Arvedui, The Last King of Arnor and the Ring of Barahir

Continuing my blog that highlights interesting sights and hidden references to Tolkien's work off the beaten path in Lord of the Rings Online, this entry deals with Arvedui, the last king of Arthedain. We meet his ghost in Volume I: Book 13 of the epic quests, taking place in Forochel.  The shade of Arvedui appears at 18.8N, 81.3W.

     The kingdom of Arnor was founded by Elendil at the end of the Second Age (3320). After the death of Eärendur, the 10^th king of Arnor, the kingdom was shaken by civil war and was divided into three regions, Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur, each ruled by one of his three sons.

     Arvedui was the son of King Araphant, the fourteenth King of Arthedain, and became king himself in TA 1964. He married Fireil, the daughter of the Ondoher, the king of Gondor. When Ondoher died, Arvedui made a claim to the throne of Gondor as a direct descendant of Isildur but he was refused.

     When the Witch-King saw the people at war with one another in the northern kingdoms, he saw that they were vulnerable and descended upon them. After he sacked Fornost, the capital of Arthedain, Arvedui and his men escaped to the North Downs and took with him two Palantiri, the Palantir of Amon Sul and the Palantir or Annuminas. They hid in the Blue Mountains where they ran out of food and many died.

     Eventually they made their way to Forochel, where the Lossoth gave them food, water, and shelter. Cirdan, Lord of the Grey Havens, sent Arvedui a ship, which arrived in March. Rejecting the advice of the Lossoth, who warned him not to leave before spring, Arvedui and his men decided to go immediately. Before he left, the king gave the Lossoth Chieftain the Ring of Barahir, an heirloom of the Kings of Arnor, passed directly through the line of Elendil. It featured two serpents with emerald eyes and a crown of golden flowers. Arvedui and his men embarked on their journey but immediately encountered a blizzard, which caused the ship to become frozen in the ice and break apart. Arvedui and his men drowned and the palantiri were lost.

     Arvedui became known as the “Last King” and his son Aranarth became the first Chieftain of the Dunedain. The Dunedain ransomed the Ring of Barahir and it eventually was passed down to Aragorn from Elrond in TA 2951. Aragorn in turn, gave it to Arwen when they were betrothed at Cerin Amroth.

by Gabriele^ on 2015-07-07 05:07:12