Protext (Arnor)

Arnor was the northern kingdom of the Dúnedain in the Second Age and Third Age of Middle-earth, as depicted in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. Founded by Elendil after the Downfall of Númenor, it encompassed a vast territory in the regions of Eriador, including the lands around the Shire and the regions of Cardolan, Rhudaur, and Arthedain. Arnor's capital was initially Annúminas, later moving to Fornost.

The kingdom was ruled by a line of High Kings descended from Isildur, Elendil's son. However, internal strife and external pressures from Angmar, a kingdom of sorcerous evil in the North, led to Arnor's eventual decline and fragmentation. By the Third Age, Arnor had fractured into three successor kingdoms: Arthedain, Rhudaur, and Cardolan. These kingdoms, weakened and beset by their enemies, eventually fell, though descendants of the line of Isildur continued to live on, notably in the Rangers of the North. The legacy of Arnor persisted in the traditions and culture of the Dúnedain, influencing the later events of the War of the Ring. The ultimate fate of Arnor serves as a cautionary tale about the corrosive effects of internal division and the relentless pressure of external threats. The survival of the line of Isildur, however, demonstrates the enduring strength of the spirit and resilience of the Dúnedain.