CITADEL, MINAS TIRITH
Born the third child and first son of Ecthelion II, Denethor would grow up to become the twenty-sixth and penultimate Ruling Steward of Gondor. At some point before he would become the next Ruling Steward, he and his father met a known northerner named Thorongil, who was coming to provide his service to Lord Ecthelion. Thorongil was a war genius and won Ecthelion's and the people's trust and affections. When the stranger talked in favour of Gandalf, Denethor figured out that Thorongil was really Aragorn II, the Heir of Isildur. Believing that the descendants of Elendil had failed Gondor, Denethor believed that it was time for a change, in which he would decide when the time would come for someone in his bloodline to become King. This led to the formation of political faction called the White Company, in which those would support the claim of Denethor's firstborn son.
While his political faction had been growing in secret while his father Ecthelion continued to rule Minas Tirith as the Ruling Steward, Lord Denethor fell in love with a woman named Finduilas, who would give birth to two sons: Boromir II and Faramir II. Eight years after Denethor's marriage, Ecthelion succumbed to a poison and died in his sleep. Ecthelion's tragic death remained a mystery, in which very few in Gondor believed that Denethor may have had a part to play in murdering his own father. After Ecthelion's funeral, Denethor became next Ruling Steward, but secretly continued his plot to make his son Boromir the first king to rule Gondor. Even during his rule, Denethor was not viewed very highly in the eyes of his people in comparison to Thorongil, but Denethor proved a masterful ruler. He listened to counsel, said little, and followed his mind, holding everything in his own hand.
Only four years after the death of Ecthelion, Denethor's wife Finduilas would die as well, leaving the man grief-stricken, and became more grim and silent. Although, Denethor had loved his firstborn son Boromir and even ignored Faramir, for he blamed him for Finduilas' death since he had been born. In the present, Lord Denethor returns to the Citadel after finishing his wife's memorial and then begins to attend his meeting with the council immediately. Among those to attend the council was Lord Forlong of Lossarnach, Captain Abartârik of the Swan-Knights of Dol Amroth, Lord Angbor of Lamedon, Lord Borhador of Ethring and the Ringló Vale, General Berion of Ost Anglebed, Lady Dúneth of Cair Andros, and Lord Sirgon of Pelargir. Immediately, the members of this small council sit themselves down once Lord Denethor arrives to join them.
"Lords of the council, forgive me for being late," Denethor apologized as he sits himself down on his chair. He pauses as he sees that Lord Imrahil isn't present. "Where is Prince Imrahil?
"My lord, this is the last thing that any of us wish to discuss at this dark hour, but I consider the matter urgent," Angbor replied first.
"What matter?" Denethor asked.
"Mordor has been expanding their resources," General Berion explained. "I don't know what they're planning my lord, but word has been reached from our scouts that an army is expecting to lay siege on Osgiliath in a few days time."
"A few days?" Denethor scoffed, thinking this to be a serious joke. "Mordor would never dare to lay siege to the kingdom of Gondor. It has never declared war on us."
"Beg your pardon, my lord, but word from Lossarnach has reached and many of my people there are greatly alarmed by this threat," Forlong said, defending General Berion's statement.
"And what of Lord Imrahil?" Denethor asked.
"He is riding to Pelargir, my lord," Abartârik answered. "He sent me in his place and asked me to inform you."
"Did he also instruct you to marshal his army immediately?" Dúneth asked, urgently.
"Yes," Abartârik answered her urgent question.
"My son is expecting to marshal my army immediately," Sirgon said. "I promise you, Gondor will not fall as long as we stand united against the armies of Mordor. In all account, if this is a war that Sauron wants, then its a war that he will get."
"Is there more news?" Denethor asked.
"There's more," Angbor answered and explained. "A few days ago, one of my scouts was returning home from the north. He delievered me a message that Lord Elrond is calling in an important meeting in the city of Rivendell."
"Rivendell, why would Lord Elrond request a meeting during these dark times?" Dúneth asked, confused.
"I don't know why, but there's something else that I learned from my scout," Angbor continued and sighed. "I didn't dare believe it, but I prefer it to be just a mere rumor. It turns out that some halfling uncovered the location of the One Ring and brought it to Rivendell."
"Impossible," Forlong gasped quietly in shock.
"That can't be true," Berion shook his head in shock and disapproval.
"True or not, but I come to believe that the elves are now in possession of the enemy's one and only weapon," Angbor said.
Denethor was very quiet for a long moment when Angbor brought the news of the One Ring's discovery. He didn't seem to pleased to hear this.
"My lord, is there anything you should say to this?" Borhador asked.
Denethor rose from his seat and explains to the whole council, "I must speak to my son. If Gondor is to be ready to defend itself, we must have the exact amount of power and strength to use the one and only weapon against Mordor."
"What are you proposing?" Dúneth asked, sounding a bit puzzled.
"Perhaps it is time for a new change," Denethor grimly answered to Dúneth and the rest of the council, who were concerned about this. The Lord of Minas Tirith stared at them and made a slight sigh as he goes on to explain his grand plan. "The West needs to be reminded of the order of things. If Gondor is in need to be strengthened and unified under one banner, then it is time for this grand kingdom to be ruled... by a new king."
The members of the council were very concerned and confused by Denethor's words. The Lords of Gondor have always recalled that the last king to sit upon the throne of Minas Tirith and ruled this grand southern nation was Eärnur, son of Queen Merinde and King Eärnil. Eärnur was known in Gondorian history to be the thirty-third and last king to rule every corner of Gondor. After his mother was killed while trying to negotiate with the Umbareans that were attacking Pelagir at the time, Eärnur carried a long and most hateful grudge against the Umbareans and swore to make them answer for his mother's death. Ignoring his father's advice to back down from a fight, Eärnur did not inherit his father's wisdom and always preferred fight against the Umbareans for killing his mother that he loved so much since the day he was born.
At some point during the conflict, Eärnur was fighting in a battle against the Haradrim that was located near Batina, a large village just south of the city of Umbar. The battle cost the lives of many soldiers of men and women that followed the arrogant prince to battle. Eärnur never wanted to back down and sought to bring only genocide to the Umbareans rather than making peace with those that wanted it. As the battle was almost at an end, Eärnur would come came to believe that he was winning, but that was when he and the rest of his forces would come across another army of Umbareans that all followed Lady Yusraa, who was known to be the most wisest warrior and fighter of Umbar. Despite his hatred towards the Umbareans, Eärnur couldn't bare to resist the beauty of Yusraa. Instead of continuing to fight, Yusraa convinced Prince Eärnur to surrender peacefully and promises that the rest of Eärnur's soldiers can depart peacefully, but only he should remain behind as a hostage so that way the war between Gondor and Umbar can end.
The wise and noble Steward Mardil Voronwë, who was also with Eärnur at the time, was able to convince Eärnur to accept Yusraa's terms of surrender. Immediately, Eärnur surrendered himself to the enemy and Mardil would lead the rest of the prince's army back to Gondor. While being held in the village of Batina for days, Yusraa made sure that her loyal men would make sure to not harm the young prince since she was willing to put aside all this bloodshed that had happened for generations. However, a mutiny broke out, in which half of Yusraa's men chose to kill the prince to avenge their fallen brothers and sisters while the other half remained truly honorable and fought to protect both Yusraa and Eärnur. Eventually, Yusraa and her loyalists chose to lead Prince Eärnur back to Gondor. Eventually, both Eärnur and Yusraa fell in love, and the two would go on to sire a daughter named Rumaylah, who would be chosen to bring unity between Gondor and Umbar.
However, during the war against the enemies of Angmar, Eärnur lost his father, wife, and daughter, who were all slain by the Witch-King of Angmar. As the new ruling king of Gondor, the death of his family drove Eärnur into absolute madness and swore to hunt down his family's killer. Following the battle of Fornost, King Eärnur followed the Witch-King to Minas Morgul with a small escort, but was never heard from again. The Line of Anárion was broken with Eärnur's disappearance, and the rule of Gondor passed to the Stewards, beginning with Mardil Voronwë, who had tried to restrain Eärnur from going to Minas Morgul to face the Witch-king. The Stewards were to rule "until the King returns", for it was then unknown whether Eärnur had been killed duelling the Witch-king or not.
"Gondor hasn't had a king since the death of Eärnur," Forlong recalled. "No one knows what happened to that man, but historians recalled how arrogant he was while trying to chase down an enemy that killed his own family."
"I know the story," Denethor said to him. "But times are need of change. Anárion's line is completely broken. There is no sign of a royal descendant, so that is why it is time for a king to finally rise."
"And who do you suggest that would be, my lord," General Berion asked.
"My son, Boromir," Denethor answered. "He has the strength and courage to lead our people during these dark days ahead."
"But your son isn't descended to Anárion at all," Abartârik protested. "Its like we're planning to put an imposter on the throne."
"My son is no imposter!" Denethor exclaimed towards Lady Abartârik. "You dare speak of his honor?! His strength?! Courage?!"
"Forgive me my lord," Abartârik apologized. "I didn't mean to offend you or your son."
"Perhaps Lord Denethor makes a very solid point in all," Borhador agreed. "If there is no one else that could ascend to the throne of Gondor, then I will see it done where Boromir will be the first ruling king."
"Thank you, my lord for your noble support," Denethor remarked of Borhador's loyalty. "I hope your son will do the same thing?"
"My son will continue to pledge his forces to you and accept Boromir's coronation," Borhador promised.
"As will I," Abartârik said. "But will your son know of this?"
"Not yet," Denethor answered. "In time, my son will become king, but he must go to Rivendell and collect something that will be of great importance."
RUINS OF OSGILIATH
For many years, the land of Ithilien had been held by Sauron's forces, but he had not breached the Anduin to attack deeper into Gondor, biding his time as he marshaled his strength. By the end of the Age, Sauron had gathered all he could from the Rings of Power and started searching for the One Ring in the Anduin, but it was never found. In order to weaken Gondor's defenses, Sauron sent his forces to attack the city of Osgiliath and turn it all into ruins. 25,000 Gondorian soldiers were stationed in every corner of the city. When word was reached from Gondorian scouts that Mordor was planning to assault the nation of Gondor, Lord Denethor II summoned both his sons to the citadel and instructed them to rally the armies of Gondor to defend Osgiliath.
Before arriving to the city of Osgiliath, Faramir rode to the Causeway Forts and warned the garrison stationed there of a coming attack. The leader in charge of the garrison immediately dispatched 2,500 elite Gondorian soldiers to accompany Faramir to Osgiliath. During the raging battle, Faramir was leading his forces to defend the last bridge across the Anduin until it was destroyed. Faramir fell into the water with a few Gondorian soldiers. Realizing that the city couldn't be held, Faramir called a retreat to every defender within the city. During the retreat across the Pelennor Fields, Faramir was injured just as the enemy was closing in on them. That was when Faramir heard the sound of his brother's horn. Faramir's forces cheered proudly at the arrival of Boromir, who had led three armies.
While Sauron's armies had suffered major casualties, Denethor ordered for Osgiliath to be rebuilt immediately. Despite the Gondor's victory against the Mordor, it doesn't mean that the enemy was ready to give up in attacking, for Sauron is patient enough to wait for the exact time for his armies to attack Gondor. As of now, the people of Osgiliath, including the soldiers and rangers that garrisoned here, were cheering and chanting Boromir's name in victory since he was the one who saved Osgiliath from burning. As the crowd all around the city continue to cheer and chant, Boromir plants a flag in one of the turrets and draws his sword in salute.
"This city was once the jewel of our kingdom!" Boromir yelled as loud as possible for everyoine to hear his victorious voice. "A place of light, beauty, and music! And so it shall be once more!" He stops for a moment to allow the people all around him to cheer in response to his courageous words. "Let the armies of Mordor know this: never again will the land of my people fall into enemy hands!" He then raises his sword in triumph over the city. The people respond to him with cheers and jubilation. "This city of Osgiliath has been reclaimed for Gondor!"
After Boromir's speech, a celebration was now held all around the city. The men and woman, soldier, ranger, or civilian alike, were gathering cheering, laughing, and talking to each other. However, there was still some cleaning up, in which a number of soldiers had been busy cleaing out the bodies of their enemies, such as orcs. During the clean-up and celebration, Faramir makes his way through the crowd and walks joyfully to his big brother Boromir. There, the two hug and laugh at each other the same time.
"Good speech," Faramir remarked in laughter. "Nice and short."
"Leaves more time for drinking!" Boromir laughed alongside his brother and then addresses the people around him. "Break out the ale! These people are thirsty!"
The people around them cheer in agreement, and immediately do what he commands. Barrels of ale were being placed everywhere for the people all around Osgiliath. Boromir then fills two tankards of ale, and hands one to Faramir. Once Faramir wrapped his fingers around his tankard, the brothers make their toast.
"Remember today, little brother," Boromir smiled proudly at Faramir. "Today... life is good."
As the two brothers make their toast and drink peacefully, Faramir stops for a moment when he glances warily sideways. It turns out that he is noticing something.
"What?" Boromir asked as his expression drops when Faramir's gaze drifts beyond him.
Faramir turns back to face his brother and answers, "He's here."
Upon realizing as to who Faramir is saying, Boromir turns to see that their father Denethor had just arrived and had been making his way through the crowd, happily greeting and talking to the people for a moment.
Boromir turns away in frustration, and asks, "One moment of peace, can he not give us that?"
"Where is he? Where is Gondor's finest? Where's my first-born?" Denethor asked as he smiles broadly at his first-born son.
Boromir looks jaded and turns to face his father. He does whatever he could to muster his smile, and then turns to greet his father. "Father!"
While Faramir had been dropping back and stayed out of the way, he watches as his oldier brother and father embrace each other.
"They say you vanquished the enemy almost single-handedly," Denethor remarked on Boromir's strength and approval for the actions he did in saving Osgiliath.
"They exaggerate," Boromir excitedly replied and decided to give Faramir as much approval. "The victory belongs to Faramir also."
Faramir smiles back at his brother, seeing how he deeply cares for him. In hopes to be given an approvement from his father, he decides to step forward and wait for a pleasant response.
"But for Faramir, this city would still be standing," Denethor immediately scowled in a very scornful response.
That kind of negative response caused Faramir to stop and felt very uneasy for his father had just said. Even Boromir was very displeased. After everything that the brothers had done, Denethor would only give approval to Boromir instead of Faramir.
"Tell me, were you not entrusted to protect it?" Denethor asked, demanding a swift answer from his second son.
"Father, I apologize," Faramir responded, continuing to remain uneasy. "I did whatever I could to keep this city standing. I never gave up defending it, but since our numbers were too few, the enemy managed to breach different parts of the city."
"Breached?!" Denethor exclaimed. "You let the enemy walk in and take it on a whim." He steps forward a bit to continue hurting Faramir. "Always you cast a poor reflection on me."
Faramir felt completely shattered and hurt by his father's condescension, "That is not my intent."
Boromir had been dropping his head and felt deeply impatient for his father's lack of love towards Faramir. "You give him no credit, and yet he tries do to your will."
In anger, Boromir storms away from his father, feeling deeply upset for how his father would say such things to his younger brother. While Faramir remains where he is, Denethor doesn't even bother to say a word to him, for instead, he chooses to follow his son Boromir to small hidden alley, so that the two could talk alone.
"He loves you, father," Boromir said, imploring his father to show some love and gratitude to Faramir. "Why can't you give him some credit for all he has done to fight for our people?!"
"Do not trouble me with Faramir," Denethor said, ignoring his words. "I know his uses, and they are few. We have more urgent things to speak of. Elrond of Rivendell has called a meeting. He will not say why, but I have guessed its purpose. It is rumored that the weapon of the enemy has been found."
Boromir's mouth drops in surprise and disbelief. He never thought that the One Ring would be found like that already, for he remembered from his mother that the One Ring was lost by King Isildur thousands of years ago.
"The One Ring," Boromir responded delicately. "Isildur's Bane."
"lt has fallen into the hands of the Elves," Denethor whispered to him and explained more. "Everyone will try to claim it. Any race of all Middle-Earth would try to do the same. Dwarves carry a sense of greed, for I fear that the weapon will plunge them all into darkness, should it fall into the hands of King Dain. We cannot let that happen. The One Ring must come to Gondor. It is the only option that we have."
"Gondor," Boromir breathed, shaking his head.
"It's dangerous, I know," Denethor whispered as he clutches Boromir's arm. "Ever the Ring will seek to corrupt the hearts of lesser Men. But you, you are strong. And our need is great. It is our blood which is being spilled, our people who are dying. Sauron is biding his time. He's massing fresh armies. He will return. And when he does, we will be powerless to stop him. You must go. Bring me back this mighty gift."
"No," Boromir shook his head in refusal to do this as he pulls away from his father and proceeds to back out into Osgiliath. "My place is here with my people! Not in Rivendel!"
"Would you deny your own father?!" Denethor exclaimed as he chases Boromir out.
Faramir steps forward and offers to help, "If there is a need to go to Rivendell, send me in his stead."
Denethor looks at Faramir with a cruel sneer. "You? Oh, I see. A chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor, to show his quality. I think not."
Denethor's words caused Faramir's confident expression to drop. He then lowers his eyes, feeling deeply hurt for what his father continued to say in a very negative tone. Even Boromir was deeply hurt by his father's words.
"I trust this mission only to your brother," Denethor went on as he turns to Boromir, who stands against the wall looking strangely angered and defeated. "The one who will not fail me."
"My brother is not a failure, father," Boromir responded in a very confident tone. "I see him as a great man. For someone who doesn't giv e him the credit, then it shall only be me."
After being chosen by his father to claim the One Ring from Rivendell and bring it back to Minas Tirith, Boromir sits ready atop his steed and glances upward. There, he stares at a white flag, emblazoned with the image of a white tree. As the standard of the Steward of Gondor flies high over the ruins of Osgiliath, Boromir turns his gaze to his brother Faramir, who looks up at his brother.
"Remember today, little brother," Boromir said, reminding him as to who he is.
Faramir understood what his brother wanted him to do, and then gives him both a smile and nod. Boromir smiles in return and trots his horse out of Osgiliath, beginning his journey to Rivendell. However, he also needed to make a quick stop to Ost-In-Edhil.
OST-IN-EDHIL
Eregion was known to be a realm of the Noldor in Eriador. After the end of the First Age, most of the Noldor who remained in Middle-earth dwelt in Lindon under the rule of High King Gil-galad. After some seven centuries, Celebrimbor, the grandson of Fëanor, chose to depart from Lindon and passed eastward, drawn by the promise of mithril in the mines of the Dwarves. Many Elves followed Celebrimbor and founded the realm of Eregion. Many Elves followed Celebrimbor to the realm of Eregion and built the city of Ost-in-Edhil. Before the fall of Eregion, Celebrimbor and his loyalists were visited by a mysterious craftsman named Annatar, who claimed that he was sent as an emissary by the Valar to aid the Elves during the war against the Orcs of Mordor, who were led by a fallen elf lord named Oren.
While Celebrimbor and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain had been forging the Rings of Power, Oren, who was known to the Orcs as Adar, led an immediate siege on the city of Ost-in-Edhil and many elves were killed. When Annatar was in control of his master ring, it wasn't long until Lord Celebrimbor and his fellow loyalists would soon become aware of Annatar's plan to be the master of the wearers of the Rings of Power. Seeing that Annatar was in fact the Dark Lord Sauron, Celebrimbor revolted against him. After Sauron became aware of the revolt of Celebrimbor, he started to gather an army to take the Rings of Power from the Elves of Eregion by force. The city of Ost-in-Edhil had already fallen, and as centuries throughout the Third Age had passed, it remained in ruins.
Captain-General Lainedhel, who was one of the elven smiths that fought to defend Ost-in-Edhil and survived the slaughter, founded the Coldfells Army and used the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil as one of his official base of operations for centuries. Lainedhel still remembered the wisdom and knowledge that Celebrimbor taught him before his death. While he was still in possession of dozens of Mithril rocks that were kept hidden in the ruined city for many centuries, Lainedhel believed that he could create the new powerful elven rings of power that would be strong enough to fight against the shadow of Mordor. Lainedhel was a person to never lose hope, for he had been building his own army of elves, humans, dwarves, and different other sentient races that lived in Middle-Earth.
While the troops of the Coldfells Army was making preparations for future battles against Sauron's forces, Boromir II, the firstborn son of Denethor II, had rode towards the ruined city of Ost-in-Edhil and seek an audience with General Lainedhel. While he was on his way to Rivendell, Boromir was also ordered by his father to see if Lainedhel could provide aid to the forces of Gondor during these troubled times. Boromir rode up to the last level of the ruined city and met with Lainedhel. After the man dismounted from his horse, he walks inside a ruined building and makes himself comfortable where he meets the Elf Lord.
"Its been a long time since I last saw you, Boromir of Gondor," Lainedhel said by giving him a friendly bow to him. "You must be tired, my friend. Please, before you continue your journey to Rivendell, I would insist you stay for the night. My servants will provide you anything you wish."
"Thank you, my lord," Boromir smiled.
"So tell me, what honor and service can I provide to you?" Lainedhel asked.
"Not to long ago, the armies of Mordor launched a surprise attack on Osgiliath," Boromir explained his backstory. "I lost a lot of good people. Good soldiers that died that day, but my brother and I were able to fend off the enemy for at a couple of days. They gave up the siege, but I doubt they'll be back again."
"Yes, I already know about that," Lainedhel said. "Reports from the east have been very disturbing while I've been building my army."
"Then you know why I rode all the way from Osgiliath to here?" Boromir concluded. "While your soldiers guard these ruins, Sauron plans to destroy my people. If my father is to defend this southern kingdom from ruin and hold it united, he needs a much bigger army to stand against Sauron's army. War is coming to the whole of Middle-Earth, general. We cannot wage it without the support of your army."
"Of course I do, for your father requested you to ask me to lead the Coldfells Army to march to Gondor and help your people," Lainedhel answered.
"We both share a common enemy and common cause," Boromir said. "If we unite together, the armies of Mordor will stand no chance against us."
"And that is why we are at war," Lainedhel sighed and began to explain. "It is true that I command about 300,000 spare troops, including 235,000 new recruits. These recruits are refugees that fled from their old homes all over Middle-Earth, and as of now, they're training in Lindon. So that makes the total of 535,000. But right now, I'm afraid that those who are fighting right now are scattered in different corners of Middle-Earth. They're aiding allies that are in peril. I also received a report from one of my scouts that Saruman the Wise betrayed us. He now sides with the enemy. I don't know what that traitorous wizard is doing, but there is a rumor that he is building an army in Isengard. More and more soldiers from Mordor are gathering there."
"That is most unfortunate news," Boromir wearily sighed, sounding a bit frustrated. "So you cannot provide any soldiers to come to my family's aid during these dark days?"
"I'm about to meet up with 190,000 elite soldiers that are marching from the Ered Luin to Rhovanion," Lainedhel continued to provide his report to Boromir. "The Elven King Thranduil of the Greenwood and King Brand of Dale sent messages to me about an army of Easterlings that are planning to invade the kingdom. They will be there in a couple of months time. But that doesn't mean I won't abandon my promise. If your father is asking for support, then he will get it."
Boromir sounded pleased by this and asked, "Thank you, General. How many soldiers can my father expect?"
"I will send a raven to Lindon immediately," Lainedhel answered. "I would suggest you do the same. Tell your father that he will be expecting 83,000. These soldiers are fully trained and ready to fight. Many of them who've already seen to many winters. They are... well-honed."
"So they're old?" Boromir asked.
"Old enough to fight," Lainedhel answered. "I will make sure that one of my commanding officers will ready them to march south to Minas Tirith."
"I will do that, thank you again," Boromir appreciated his help. "If your army can fight, then my father will have them."
"They will fight hard, my lord," Lainedhel promised him. "They're true fighters. As of now, you should get some rest. Your journey is not yet over."