The Rangers of the North are descended from the survivors of Arnor's successor-state, Arthedain, which fell to the forces of the Witch-King of Angmar some 1200 years ago. As the heirs to the noble traditions of the Lost Isle of Númenor and the North-Kingdom of Arnor, our families traditionally have long and storied histories. While players are not required to develop a family history or geneaology, efforts of this nature are encouraged; they provide a wealthier background for RP in general, and add to the drama of role-playing in Tolkien's Middle-Earth.

     Most Rangers are descended largely from the people of Arthedain, the most royal of Arnor's three successor-states and the only one in which the unbroken Line of Isildur lived on. Far more rare are those who can trace their histories to Cardolan or Rhudaur, yet as the latter two kingdoms were destroyed by the Witch-King long before Arthedain fell, even those Rangers are of primarily Arthadan stock.

     There is no real line drawn where 'nobility' is concerned, excepting the Line of Isildur; at this point all Rangers can number both tradesmen and nobility among their ancestors, for the survivors of the Angmarean holocaust found social distinctions necessarily blurred in order to survive in the wild.

     Those looking for source material are referred to the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings, found at the back of Part 3, The Return of the King. Also helpful are the sections on Númenor and the Third Age in Unfinished Tales.

     While not to be mistaken for thematic canon, Iron Crown Enterprises publishes a Middle-Earth Role Playing supplement on Arnor that can provide good names and background ideas. It is stressed, however, that MERP concepts and characters are nice to use for creative help, but are NOT to be considered as actual IC history.

     As always, for the final word on whether a concept is acceptable, or for creative help, your LAs will be glad to lend a hand.