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Valandil； he had left in Imladris when he went to the war。 Isildur himself escaped by means of the Ring； for when he
wore it he was invisible to all eyes； but the Orcs hunted him by scent and slot； until he came to the River and plunged in。
There the Ring betrayed him and avenged its maker； for it slipped from his finger as he swam； and it was lost in the
water。 Then the Orcs saw him as he laboured in the stream； and they shot him with many arrows； and that was his end。
Only three of his people came ever back over the mountains after long wandering； and of these one was Ohtar his
esquire； to whose keeping he had given the shards of the sword of Elendil。
Thus Narsil came in due time to the hand of Valandil； Isildur's heir； in Imladris； but the blade was broken and its
light was extinguished； and it was not forged anew。 And Master Elrond foretold that this would not be done until the
Ruling Ring should be found again and Sauron should return； but the hope of Elves and Men was that these things might
never e to pass。
Valandil took up his abode in Annúminas； but his folk were diminished； and of the Númenóreans and of the Men
of Eriador there remained now too few to people the land or to maintain all the places that Elendil had built； in
Dagorlad； and in Mordor； and upon the Gladden Fields many had fallen。 And it came to pass after the days of E？rendur；
the seventh king that followed Valandil； that the Men of Westernesse； the Dúnedain of the North； became divided into
petty realms and lordships； and their foes devoured them one by one。 Ever they dwindled with the years； until their glory
passed； leaving only green mounds in the grass。 At length naught was left of them but a strange people wandering
secretly in the wild； and other men knew not their homes nor the purpose of their journeys； and save in Imladris； in the
house of Elrond； their ancestry was forgotten。 Yet the shards of the sword were cherished during many lives of Men by
the heirs of Isildur； and their line； from father to son； remained unbroken。
In the south the realm of Gondor endured； and for a time its splendour grew； until it recalled the wealth and
majesty of Númenor ere it fell High towers the people of Gondor built； and strong places； and havens of many ships； and
the Winged Crown of the Kings of Men was held in awe by people of many lands and tongues。 For many a year the
White Tree grew before the King's house in Minas Anor； the seed of that tree which Isildur brought out of the deeps of
the sea from Númenor； and the seed before that came from Avallón？； and before that from Valinor in the Day before
days when the world was young。
Yet at the last； in the wearing of the swift years of Middle…earth； Gondor waned； and the line of Meneldil son of
Anárion failed。 For the blood of the Númenóreans became much mingled with that of other men； and their power and
wisdom was diminished； and their life…span was shortened； and the watch upon Mordor slumbered。 And in the days of
Telemnar； the third and twentieth of the line of Meneldil； a plague came upon dark winds out of the east； and it smote the
King and his children； and many of the people of Gondor perished。 Then the forts on the borders of Mordor were
deserted； and Minas Ithil was emptied of its people； and evil entered again into the Black Land secretly； and the ashes of
Gorgoroth were stirred as by a cold wind； for dark shapes gathered there。 It is said that these were indeed the úlairi；
whom Sauron called the Nazg？l； the Nine Ringwraiths that had long remained hidden； but returned now to prepare the
ways of their Master； for he had begun to grow again。
And in the days of E？rnil they made their first stroke； and they came by night out of Mordor over the passes of
the Mountains of Shadow； and took Minas Ithil for their abode； and they made it a place of such dread that none dared to
look upon it。 Thereafter it was called Minas Morgul； the Tower of Sorcery； and Minas Morgul was ever at war with
Minas Anor in the west。 Then Osgiliath； which in the waning of the people had long been deserted； became a place of
ruins and a city of ghosts。 But Minas Anor endured； and it was named anew Minas Tirith； the Tower of Guard； for there
the kings caused to be built in the citadel a white tower； very tall and fair； and its eye was upon many lands。 Proud still
and strong was that city； and in it the White Tree still flowered for a while before the house of the Kings； and there the
remnant of the Númenóreans still defended the passage of the River against the terrors of Minas Morgul and against all
the enemies of the West； Orcs and monsters and evil Men； and thus the lands behind them； west of Anduin； were
protected from war and destruction。
Still Minas Tirith endured after the days of E？rnur； son of E？rnil； and the last King of Gondor。 He it was that rode
alone to the gates of Minas Morgul to meet the challenge of the Morgul…lord； and he met him in single bat； but he
was betrayed by the Nazg？l and taken alive into the city of torment； and no living man saw him ever again。 Now E？rnur
left no heir； but when the line of the Kings failed the Stewards of the house of Mardil the Faithful ruled the city and its
ever…shrinking realm； and the Rohirrim； the Horsemen of the North； came and dwelt in the green land of Rohan； which
before was named Calenardhon and was a part of the kingdom of Condor； and the Rohirrim aided the Lords of the City
in their wars。 And northward； beyond the Falls of Rauros and the Gates of Argonath； there were as yet other defences；
powers more ancient of which Men knew little； against whom the things of evil did not dare to move； until in the
ripening of time their dark lord； Sauron； should e forth again。 And until that time was e； never again after the
days of E？rnil did the Nazg？l dare to cross the River or to e forth from their city in shape visible to Men。
In all the days of the Third Age； after the fall of Gil…galad； Master Elrond abode in Imladris； and he gathered
there many Elves； and other folk of wisdom and power from among all the kindreds of Middle…earth； and he preserved
through many lives of Men the memory of all that had been fair； and the house of Elrond was a refuge for the weary and
the oppressed； and a treasury of good counsel and wise lore。 In that house were harboured the Heirs of Isildur； in
childhood and old age； because of the kinship of their blood with Elrond himself； and because he knew in his wisdom
that one should e of their line to whom a great part was appointed in the last deeds of that Age。 And until that time
came the shards of Elendil's sword were given into the keeping of Elrond； when the days of the Dúnedain darkened and
they became a wandering people。
In Eriador Imladris was the chief dwelling of the High Elves； but at the Grey Havens of Lindon there abode also
a remnant of the people of Gil…galad the Elvenking。 At times they would wander into the lands of Eriador； but for the
most part they dwelt near the shores of the sea； building and tending the elven…ships wherein those of the Firstborn who
grew weary of the world set sail into the uttermost West Círdan the Shipwright was lord of the Havens and mighty
among the Wise。
Of the Three Rings that the Elves had preserved unsullied no open word was ever spoken among the Wise； and
few even of the Eldar knew where they were bestowed。 Yet after the fall of Sauron their power was ever at work； and
where they abode there mirth also dwelt and all things were unstained by the griefs of time。 Therefore ere the Third Age
was ended the Elves perceived that the Ring of Sapphire was with Elrond； in the fair valley of Rivendell； upon whose
house the stars of heaven most brightly shone； whereas the Ring of Adamant was in the Land of Lórien where dwelt the
Lady Galadriel。 A queen she was of the woodland Elves； the wife of Celeborn of Doriath； yet she herself was of the
Noldor and remembered the Day before days in Valinor； and she was the mightiest and fairest of all the Elves that
remained in Middle…earth。 But the Red Ring remai