The Heirs of Haeron

A New Threat

After two years of quiet in the South, in the winter of Fo.A. 42 the Haradrim arose again in the hinterlands, and with great strength of men, marched on the main Gondorian base nigh the fords of the River Harnen. Their terrible onslaught forced the men of Gondor to retreat in haste; and in the ensuing turmoil, Elboron's cavalry became isolated from the rest of the Western force, cast asunder by a hail of arrows from a whole battalion of enemy archers.

Word of the commander's plight, however, soon reached Captain Hérion, who turned to Thelron at once and ordered him to ride without delay to assist the fighters from Ithilien; for he trusted none but the young Lamedonian to lead his horsemen on so crucial a task.

Riding at a weak point in the Haradrim's line, the son of Aldanur succeeded in splitting the Southerners' formation; and once past enemy lines, he swiftly circled back and fell with a thunderous charge on Elboron's assailants from the rear, putting them to flight and relieving the commander's cavalry.

Having thus lost their initial advantage, the Haradrim decided to withdraw to their camp; and the opposing forces thereby resumed their stand-off, which was to continue unaltered for long months thereafter. But one day in the winter of Fo.A. 44, Elboron summoned his captains and said to them, "I have been informed that the King has come to an agreement with the chieftains of Harad." After that he unfurled a map of the region and added, "According to the treaty, the people of Gondor will be allowed to settle the territories south of the Poros down to this point, while Harad will assume control of some of the land north of the Harnen and west of the main road." And so, over the following weeks, the men of Gondor withdrew from all of the territories they held in Haradwaith save one; for the ancient haven of Umbar was to remain a part of the Reunited Kingdom for a great many years, until the coming of the fearsome Gray-necks, long past the reign of the Elfstone of the House of Elendil.

Upon reaching South Ithilien, Elboron directed his aides to set up camp where they stood and then bade Thelron to come with him to Emyn Arnen. When the two entered the council room at the palace, they found a handful of men clad in fine garbs sat about a great oaken table. "Father," said Elboron, once the room had quieted down, "as you requested, I have come to Emyn Arnen and brought with me Captain Thelron of Lamedon, who is with the 3rd Provisional Unit under Commander Hérion of Cair Andros."

Faramir turned to Thelron. "You may take a seat over there, captain." said the prince, pointing to a chair near the doorway. Following that, he told Elboron to take his place at the table and then said, "Lord Filegaer, you may begin."

The nobleman from Pelargir leant forward in his chair. "Over the last few months," he said, "I have grown increasingly certain that a single sinister hand guides the actions of all of our enemies. Of late, I have come to suspect that the agreement with Harad is naught but a ploy devised by this dark figure to have us relax our watch in the South."

"And you believe this dark hand," said Elboron, "to be the same man who slew Halbarad of the old Rangers of the North. Is that correct?"

Lord Filegaer nodded once and then said, "Indeed, if man he be."

"If man he be!" said Lord Alfinglor of Lossarnach. "What do you mean?"

"My words could be no clearer, Steelshanks," replied Filegaer. "I can assert naught of his race; for the rumours that have come to me speak of one who is skilled in the dark arts and has been on this earth for many lives of men."

The room fell silent at that moment as the participants looked at one another in astonishment. "But what makes you think," said Faramir, after a short while, "that this one person or entity is coordinating the actions of our enemies?"

Filegaer took a moment to order his thoughts and then began, "For long years I have had dealings with merchants from Pelargir who move their trade along Anduin. They are ever wise to all that befalls nigh the shores of that river, for much they hear and see during their travels; and recently they revealed to me that leaders from the East and the South had been seen in the wilderlands to the south of the great forest of the Green Elves." He then paused and looked around the table to examine the reaction of the the rest of the participants. "No aim," he continued after a short while, "other than to take counsel with the dark figure who dwells in that land can account for the presence of the chieftains therein."