The Angle

The Angle is the land between the Mitheithel and Bruinen rivers, inhabited by the last remnants of the Dúnedain of Arnor.

The Angle
Dúnedain emblem

Summary

Main article: History of the Angle

The Angle is a wooded area between two rivers in the north-east of Eriador and south of the Great Road. This region was once part of the kingdoms of Arnor and Rhudaur, which built now-abandoned villages and fortresses in its north. The Stoor hobbits lived in the south for some centuries before eventually migrating to the Shire. Today it is inhabited only by the last of the Northern Dúnedain, who have created hidden farms and villages.

After the fall of Arthedain, Eriador was in a dire state. The war had caused enormous material and human losses and a large part of its remaining population emigrated to Gondor over the following years while the rest mostly had to build new communities. These remaining Men joined in scattered settlements in the North, concentrated in and around the Hills of Evendim, Bree and Tharbad, while the Hobbits survived in the Shire. While the army of Arthedain was completely shattered, the small order of Rangers remained enormously personally loyal to the former king.

At a solemn, secret meeting of the surviving – and willing to remain – Dúnedain lords on Amon Sûl, Aranarth took for himself the title of Chieftain of the Dúnedain and Captain of the Rangers of the North. He sent the heirlooms of his line to Elrond Half-elven for safe-keeping: the star of Elendil, the sceptre of Annúminas, the Ring of Barahir and the shards of Narsil. He gathered those Dúnedain still loyal to him and led them away from their ancestral lands to start a new life in isolated and self-sufficient communities, far from the remaining settled areas of Eriador.

From their Hidden Settlements the descendants of the Men of the West still watched over the remaining communities in Eriador, no longer as rulers but as wardens, advisors and brokers. The Rangers walked among the peoples of Eriador but no one recognised them, assuming them to be nomads or vagabonds, like many men were at that time. Through their efforts, Eriador started to slowly recover from the devastation of war, there was peace among the different communities and the roads between them were safe again. But soon evil things started to multiply again, wolves began to plague the lowlands and orcs built strongholds in the mountains: against these threats the Rangers remained ever watchful, protecting the communities of Eriador from these dangers.

Government and military

Government

The Chieftain of the Dúnedain (currently Aragorn II), also known as the Chieftain of the North, is the hereditary title of the rulers of the Rangers of the North. The Chieftains are raised in Rivendell, where the heirlooms of the House of Isildur are also kept.

Just like the King was the ultimate leader of the Rangers of Arnor, after T.A. 1975 the Rangers of the North had their Captain in the Chieftain of the Dúnedain. He commands the vast territory of Eriador through four Wardens, each overseeing a quarter of the land. The Warden of the North is in charge of the borderlands north of the Hills of Evendim, the North Downs and the lands closer to the ruins of Angmar; the Warden of the West oversees the region of Lake Evendim, the Lhûn valley and the lands of the Shire; the Warden of the South protects the lands of old Cardolan and Breeland; and the Warden of the East looks after the lands of old Rhudaur. Wardens are not exclusively military figures but are also in charge of the Dúnedain families living in their territories: they are responsible for public order, security and upholding the law.

After the retreat into the Angle in the 28th century, the Warden of the East, in whose territory all the Dúnedain communities were located, became known as the Great Warden (currently Halbarad). The other three wardens were only responsible for the activity of Rangers away from the Hidden Settlements.

Military

The military force of the Dúnedain are the Rangers of the North, consisting of around three hundred men in total. Of the few hundred Rangers active at any one time, about one third are on duty in the Angle, guarding the borders and making sure spies, scouts or lost travellers do not enter them. The remaining two-thirds of the Rangers are dedicated to missions abroad, half of them active and the other half either preparing or recovering from them. This allows any of these Rangers to spend about half of his time abroad and the other half in the Angle.

The earliest historical document about the Rangers is their official foundation in T.A. 250 under King Eldacar: the purpose of the King’s Rangers was to institutionalise royal hunts as an occasion for the key people of the realm to become close to the land and to each other. The first to join the King and his hunting companions were the sons of the Dúnadan families forming the nobility of Arnor. As Rangers, they would learn courage, strength of character, selflessness and a stalwart loyalty to each other; and in time they would form a brotherhood of Men defending the North Kingdom against its enemies.

The nature of their training made members of the King’s Rangers the ideal candidates for important missions which required secrecy and knowledge of the land. Rangers were selected as scouts, explorers, spies, envoys and messengers to hostile lands, and their successes strengthened their cohesion, perseverance and discipline.

In Arthedain the total number of members shrunk to half of what they had been in the past, but in this period these Rangers gradually developed into a more professionally organised structure. Now the former noble hunters informally accompanying the king in his hunts and travels became members of a more standardised military Order tasked with the protection of the borders, now beset by many dangers. They were also active outside the kingdom’s borders, travelling incognito in the old lands of Cardolan and Rhudaur, where they liaised with former members of the King’s Rangers, and carried out missions for the king of Arthedain.

Architecture

Most houses are very rudimentary log cabins, usually with foundations of cobblestone. Roofs are made of thatch or turf. Some houses feature a simple veranda.

Agriculture

Many inhabitants of the Angle live a semi-pastoral lifestyle, leading their herds of sheep or cattle during the summer and returning to their homes during the cooler months.

Industry and professions

Even though all the Dúnedain are descendants of the aristocracy of Arnor, they are all equals and commoners within the Hidden Settlements. Here they need to carry out all the activities necessary for the survival of a community with virtually no economic links to the outside. The Dúnedain are farmers, shepherds, carpenters and blacksmiths.

Culture

The society is relatively egalitarian: everyone among them is of pure Númenórean descent, and as such counts among his ancestors lords and knights of the North-kingdom. But in the simple and secluded life of a Hidden Settlement labour division is limited, personal wealth scarce and social ranks almost non-existent. This is not to say that everyone is equal: those who are selected as Rangers enjoy a special respect, which repays them of the considerable hardships and sacrifices they must face in their service. The longer the years of duty, the higher the status that Rangers enjoy, with Master Rangers being highly honoured and Wardens being only second to the Captain of all Rangers.

Among non-Rangers there is no hard distinction, save for the Reeve who is always a well respected figure. Land-ownership is not hereditary but rather assigned by the community. When they near adult age, young Dúnedain are faced with a choice to either continue their parents’ trade, learn a new profession (which is encouraged if a position has fallen vacant) or train to become a Ranger.

As these folk are directly descended from the Faithful Men of Númenor, they maintain the old ways and customs. They build no temples or shrines, though in permanent settlements there could be evidence of westward-facing structures in memory of their destroyed home.