Wainriders

The Wainriders were a tribe of Easterlings in the Second Age and early Third Age.

Their name comes from the fact that they commonly used chariots to ride into battle.

Wainriders were responsible for the deaths of the 29th King of Gondor, Narmacil II Romenturún. In a vengeful push, Narmacil's son Calimehtar Minastan, the 30th king of Gondor, struck back. With the help of Northmen, he devastated the Wainrider ranks, broke their wains and chariots, and slew them upon the hill which would come to be known as Dol Acharn. Such was this victory that Calimehtar never again had to contend with the Wainriders in his lifetime.

Years later though, Calimehtar's son, the 31st King of Gondor Ondoher Manardil, as well Ondoher's sons Artamir and Faramir. This latter battle happened at the spot which would be later named Ondoher's Folly in Dagorlad. The Wainriders were again routed, though, this time by General Eärnil, a soldier of the royal blood line. He would go on to become the 32nd, and second-to-last king of Gondor.

This Clan harried Gondor for hundreds of years during the Easterling Wars, but the wainrider term has since died out, with the chariot-riders later becoming known as the Balchoth Clan.