Middle Earth in T.A. 2063 

It is the year 2063 of the Third Age of Middle Earth. 

A time nearly a thousand years before two hobbits, Sam and Frodo, would venture into Mordor to destroy the Ring.  A full ten centuries before Aragorn, would claim his birthright as King.

Aragorn was heir to Isildur, son of Elendil, of the noble blood of Numernor. It was Isildur who had cut the Ring from Sauron’s hand in the War of the Last Alliance at the beginning of the Third Age.  Seeking to return his prize to Annuminas, capital of the northern kingdom of Arnor, he and his entourage were slain by orcs and The Ring was lost.

The centuries passed and Arnor declined, dissolving into three smaller warring kingdoms.  By the year 1974 there was but one remnant, Arthedain, ruled by Arvedui, direct descendant of Isildur’s youngest son Valandil.  In the south, the sister kingdom of Gondor had stood fast, though it had been sorely tested during the Age by hosts from the east and south. 

The severing of the Ring from Sauron’s hand had vanquished the Dark Lord as far as most thought.  But a thousand years into the Third Age dark stirrings began east of Misty Mountains and the forest known as Greenwood the Great slowly came under a shadow.  In the beginning little was known, though as years passed the Wise among the elves began to suspect the intrusion of a power. 

As the shadow grew there came into the land visitors from the West.  Wizards as they would become known, one clothed in white, two in blue, one in brown and the last garbed in gray.  The blue ones would journey east and vanish from the accounts of the Age.  The white one, eventually known as Saruman , would wander widely and was the chief of their order.  Radagast, the Brown, would be friend to all living creatures though he would intrude little in the affairs of elves and men. 

It was the Gray one, known to men as Gandalf, who would most concern himself with the lands of Arnor and Gondor, the affairs of men, and maintain vigilance as Sauron slowly returned to power in Middle Earth

Sauron’s power was manifested in the year 1974 T.A. when the Witch King, chief of His Nazgul, attacked the weakened kingdom of Arthedain.  Its king, Arvedui, sent his sons west, then fled north with his personal guard and the palantir.  Aid would be sought and Gondor would respond with a mighty fleet, led by king Earnil's son, Earnur. 

Their host, and a force led by the elven warrior Glorfindel out of Rivendell, would utterly defeat the Witch King. The damage had been done, however.  Arthedain was no more, its fragile existence destroyed in the battle, its people scattered.  Its king, Arvedui, was dead as his ship and the palantir would sink to the bottom of the Ice Bay of Forochel. 

Arvedui’s eldest son, Aranarth, was now leader of his people.  But the title of king was meaningless, as there was no kingdom remaining. Though by distant lineage from Isildur, Aranarth could have made claim to the throne of Gondor, the Steward Pelendur had cast such aspirations aside during Arvedui’s reign.

So it was Chieftain that Aranarth would be, and his descendants to follow, until such day that there was once again a kingdom to rule.  He would bring the ancient heirlooms of Arnor to the Rivendell, home of the elven lord Elrond, and in time take his eldest son Arahael to be raised there as would all future sons of Chieftains of the people who would be known as the Dunedain of the North.

But Gondor’s triumph over the Witch King would fade. Though Earnil II would rule for over ninety years, it was during his reign that the Nazgul besieged and overwhelmed Minas Ithil, renaming it Minas Morgul and capturing its own palantir.  Earnil’s son, Earnur would claim the throne upon his father’s passing in 2043.  But he was impetuous, unlike his father, and in 2050 answered the challenge of the Witch King who now made Mordor his lair.  Marching with a small escort to the gates of Minas Morgul to do battle, Earnur was never seen nor heard from again.

In his absence Gondor’s fate fell in the hands of its Steward, Mardil.  He in turn, would some day pass the role onto his son Eradan, the Stewardship having been hereditary since the days of Pelendur.

Far to the north of Gondor the people becoming known as the Eotheod had settled in the upper reaches of the Anduin, near its tributary sources, the Langwell and the Greylin.  They had migrated in 1977, led by Frumgar, seeking more space and security for his people.  His son Fram slew the dragon Scatha.  The Dwarves contested Fram's claim over Scatha's jewels and it is said that they killed him over his refusal to share the wealth, establishing an enmity between the peoples. 

Fram's descendants, though, thrived in the north, farming, raising horses.  Though distant from Gondor there was occasional contact by way of trade.  Indeed there was some measure of kinship amongst them from the days of Gondor’s king Eldacar.  And in more recent times, the forbears of Frumgar, led by Marwhini, were of great assistance in defeating the Wainriders.  Frumgar's departure to the far north was met with dismay in some circles as it meant a valued ally was no longer available to protect Gondor's northern flank.  It would be a thousand years into the future when the Eotheod, led by Theoden would return in force to aid Gondor in the defeat of the Witch King’s armies at the gates of Minas Tirith.

Ten years into the Steward Mardil's reign the Wise began to suspect that the power growing in Mirkwood could be Sauron, building strength at Dol Guldur.  After long discourse and investigation they would resolve to drive him out before his strength became too formidable. 

The Tale of Years says little about the outcome of this decision other than to credit Gandalf with forcing Sauron's retreat in the year 2063 of the Third Age. 

It was not until many years into the Fourth Age that a more detailed account was discovered, said to be the Testament of Aranarth, set down during his last days by the first Chieftain of the Dunedain of the North.  This Testament was presented to the King in Minas Tirith by Elladan, son of Elrond, 'ere he too made his way to the West.  Upon review of the finding by scholars another curious link was made.  For hundreds of years stories were told to young children, tales that had become known simply as Drianna's Fables.  Fanciful and heroic, they had become increasingly embellished over time and their origins obscured.  But the Testament set new light upon them and much was later gleaned that would become a part of the history of Gondor and other peoples of Middle Earth.

Scholars disagree as to whether these finds constitute the full and true story of Sauron's forced retreat from Dol Guldur in the year 2063 of the Third Age.  Gandalf to be sure was the catalyst and power, but as to the roles of others, there are only dry scrolls and children’s tales to offer a hint of the lives that may have played out together in such a formidable task. 

Yet on the prospect that the story may be true, the tale, as it has been now reconstructed, begins with the lonely ride of Aranarth one early spring day in the fateful year of 2063.