[ItsOurTimeNow]

Here a question for our LOTR scholars, did the Dunedain exist before Gondor, or did they come out of Gondor?

The Dunedain are more of a "term" than a "people". The name is for the Men of Numenor, and their descendants in Gondor and Arnor after the great Downfall in the 2nd age.

[Wneighbor]

And wouldn't we actually really say that the guys in Arnor were the Dunedain?

[Alkhin]

Actually, I belive the Dunedain refer to the Rangers who were the last of the Northern kingdom who lost their claim to kingship to Gondor. Arthedain was the last King of Middle Earth, and his sons, the decendants of Isildur, lost out on a powerstruggle with Gondor over the kingship. The Dunedain were those still loyal to Isildur's Heir and maintained their role as protectors in the North, ie the Rangers.

I could be wrong about that though.

Hey, am noticing a certain Estrogen-like strain occupying previous threads...about time for certain Brave Hobbits to stand forth as counterpoint testosterone representatives...namely :

Pippin,

Merry

Sam