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Official Lore Entry

Fornost Erain

Quick Facts

Timeline:
Dates: Founded in II 3320 or shortly thereafter
Invaded and occupied by the Witch-king in III 19741
Location: The southern end of the North Downs, roughly one hundred miles north from Bree
Origins: Founded by Elendil after his escape from the Downfall of Númenor
Race: Men
Division: Dúnedain
Pronunciation: fo'rnost e'rine (The last syllable of erain rhymes with English 'fine' or 'shine')
Meaning: fornost means 'north-fortress'; erain translates as 'kings'2.
Other names: Deadmen's Dike, Kings' Norbury, Norbury of the Kings
Note: 'Fornost Erain' was this city's full title, but it is more often referred to simply as 'Fornost'

The city of the Kings of Arthedain

The chief city of Arthedain, and the seat of its Kings from Amlaith to Arvedui. Soon after the loss of the kingdom of Arthedain, the Battle of Fornost was fought there between Gondor and Angmar.

Footnotes

1

The Witch-king's occupation of Fornost only lasted for a year, after which he was expelled by the forces of Gondor. Nonetheless, the Northern Dúnedain seem to have made no attempt to reoccupy their old capital. Perhaps their numbers were too few after the desperate fighting of the preceding years, or perhaps the Witch-king left too great a residue of evil behind him in the city.

Whatever the reason, Fornost fell into desolation and decay over the next thousand years, and was a mere crumbling ruin at the end of the Third Age. After the War of the Ring, Gandalf predicted that Aragorn would come north and rebuild the city, but it's unclear exactly when this refounding of Fornost took place.
2

This usage is reflected in the Hobbits' names for the city. Their 'Norbury' was a direct translation of the Elvish Fornost, but they also occasionally referred to it as 'Kings' Norbury' or 'Norbury of the Kings', each of which is a translation of the full Elvish form, Fornost Erain.

Player Entry
 Fornost Erain, or otherwise simply known as Fornost, was the Capital of Arthedain from 861 - 1974 TA, and all the Kings of Arthedain from Amlaith to Arvedui had their seats there.

The city was presumably built during the Third Age, perhaps even built by Amlaith of Fornost himself, or it may have possibly been built by Elendil, but it is most likely it was built by one of the High King's of Arnor.

After the city of Annuminas was ravaged by civil war between the sons of Earendur, Amlaith removed the Capital to Fornost, taking the majority of Annuminas' population with him. Over time, Annuminas decayed and eventually became deserted.

Most of Arthedain's populace dwelt within Fornost, espeically after 1406 when Fornost itself became a frontier against Angmar. By 1974, Arthedain barely controlled any land beyond Fornost and the North Downs. In 1974, the Witch King began his last assault on Arthedain, capturing the city after heavy resistance from thousand's of its defenders.

The Witch King himself then took up the throne of Fornost and filled the King's Palace with fell creatures, seeking to make Fornost the Capital of his ever expanding Kingdom of Angmar.

However, in the Battle of Fornost in 1975, the Witch King was defeated in the field and the enemy was driven out of Fornost, althought it is unknown whether the Free Peoples cleared the city or even set foot in it.

In the next thousand or so years, Fornost decayed and finally became overgrown and was visited by none apart from the Rangers. Most men now referred to it as Deadman's Dike and it was thought to be haunted.

Gandalf mentioned to Barliman Butterbur that Aragorn would probably rebuild the city, although it's final fate is unknown, although we can presume the city was rebuilt, but Annuminas became the Capital again.

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