for a great council of all the Free Peoples in 2976. Thaendir, though now an old man, was invited to attend as an advisor. His son, Himnir, traveled from Ithilien to represent the Rangers of the South. Himnir was eager to scout the enemy's strength firsthand, but a captain known as Thorongil dissuaded him, arguing that Sauron's presence was undeniable and that a greater focus should be placed on strengthening the defenses of Ithilien. Thaendir chose to join his son in Bar Húrin to offer his counsel, but his time there was short. The long life of a warrior ended as it began, in the quiet service of Gondor, when he perished from an orc arrow on February 20, 2977, at the age of 138. Ereglos and his family could not attend the funeral, as the journey south had become too dangerous. For Ereglos, his end had come years before. In 2969, while stationed at Esteldín, he had journeyed into Angmar to assess the growing threat but had never returned. His body was never found, a silent testament to the long, shadowed war fought by the Rangers of the North.
In the years that followed, Hirroch and Alamwen’s relationship blossomed. In the spring of 2982, they were married in a quiet ceremony in the dells of the North Downs. Alamwen was 28 and Hirroch was 34. Their lives were a cycle of patrolling the northern wilds, guarding the borders, and raising their family. They were rangers, but they were also a home. Their first child, a daughter named Hirnuihir, was born on January 31, 2996. She was a serious and watchful child, with her father's quiet strength. A year later, on July 9, 2997, they were blessed with twin daughters, Lothviel and Rhonaduin. Lothviel was emotional and driven with a fiery character while Rhonaduin inherited her mother’s sharp eyes and natural grace, a born scout of the wild. Their youngest, Haelandir, was born on November 18, 2999. She, in contrast to her sisters, was quieter, with a keen intellect and a gentle hand, showing an early talent for healing and a love of ancient song.
As the years advanced toward the new century, the world outside their hidden sanctuaries grew darker. The family's life became a constant vigil. Hirroch and Alamwen trained their children from a young age, teaching them to track, to fight, and to survive in the wilderness. By the year 3018, the children were all grown. Hirnuihir was 22, preferring a sword and shield to fight with. The twins, Lothviel and Rhonaduin, were 21, and while Lothviel liked hand to hand melee, Rhonaduin stayed in range with a bow and arrow. Haelandir, at 19, was a young woman and determined to be a great healer. It was in the late summer of that year that the rangers’ patrols became more urgent. Whispers and dark riders were seen on the Great East Road, and a sense of dread settled upon the northern woods. One evening, a rider arrived at their camp, an old friend of Hirroch's, to pass on a message. The messenger spoke of the Council of Elrond and a young hobbit carrying a great burden. Hirroch, with his family now grown and a deep understanding of their duty, knew their long vigil was coming to a head. Their purpose had been to protect the north from the shadow for generations. Now, the shadow had a name, and a specific enemy was seeking it. The time for waiting was over.
