Greetings
and mae govannen,
My name is Aragorn, though many know me as Strider, a name which I am most fond of, though I have many other names as well. I am a Ranger of the woods and the wild; a warrior, a wanderer, a hunter, a story-teller, a path-finder, and a loyal friend and ally to those who’ve earned my trust. I am skilled in the use of the sword, dagger, bow, and fire; and though I am most accustomed to the woods, mountains, and plains, I have also served at sea as well. Besides the use of weapons, I am also trained in certain arts of healing, and am learned in the use of the healing herb Athelas, also known as Kingsfoil among Men. What ensues below is my story so far.
For the record, my father was Arathorn II, son of Arador, Chieftain of the Dunedain, who married my mother Gilraen the Fair, daughter of Dirhael and Ivorwen, in the year 2929. The following year, 2930, my grandfather Arador, whom I never knew, was slain by hill-trolls north of Rivendell, and my father became Chieftain of the Dunedain. I was then born the next year on March 1, 2931 of the Third Age and was given the name Aragorn II. Unfortunately, I barely knew my real father as he died in 2933 at the age of 60 when I was only two; killed by an Orc arrow when riding against the Orcs with some Elves from Rivendell. My mother, fearful for my life, then fled with me and took haven in Rivendell. There we dwelled in the house of Elrond Half-Elven; and he became liken a father to me, and he raised me as one of his own sons, and named me Estel, so as to hide my true identity.
During my teenage years I began my training in the use of the sword and the bow, and I rode with my brothers, the true sons of Elrond, against the Orcs and other evil men and creatures, and many did we slay or drive away. In 2951, being of one score years of age, I returned to Rivendell and at that time Elrond saw me fit to tell me of my true identity and to give unto me the heirlooms of my house: the ring of Barahir, a token of my distant kinship to the Elves; and the shards of the great sword Narsil, the sword of my ancient forefathers Elendil and Isuldur. Later that same year I bade my mother and Elrond farewell, and departed from Rivendell and went out into the wild country to begin my training to be a Ranger in earnest.
For nearly the next thirty years of my life I fought against the evil forces of Sauron. I journeyed far into the East and South, even nigh to Mordor itself, to uncover and thwart plots of the servants of Sauron. During this time in 2956, I met Gandalf, known also as Mithrandir, a great wizard, and struck up a friendship with him. Later I served in disguise for Thengel of Rohan and rode with the Rohirrim in the west. In Gondor, under the assumed name Thorongil, I fought for Ecthelion II, Lord of Gondor on both land and by sea, of which I played a role in the destruction of a large portion of the Corsairs fleet in a raid on Umbar in 2980.
Weary and in need of a respite, I headed back towards Rivendell, but on my way I came upon Lorien, where I was granted admission and I met the Lady Galadriel, and for a second time her granddaughter, Arwen Undomiel. After a short stay I continued my journey to Rivendell, but my rest there was brief as well, and I soon went back into the wilds. A number of years later I saw my mother for the last time in Eriador, where she had gone to live alone among our own people. Her spirit had grown heavy, and knowing that this would be the last time she would see me, her parting words to me were "I gave Hope to the Dunedain, I have kept no hope for myself.". She died then shortly thereafter in 3007 before the spring.
In 3000 I establish a guard of Rangers about the Shire to watch over a small folk that Gandalf called Hobbits, upon his request. The next year Gandalf bid me to search for someone he called Gollum, but I was unable to locate this creature. Once again in 3009 I renewed my search for the creature Gollum, amongst my other endeavors, at the behest of Gandalf, which spanned several years and covered a broad area. Finally eight years later in 3017 I did indeed apprehend Gollum in the Dead Marshes, after he had apparently been released from Mordor, and I turned him over to Thranduil in Mirkwood to be retained. And so now we come to where we are at in 3018 ...
Gandalf, my friend and wisest of all wizards, has told me of this parallel universe to Middle-earth, from whence I come, and that this world is in great need. Now I do not completely understand what he means by all of this, but as with all of Gandalf’s other requests of me, I have complete faith in him, and so here I am by his means. He has warned me that our world moves more swiftly in our plane than yours, and that two years in Middle-earth may but seem liken to one year in your world, with the result that I find myself in your world in the 13th or 14th century by your reckoning. However, the years that I give above are those that I am familiar with, which are from the calendar of the Third Age of Middle-earth. I must state though, that your world does not look much different than mine - your grass is still green, your rivers and seas still blue, you still have one Sun by day and one Moon by night, and your blood bleeds red. It is here in your world that I hath come across a band that goes by the name The Outlanders.
