Fornost Erain

Early history

It is possible that Fornost was founded around or after the establishment of the realm of Arnor in Second Age 3320, 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 Third Age 1, the larger part of the Army of Arnor marched west on the North-South Road through the Fords of Isen and continued north to Fornost. 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.

In Third Age 861, when King Eärendur died, Arnor was divided into the kingdoms of Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur, because of dissensions among his sons. As a consequence, Fornost became the capital of the new realm of Arthedain. In Third Age 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.

Fall

In Third Age 1974, the forces of the Witch-king of Angmar invaded Arthedain before the end of the winter and captured Fornost. King Arvedui first resisted on the North Downs until the last, then fled with some of his guard to Dwarven mines at the northern end of the Blue Mountains and drowned in the Icebay of Forochel with the two Palantíri he had saved from the forces of Angmar in March of the following year. Meanwhile, Fornost became the dwelling of the Witch-king and his evil folk, who ursurped the house of the old kings.

In Third Age 1975, 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 some Hobbits from the Shire 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. 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. As a consequence, it is possible that Fornost was abandoned after the defeat of the army of Angmar.

Legacy

After Fornost Erain was abandoned, Men referred to it as Deadmen's Dike and feared to go there. According to Barliman Butterbur, the innkeeper of The Prancing Pony, Fornost was said to be a haunted land. However, the Rangers went there, 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.

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").

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

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.

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. 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.

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.

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

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

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. Eradan, Andriel and Farin infiltrate Fornost on Aragorn's orders. They free the captured the Eagle, Beleram, and work together with Elladan and Elrohir to stop Agandaûr. 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.

Visitable locations are the Main Gate, the Battlements, the Inner and Outer wards and the Citadel.

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 25/05/2026.