Fornost Erain

From Tolkien Gateway
Fornost Erain
City
Fornost rotwk.JPG
Fornost from The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king
General Information
Pronunciationfor-nost eh-reyen
Other namesDeadmen's Dike, Norbury of the Kings
LocationNorth Downs
TypeCity
People and History
InhabitantsArnorians
CreatedS.A. 3320
EventsFall of Fornost
GalleryImages of Fornost
"Deadmen's Dike, you say. So it has been called for long years; but its right name, Barliman, is Fornost Erain, Norbury of the Kings."
Gandalf in The Return of the King, "Homeward Bound"

Fornost Erain was the second capital of Arnor and later the capital of Arthedain. It was located at the south end of the North Downs, about 100 miles north of Bree[1], at the northern end of the North-South Road.[2]

History[edit | edit source]

Early history[edit | edit source]

It is possible that Fornost was founded around or after the establishment of the realm of Arnor in S.A. 3320,[3] because there is no record of the Númenóreans penetrating so far north before the Downfall of Númenor. After the fall of Sauron in the War of the Last Alliance, around T.A. 1, the larger part of the Army of Arnor marched west on the North-South Road[4] through the Fords of Isen and continued north to Fornost.[5] The number of Dúnedain of Arnor had decreased because of the War of the Last Alliance and the Disaster of the Gladden Fields and the city of Annúminas turned into ruins. As a consequence the heirs of Valandil moved the capital of Arnor to Fornost.[6]

In T.A. 861, when King Eärendur died, Arnor was divided[7] into the kingdoms of Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur, because of dissensions among his sons.[8] As a consequence, Fornost became the capital of the new realm of Arthedain.[9] In T.A. 1409, when the Witch-king of Angmar took the tower of Amon Sûl, the palantír that was located in the tower was saved and carried back to Fornost during the retreat. The new young King Araphor repelled the enemy from Fornost and the North Downs.[10]

Fall[edit | edit source]

In T.A. 1974,[11] Arthedain was overrun by the forces of Angmar. Fornost was captured, and King Arvedui first held out in the North Downs, then fled to dwarf mines at the northern end of the Blue Mountains and later drowned in the Icebay of Forochel with the two Palantíri he had saved from the forces of Angmar.[12] Meanwhile Fornost became the dwelling of the Witch-king and his evil folk, who ursurped the house of the old kings.[13]

In the following year, a fleet of ships from Gondor, led by prince Eärnur of Gondor, landed at Mithlond. The Elves of Lindon led by Círdan, the remaining Dúnedain of the North and a few archers from the Shire[14] joined the Host of the West. Eärnur fought the Witch-king of Angmar in the plains west of Fornost and defeated the armies of Angmar, but the Witch-king himself escaped.[15] After the death of King Arvedui and the defeat of the army of Angmar the Kingdom of Arthedain ended, because few Dúnedain of the North were left and the population of all the other peoples of Eriador had decreased. The Dúnedain of the North turned into a secret and wandering people that passed into the shadows.[16] As a consequence, it is possible that Fornost was abandoned after the the defeat of the army of Angmar.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

After Fornost Erain was abandoned, Men referred to it as Deadmen's Dike and feared to go there.[6] According to Barliman Butterbur, the innkeeper of The Prancing Pony, Fornost was said to be a haunted land. However, the Rangers went there,[17] but it is not known what they did there and how long they stayed there.

It is possible that Fornost was rebuilt and resettled after King Elessar reunited Gondor and Arnor, as Gandalf had announced that King Elessar would go there again one day and fair folk would be riding through Bree and that many folk used to live at the end of the Greenway on the North Downs.[17]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Fornost Erain is Sindarin for "Northern Fortress (of the) Kings", being a compound of forn ("north") + ost ("fortress") and erain, the plural of aran ("king").[18]

The Westron names of Fornost Erain and Fornost were "Norbury of the Kings"[17] and "Norbury",[19] respectively. Norbury is a modernised form of Old English north-burg, which means "north (fortified) town".[20]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In an earlier manuscript version of The Tale of Years of the Second Age it is mentioned that the shards of Narsil were brought to Valandil in Imladris, that he became King of Arnor and lived in Fornost.[21]

In an earlier version of what would later become Appendix A it is mentioned that Annúminas became deserted due to the decrease of the people and that the city of the realm of Arthedain of the oldest son of Earendur was Fornost.[22] An even earlier version contained a note that Valandil removed to Fornost and that Annuminas was deserted, but this was later struck out and Annuminas became deserted was added to the note for king Earendil whose name was later changed to Earendur.[23]

In an earlier manuscript version of The Tale of Years of the Third Age it is mentioned that Valandil became King of Arnor and lived in Annuminas in T.A. 10, that Amlaith of Fornost ruled the realm of Arthedain, Annuminas is deserted after the death of Earendur in T.A. 861 and the names of the kings at Fornost were no longer given in High-elven form.[24]

In an earlier version of the Prologue of The Lord of the Rings[25] and in an earlier manuscript version of The Tale of Years of the Third Age[26] the Westron name of Fornost was Northworthy.

Earlier names of Fornost are Osforod, the Northburg[27], or Fornobel, the North Burg[28]. On the The First Map of The Lord of the Rings (and in the subsequent 1943 map), Fornost is called Fornobel[29].

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

Pictures of adaptations of Fornost

2006: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king:

In the expansion pack, The Rise of the Witch-king, Fornost is besieged by the forces of the Witch-king.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Fornost Erain is simply called Fornost and is located in the northern end of the North Downs. It is populated with wights, orcs and wargs.

2011: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North:

The first chapter of the game is centered around Fornost. Agandaûr has assembled an army of Orcs of the Misty Mountains in Fornost, and prepared to attack the Free peoples.[30] Eradan, Andriel and Farin infiltrate Fornost on Aragorn's orders. They free the captured the Eagle, Beleram,[31] and work together with Elladan and Elrohir to stop Agandaûr.[32] Agandaûr flees and Tharzog - leader of the Orcs - is killed, after which the Orcs remain leaderless and inter-factional fighting starts, hereby preventing an attack.[33]
Visitable locations are the Main Gate, the Battlements, the Inner and Outer wards and the Citadel.[34]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 3320, p. 1084
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields", "Notes", note 6
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields", first paragraph
  6. 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Council of Elrond", p. 244
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 861, p. 1085
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain, entry about King Eärendur, p. 1039
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Northern Line: Heirs of Isildur", entry Amlaith of Fornost, p. 1038
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain, entry for King Arveleg I, p. 1040
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 1974, p. 1086
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain, entry for King Arvedui, pp. 1041-2
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", entry for King Eärnil II, p. 1050
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain, entry about King Arvedui, p. 1042
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", entry for King Eärnil II, pp. 1050-1
  16. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain, entry for King Arvedui, p. 1043
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Homeward Bound", p. 933
  18. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 19
  19. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "Prologue", "Of the Ordering of the Shire", p. 9
  20. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, entry , Norbury, p. 774
  21. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VI. The Tale of Years of the Second Age", note 17
  22. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil", The Northern Line of Arnor: the Isildurioni, manuscript C, entry 10. Earendur and entry 11. Amlaith of Fornost
  23. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil", Commentary, manuscript B, entry for Valandil
  24. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VIII. The Tale of Years of the Third Age", manuscript T4
  25. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "I. The Prologue", typescript P2 with alterations
  26. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VIII. The Tale of Years of the Third Age", manuscript T2, entry for the year c. 1600
  27. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "VI. The Council of Elrond (1)", p.120
  28. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "VII. The Council of Elrond (2)", p.147
  29. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", p.304
  30. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Prologue
  31. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Chapter 1: Fornost, Main Gate
  32. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Chapter 1: Fornost, Inner Wards
  33. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Chapter 1: Fornost, Citadel Tower
  34. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Chapter 1: Fornost