Edain
From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.
The Edain a.k.a. Atanatári, Fathers of Men, and Men of the Three Houses[1] are Men of the Three Houses of the Elf-friends. In the 4th Century First Age the Edain, drawn toward the Light of the West, entered Beleriand, where many of them entered the service of the Eldar and fought valiantly in the Wars of Beleriand. Some, however, remained in Estolad or fled south or east from the power of Morgoth, and pass from history until the Third Age. Despite their mighty heroes, the Edain were decimated by the hordes of Morgoth, but one of their number, Eärendil of the House of Hador, sailed to Aman and obtained from the Valar the aid by which Morgoth was defeated in the Last Battle. The remnant of the Edain, increased in body and mind by Eönwë, then sailed to Númenor and become known as the Dúnedain.
The Sindarin word Edain, singular Adan (Quenya Atani, Atan) literally meant Second People, and originally referred to all Men, but later it only applied to the Men of Beleriand and their descendants. The Quenya term Atani kept its old meaning.
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[edit] Three Houses of Man
They were divided in three large houses, or tribes:
1.) The House of Bëor: they were dark-haired and stoutly built, and most resembled the Ñoldor of all Elves. They were first discovered by Finrod Felagund, Lord of Nargothrond, and under his guidance later made their way to the lands of the Ñoldorin lord Amrod, in a place later known as Estolad, the Encampment. They remained loyal to the House of Finarfin, and later settled in the lands of Dorthonion.
2.) The Second House, later known as the Haladin or the House of Haleth: They were a reclusive folk, dark-haired but smaller in stature than the Bëorians. They kept separate from the other Men, and later received permission to settle in the forest of Region, part of Doriath. They mostly kept out of the wars.
3.) The House of Marach, later best known as the House of Hador: They were tall and golden-haired, and most resembled the Vanyar of all Elves. They were a very numerous and war-like tribe, and the Green Elves of Ossiriand feared them. They later settled in Hithlum by way of Estolad. They were loyal to Fingolfin.
[edit] Characteristics
The Edain were tall and fair and strong; their spirits were noble, they were fierce in war, and they shunned all dealings with evil. In Beleriand the Edain loved the Eldar, from whom they learned much wisdom, and they were further ennobled by the two marriages of Elda and Adan: Beren and Lúthien and Tuor and Idril. The lifespan of the Edain before they entered Beleriand was probably about 70 years; in Beleriand it was lengthened to 90, but few of the Edain lived to old age in peace.
[edit] Language
The language of the Edain (at least those of the First and Third Houses) was related to Adunaic, but in Beleriand most of the Edain spoke Sindarin. The tongue of the Haladin was alien to them.
[edit] Fate of the Edain
The House of Bëor was nearly wiped out by Morgoth, and the remainder of its people merged with the Hadorians to become the Númenóreans. It would seem that the Haladin of Beleriand were completely wiped out, or at least disappeared as a separate people.
When the Númenoreans returned to Middle-earth in the Second Age, they encountered many Men who were obviously related to the Atani: they classified these Men as Middle Men, and established friendly relations with them. Examples are the Rohirrim, the Men of Dale, and the Breelanders.
Other Men, such as the Dunlendings, were not recognised as Middle Men because they were related to the Haladin rather than Bëorians or Marachians, and they were hostile to Númenor.
A fourth kind of Men came with the Second House, and called themselves Drughu. This name was adopted in Sindarin as Drúedain: Drû+Edain. They were a strange people, living with the Haladin in the forest of Brethil, some even apparently made it to Númenor, but they died out or had left before the Akallabêth. In the Third Age, their far kin were known as the Woses of Drúadan Forest.
[edit] References
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The people of Middle-Earth
Men:
Edain | Dúnedain | Númenóreans | Haradrim | Easterlings | Variags | Northmen | Dunlendings | Drúedain Ñoldor | Sindar | Avari | Vanyar | Durin's Folk | Firebeards | Broadbeams | Ironfists | Blacklocks | Stonefoots |
