Rhun
Rhûn, also known as the East, refers to the little-known lands in eastern Middle-earth. Almost nothing of the lands beyond the great Sea of Rhûn is known (see Uttermost East).
History[]
Battle of the Five Armies[]
In the late Third Age, Azog's Dol Guldur army passed through Rhûn on its stealthy way to Erebor. After escaping Dol Guldur and parting ways with Radagast from Rhogoobel, Gandalf rode through Rhûn to warn the Dwarves, Men and Elves of Azog's attack.
War of the Ring[]
Easterlings from Rhûn often invaded the lands to the west, fighting with the realms of Rhovanion and with Gondor. Sauron made alliances with Easterlings, sending them against Erebor in the Battle of Dale, and mustering them as part of his army in the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee were nearly discovered within sight of the Black Gate by a group of Easterlings, coming into Mordor.
Despite being on the losing side in the war, some Easterlings still continued to remain a threat throughout the early Fourth Age but were finally subdued in a series of campaigns led by King Elessar.In these battles the Easterlings, aside from the hordes of Orcs, were the most numerous and tenacious of Sauron's warriors.
The Easterlings' resolve to fight to the death was also exemplified the last day of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields once the odds were turned against Sauron. While the host of Mordor dropped their weapons, shed their armor, and fled en masse across the bridge to Osgiliath, the host of the Easterlings halted with their backs to the River Anduin and stood their ground. None survived, despite inflicting numerous casualties upon their hated enemies. Likewise at the Battle of the Black Gate the Easterlings fought on even after the defeat of Sauron, out of hatred and fear of the men of the west.
Description[]
The regions of Rhûn bordering with the Westlands (specifically, with The Wilderland) were largely made up of desert, and were the habitat of the Wereworms. They were in the Eastern Lands of Middle-earth, east of Mordor and Rhovanion. It was also the home of the Easterlings.