#dunedain

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." 🌿

Aragorn of the Dunédain, the heir of Isildur, and the one true King.

While other Fellowship members like Boromir, Legolas, etc. also have experience as warriors, they don't literally live in the wild like all the time. Aragorn does. Plus, he was raised by Elves. The sons of Elrond hung around with the Dunedain a lot. So if you subscribe to the idea that Elves are more particular about keeping clean, you can reasonably assume Aragorn might've had some influence to bathe every now and then, even as a ranger.

And that's not to mention how the mental image of Elrond's Disapproving Eyebrow Face or the sound of his mother's shriek the first time Aragorn came back to Rivendell from the wild looking all filthy dirty, are probably seared into his mind for eternity. It's a mental reminder to at least wash up every now and then, like the respectable Man his mother and Elrond raised him to be!

Of course, that's not to say Aragorn makes use of the knowledge he has. Or that even Elrond's Disapproving Eyebrows are enough motivation for Aragorn to regularly bathe in the wild (after all, what Elrond doesn't see, Elrond doesn't know...err, maybe 🤔)

they defend the shire, without the hobbits knowing, because they're doing what they can to keep it untouched by evil and the world at large. they sing and they love dancing and theyre all Tall. theyre almost all that is left of númenor. they do not seek payment for what they do--their cause is singular, and that is to fight against the very evil that brought their people to middle earth in the first place. they're often strange and they're certainly offputting to those who do not know them but in all we see of them, they clearly have close connections with one another. they can live for over a hundred years. they absolutely crash in rivendell half the time. their leader is playing a lead role in beren and luthien part 2.

But I love the idea that he’s just some random kid who got promoted by Elrond because he has the people skills and can handle things like rowdy dwarves without causing a political fallout. Before this he was just happily doing his thing being a minstrel in the Hall of Fire, which is where Celebrian first noticed this talent.

He was offered the job. He accepted with honour.

But he didn’t realise the sheer amount of shenanigans such a job would entail. And now he’s permanently part of the House of Elrond and all the drama and fun that comes with it.

Featuring: An Age Old Kinslayer reluctantly dragged kicking and screaming by a far too happy Glorfindel to his new home. A grumpy advisor. A very flamboyant Captain who for some reason loves to irritate everyone the Advisor and sad old Kinslayer. A workaholic Lord far too good at playing off his exhaustion. A deceptively mischievous Lady who ropes him into her schemes. And a constant stream of Dunedain chieflings playing in the halls, bringing chaos where they go, almost knocking over priceless artefacts.

And let’s not forget Elrond’s children. He’s only a century older than Elladan and Elrohir and has a minor crisis when they call him ‘Uncle’ for the first time. (They grow out of it very quickly, but still call him that on occasion just to mess with him.)

Arwen’s no better.

Aragorn… well he can’t fault the boy for it. By this point it’s endearing rather than crisis inducing… though that might just be because he’s human.

Faramir

the way I pictured him when I read Lord of the Rings back in '96.

'Oath of Elendil' ~ Watercolor.

Realms of Men 2026 | A Middle-Earth Monthly Calendar

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October · The Northern Kingdom of Arnor was in its prime the seat of the High King of Arnor and Gondor. It was destroyed in T.A. 1974, but the Rangers of the North continued to keep watch over its ruins.