QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION
QUESTION: I am curious about something. Why do rangers trust Lothrin? Apart from the big war at the end of Second Age, elves don't seem very interested in participating in man wars. I am sure not everyone must be happy that elves don't fight with them.
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ANSWER: I must begin with a couple points against your argument before I get to the bits pertaining to my character. Is your question based on movie-canon? Because in book canon there’s just so many instances of elves fighting side by side with men, the war of the Last Alliance being just the biggest one. Legolas was part of the Fellowship and fought at Pelennor alongside the armies of men. Lords Elrond and Cirdan rallied the armies of elves at the Battle of Fornost in TA 1974. The sons of Elrond venture alongside the dunedain rangers again and again in the wilds of Eriador and went south to fight at Pelennor. Even by movie canon standard, Haldir and the elves of Lorien fought at Helm’s Deep. Examples of elves fighting by the side of men are numerous.
Perhaps the reason elf-man alliances aren’t more numerous or more frequent is the fact that elves are just so few in number and are so slow to reproduce. It takes an elven child 50 to 100 years to reach full maturity, time in which men have 3 to 4 generations of grown adults. The ratio is already pretty skewed.
Now to the big question, why do the dunedain trust Lothrin? Why do humans allow an elf to not only dwell with them, but also have a high rank within their numbers? The first thing you must remember is that this situation is not unique. There’s been another renowned case of this exact situation happening, albeit the reverse. All Arda knows of the story of Turin Turambar and the people of Nargothond. How Turin came to hold such renown in the court of elves that his advice was heeded even higher than that of Cirdan. How it was Turin that led the armies of elves in battle.
For better or for worse, Lothrin has been by the side of the northern Dunedain ever since the inception of their first kingdom, Arnor, ever since the rule of their first king, Valandil. It was Valandil that asked her to dwell in Annuminas, as he saw wisdom in the matter of having another perspective within the ranks of his advisors. It was also Valandil that made Lothrin swear an oath to his people, to not abandon them in their time of need. It was this oath that made Lothrin serve until Arnor was no more, time in which not only had she known each and every member of the royal family, but also known many of the lords and ladies and people that dwelt within this kingdom. With meticulous effort, she chronicled all this information and many volumes written by her pertaining to the royal line of Arnor, the lands of Arnor, the Peoples and Customs of Arnor, are still to be found today within the libraries of Imladris and the dwellings of the rangers.
Things weren’t quite so rosy by the time of the Great Split. The people of the Arthedain court in Fornost were foreign and cold to her, and in the end she left the north and journeyed to her kindred in far away lands. She came back right in time for the Fall of Fornost, where all the hope of the dunedain was lost. It was her council and determination that helped Aranarth, first chieftain to carry on. Aranarth, like Valandil once did, asked her once again to dwell by his people’s side and help in whatever way she can.
So she did. She stayed by their side until the Fourth Age (of course leaving for brief periods of time to go to Lindon, Imladris or home in Lorien). The dunedain were so used to her presence that she truly felt like one of them. After all, she’s been there for as long as they as people have existed. Lothrin was more than experienced in combat, she knew their history and customs, spoke the tongues of the land and was a sure connection to the elves of the three Kingdoms. Why wouldn’t they take advantage of all that?
Not to mention that one aspect I’ve always wanted to make clear when I was talking about Lothrin is that she’s not the only elf to dwell with the dunedain. The sons of Elrond journeyed so often with the dunedain and fought by their side that whenever there were dangerous missions abound, the twins were expected to arrive and hold council. Andriel, Lore-Master of Imladris was a frequent companion to the ranger Eradan. Elves from Lindon came to visit and dwell with the dunedain often. I imagine that just every settlement like Esteldin or Sarn Ford must have had a couple elves around, studying or fighting by their side.
I also do like to believe that Lothrin long earned her status and position and earned her right to give council and orders. All rules must have their exemptions so it’s not out of the realm of possibility, that there are some who wouldn’t agree to her presence there, but I like to think a majority enjoyed having her around.