Barahir’s outlaws
Barahir's outlaws were a group of survivors of the sack of Dorthonion who remained loyal to the exiled Barahir, Lord of Ladros. Aside from Barahir's son Beren, they numbered either ten (as stated in the initial version of the Lay of Leithian, quoted above) or eleven (as stated in the revised later version known as the Lay of Leithian Recommenced, quoted below, which gives the names of all eleven). They were betrayed by Gorlim, one of their number, in the year First Age 460.
History
During the Dagor Bragollach, in the year First Age 455, Bregolas, the Lord of Ladros, was killed and Dorthonion overrun. His brother Barahir "the Bold" escaped the destruction of their lands with his son Beren and a number of companions. He refused to desert the land owned by his fathers, and lived as an outlaw, during which time the servants of Morgoth whittled his band down to only twelve, not counting himself, as discussed above.
The surviving companions are named in the Lay of Leithian thus:
They made camp in the hidden lake, Tarn Aeluin, and lived in hiding until 460, when Gorlim "the Unhappy" was tricked by Sauron into thinking that his wife Eilinel was still alive. In a vain attempt to save her life he went to the dark servant of Morgoth and betrayed the location of Barahir's camp in return for a promise that he and she would be united and set free. Sauron accepted this information gratefully, and then slew Gorlim, revealing that he had tricked him and Eilinel was dead in truth.
Sauron's orcs entered into Tarn Aeluin and slew all they found, including Barahir. Only Beren escaped the slaughter, for he was out hunting at the time, and, warned by the ghost of Gorlim, returned to find his father and companions all dead. Soon after he fled Dorthonion forever, and it came utterly into darkness.
Other versions of the legendarium
The account found in The Silmarillion closely parallels that told in full by the Lay of Leithian.
In one manuscript in The Lays of Beleriand, Tolkien used the term "XII Bëorings" in a header. It is not known why Tolkien used the name "XII Bëorings" at that time. The term might be shorthand for the "twelve Bëorings", or a "translation" of an in-universe term, or it might just be an out-of-universe identifying term as a header.
Referencias
1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 21/05/2026.
