Gorthol

		Húrin Thalion		Morwen Eledhwen
Niënor Níniel		Gorthol (Túrin)	Lalaith	Niënor Níniel

In the years after the great defeat of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Eldar and Edain of Beleriand fell back against the expanding forces of Morgoth. Some seventeen years after the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, Orcs came down through the Pass of Sirion, capturing the land of Dimbar and the region around. They moved on southwards, along the eaves of the Forest of Brethil into the lands overlooked by Amon Rûdh, where many refugees were gathering into the following of Túrin.

During this time, Túrin and his band dwelt in Bar-en-Danwedh on Amon Rûdh. Túrin and his companion, the Elf Beleg Strongbow, led their people to war against the incoming Orcs. Túrin had with him the great Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin, an heirloom of his family, and he wore that dreadful helm as he went to battle. At this time Túrin gave himself a new name, Gorthol, the 'Dread Helm' in reference to the Helm of Hador that he bore.

The Two Captains Túrin and Beleg managed to hold back the tide of invading Orcs. The lands south of Brethil and around Amon Rûdh became known by a new name in those days: Dor-Cúarthol, the Land of Bow and Helm, in reference to Túrin's Dread Helm as well as the great bow of Beleg. Though these two and their people dealt reverses to Morgoth's Orcs for a time, Morgoth was secretly pleased at the appearance of the Dragon-helm, for it revealed the presence of Túrin, against whose family the Dark Lord held a special enmity.

The chief settlement of the Land of Bow and Helm was at Bar-en-Danwedh, a hidden house on the peak of Amon Rûdh that had formerly been the home of the Petty-dwarf Mîm. Mîm still dwelt there among the outlaws, nursing a bitter hatred for those who had taken his home and the life of his son Khîm. Mîm betrayed the ways into Amon Rûdh to the Orcs, requesting of them only that they should not slay Túrin the Gorthol, for whom Mîm had found a grudging respect. So the Orcs entered Bar-en-Danwedh by stealth, slaying most of the company they found there and dragging Túrin away as a captive. Beleg was later able to find and release Túrin, but the disaster on Amon Rûdh spelt the end of the land of Strongbow and Dread Helm.

From beyond the bounds of the short-lived country, all that was known was that the Gorthol, mighty enemy of Morgoth, had suddenly vanished. The Helm of Hador that gave Túrin this name vanished indeed; it is never mentioned again in any record after this time. Perhaps it was abandoned and forgotten among the hidden halls of Bar-en-Danwedh, or perhaps it was taken as a prize by the Orcs; whatever its fate, Túrin would never again wear it in battle against the forces of Morgoth.