Chapter 8, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan Summary

The Northmen are kin to the Dunedain or Numenoreans. They are driven out of their homes by the Wainriders, allies of Sauron. Some become the Wainriders' slaves, and others scatter through the nearby areas. Their descendants become the Eotheod. Later, King Calimehtar of Gondor attacks the Wainriders in retribution, killing at least a third of their men. At the same time, Marhwini helps the Northman slaves form a revolt; but the rebels are unarmed and aren't strong enough to overcome the families of the Wainrider warriors, and thus cannot take back their homes. They do, however, manage to burn many of them. This strategy reduces the strength (and thus the threat) of the Wainriders, who move away to other lands further off.

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