Erech

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Erech
Hill
Rob Alexander - Vale of Erech.jpg
"Vale of Erech" by Rob Alexander
General Information
LocationNorthern Lamedon, south of the White Mountains and Edoras
TypeHill
DescriptionHill capped by a great black stone
InhabitantsOriginally Men, later abandoned
GalleryImages of Erech

Erech was a hill in Gondor situated at the mouth of the Blackroot Vale, far to the west of Minas Tirith.[1] It lay near to the southern entrance to the Paths of the Dead. Upon the summit stood a smooth black globe, the Stone of Erech.

History

In the Second Age, Isildur brought with him the stone as a symbol of his lineage. The Stone of Erech was a great black stone, spherical in shape and roughly six feet in diameter. He set it upon the hill of Erech and made the local hill tribes swear an oath of loyalty on the stone. It was there that the King of the Dead swore allegiance to Isildur's cause at the time of the Last Alliance. Because he failed to fulfil his oath, the Oathbreakers haunted the hills until they made good their promise.

Oathbreakers, Why Have Ye Come? by Abe Papakhian.

The Stone became a mysterious and eerie place, shunned by the people of the valley, who claimed it had fallen from the sky, and was haunted by restless spirits. The area was completely abandoned by the end of the Third Age. During the time of King Arvedui of Arthedain, a prophecy was made regarding the arising of the dead during the War of the Ring. In this prophecy the Stone of Erech was mentioned:

"The Dead awaken; for the hour is come for the oathbreakers: at the Stone of Erech they shall stand again and hear there a horn in the hills ringing."
Malbeth the Seer

When the Grey Company came to Rohan, the sons of Elrond brought with them a reminder of these words from their father to Aragorn, who acted upon these words to brave the Paths of the Dead.[2]

After waiting through the long years of the Third Age, at midnight on 8 March T.A. 3019,[3] the heir of Isildur, Aragorn, came to Erech to hold the Dead to their oath again, promising that upon its fulfillment they would have peace.[2] The next day they left Erech for Calembel.[3] Indeed, on 13 March,[3] they held true to their oath and formed the Host of the Dead to help Aragorn defeat the Corsairs of Umbar at Pelargir. After the battle at Pelargir, Aragorn released them from their oath and they were allowed to rest.[4]

Etymology

The name Erech, like so many names in Gondor, was of unknown Mannish pre-Númenórean origin.[5]

Portrayal in Adaptations

In The Lord of the Rings Online game, the Stone of Erech is reimagined as part a collection of seven Vandassari, or Oath-stones. This is based on the idea that the “Seven Stones” did not specifically refer to the Palantiri, but also the Oath-stones.

Players interact with the Stone of Erech in a flashback sequence, and two other Vandassari are seen. One is during a flashback to the Last Alliance where a stolen Stone is used by Sauron to hold an army of Easterlings to their oath to serve him; the second is in the Narrowcleave instance in Forochel.

For more information, see the LOTRO-wiki.

See also

References

Route of the Fellowship of the Ring
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Rohan · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Dunharrow · Paths of the Dead · Gondor · Hill of Erech · Lamedon · Linhir · Lebennin · Pelargir · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Boromir
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen
Frodo and Sam
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Dead Marshes · Black Gate · Ithilien · Henneth Annûn · Cross-roads · Morgul Vale · Stairs of Cirith Ungol · Cirith Ungol · Shelob's Lair · Tower of Cirith Ungol · Mordor · Morgai · Plateau of Gorgoroth · Mount Doom · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Gandalf
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Celebdil† · Lothlórien · Fangorn Forest · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Merry
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Hornburg · Dunharrow · Drúadan Forest · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Pippin
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Amon Hen · Parth Galen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Gondor · Cair Andros · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard