Men of Eriador

When the Men of the Three Houses of the Edain passed over the Blue Mountains in the First Age, they left many other peoples behind on the eastern side of the range, in the land that would become known as Eriador. These people knew little of the history of the struggle against Morgoth, or of the War of Wrath that brought it to an end, though they understood that the land beyond Ered Luin had been wrecked and drowned in that gigantic battle.

They were amazed, then, when six hundred years later, the first ships of the Númenóreans reached the coasts of Eriador. These were the mighty descendants of the Men who had crossed the Mountains centuries before, and they struck up an alliance and friendship with the Men of Eriador.

After the Downfall of Númenor, the Men of Eriador accepted the new kingdom of Arnor created by Elendil, and covering most of northern Eriador. When Elendil led his people into the south to battle against Sauron, the native peoples of Eriador marched alongside the Dúnedain. That long war ended in the overthrow of Sauron, but many of the northern allies were lost. At that time the Men of Eriador became a dwindled people, surviving into the Third Age in much smaller numbers than in earlier times.