In the first age of Arda, before the lands of Beleriand were lost to the sea, the north
western lands of Dor-Lomin and Brethil were populated by Men of the House of Marach also
known as the House of Hador.
Allies of the Noldor Elves, they were staunch enemies of the Dark Lord Morgoth who ruled
from his fortress of Angband.
After the death of his father, the Lordship of the territory passed to the mighty warrior
Galdor the Tall who fathered two legendary heroes of men, naming them Hurin and Huor.
In their youth the brothers lived with their kinsmen in the forest of Brethil, until joining
a warparty to battle the Orcs encroaching on their lands.
While the battle saw their forces victorious, Hurin and Huor were cut off from their allies,
pushed back to the river Sirion and might have been killed if not for the Vala Ulmo
who saw their plight and sent a mist to cover their escape.
The eagles then descended and carried them to the safety of Gondolin, the secret city
founded by the Noldor Elves.
King Turgon welcomed them as friends and after swearing oaths to keep the cities location
secret, the eagles returned them to Dor-Lomin.
Sometime later, their homeland fell under attack by the armies of Morgoth, leading to
the death of Lord Galdor as he defended the mountains of Ered Wethrin.
Hurin, now the new Lord of Dor-Lomin, took up the fight and drove the enemy out of their
territory.
As Hurin settled into his role as leader of the territory, his brother Huor was married
and fathered a son named Tuor who later married an elf maiden and fathered a line of Half
Elven heroes which included Earendil the Mariner, Elrond of Rivendell, and Elros of Numenor.
Hurin was also wed and started a family, fathering a son Turin and daughter Urwin later known
as Lalaith.
However it was Huor’s line that would continue beyond the first age, as the Children of Hurin
were fated for tragedy.
When they were young a terrible wind known as the Evil Breath was sent from Angband,
carrying an illness which struck both of Hurin’s children.
The older boy Turin lay in a fever and dark dream but eventually recovered, and awoke
to learn that his beloved sister Urwin did not survive.
Turin was deeply affected by her loss, raising a hand towards Morgoth in the North and crying
out 'Marrer of Middle-earth, would that I might see you face to face, and mar you as
my lord Fingolfin did!'
A few years later, the House of Hador was once again called to war, joining the Union
of Maedhros, a great alliance of men, Elves and Dwarves that rose to battle the armies
of the dark Lord Morgoth and retake the lands lost decades early in the Dagor Baragollach.
Unfortunately the Nirnaeth Arnoediad as it became known, proved to be yet another defeat,
as the alliance was betrayed by the Easterlings, also known as the Swarthy Men, following Ulfang
the Accursed.
During the battle Hurin once again fought alongside his brother Huor, leading the men
of Dor-Lomin on behalf of their liege, King Fingon, High King of the Noldor Elves.
Yet when the battle turned against them, the army was split and separated, resulting in
the death of King Fingon, slain by Gothmog Lord of the Balrogs.
With Fingon dead, Hurin and Huor focused on ensuring the safety of King Turgon of Gondolin,
who now inherited the title High King of the Noldor.
And so the brothers took what remained of their army and formed a line at the Fen of
Serech, sacrificing themselves so the enemy army could not follow the retreating Elves
and discover the location of their secret city.
Although the House of Hador fought valiantly and succeeded in saving the retreating army
of the king, they were eventually overwhelmed and slaughtered, with Huor struck by an arrow
through the eye.
Even after all others were slain, Hurin continued cutting down orcs and trolls until grappled
to the ground and taken prisoner by the enemy.
Taking their captive to Angband, Hurin was tortured by Morgoth who sought to learn the
location of Gondolin.
Yet despite the horrors inflicted upon him, the Lord of Dor-Lomin would not break.
And so Morgoth cursed the man and his family, seating him immovably on the mountain Thangorodrim,
where he must watch from afar, helpless and bitter, as his loved ones suffered their tragic
fates.
Meanwhile, the Easterlings who betrayed the Union of Maedhros were given the lands of
Hithlum which included Dor-Lomin, plundering and enslaving the last remnant of the House
of Hador.
In order to protect her son Turin, Hurin’s wife Morwin sent the boy to Doriath, were
he was raised as the adopted son of King Thingol, while she remained in Dor-Lomin giving birth
her 3rd child Nienor.
Fortunately, Hurin’s wife and young daughter were sparred suffering at the hands of the
Easterlings, who largely left them in peace, due to a rumour that stated Morwin was a powerful
witch, allied with the Elves.
In Doriath, the boy Turin grew to be a strong and courageous warrior, and at the age of
17 learned that his homeland of Hithlum had completely fallen to the Easterlings, receiving
no more messages from his mother.
Saddened and angered by the fate of his kinsfolk, Turin asked King Thingol for a place among
his warriors, so he might battle the armies of the Dark Lord.
Granted the position, he was sent to the Northern Marches of Doriath to defend against Orc war
parties.
Wearing the Dragon-helm of Dor-Lomin, passed down through his family, Turin brought such
devastation upon his enemies, a rumor began to spread that the famous warrior Hurin of
Hithlum had escaped from Angband.
And while many came to love and admire Turin, becoming a friend of Mablung the Heavy Hand
and Beleg Strongbow, his rise in the court of Doriath made him an enemy of Saeros, councillor
to the king who spoke and thought ill of Turin and his people.
After a confrontation between them led Turin to strike and bloody the Elf, Saeros set about
ambushing the man when he was alone in the forest.
However Turin proved victorious in their battle, stripping the noble Elf naked and chasing
him through the woods as punishment for his insults.
Unfortunately Saeros lost his footing whil running and fell to his doom.
Although Turin did not intend to kill him, he did not mourn the loss, and refused to
return and face the judgment of the King.
Proud and fearless, Turin left Doriath behind and took over the leadership of a band of
outlaws.
Worried about his friend, Beleg Strongbow sought out Turin and his companions, asking
that he return to Doriath, but was refused.
And so the Elf returned to King Thingol, asking permission to join Turin’s band of warriors.
King Thingol allowed it and gifted Beleg the sword Anglachel forged from the metal of a
meteorite by master smith Eol the Darkelf.
Meanwhile Turin and his companions continued on, encountering a petty dwarf named Mim and
forcing him to shelter them in his home of Amon Rudh.
Yet one of Turin’s men shot an arrow that accidentally killed Mim’s son, and so the
dwarf held great hatred in his heart for these humans, despite their offer to pay a ransom
for the death.
Beleg soon joined them in Amon Rudh and fought at their side when Mim betrayed their location
to the Orcs who slaughtered nearly all the outlaws and captured Turin.
However, Beleg survived the massacre and followed the Orcs, encountering an escaped prisoner
from Angband along the way, named Gwindor.
After helping him recover from his injuries, the two infiltrated an Orc camp to find Turin
in a state of senseless stupor, having been tortured by the Orcs during his captivity.
Dragging him to a nearby thicket, Beleg pulled out his sword and started cutting loose his
bonds, only to accidentally cut Turin’s foot, prompting him to roar awake and take
the sword, killing Beleg, who he confused for the one of his Orc tormentors.
When Turin learned what he had done, he nearly went mad from his grief, but Gwidor stayed
by his side, and helped him reach Nargothrond, where he in peace for a time, reforging Anglachel
into a new black bladed sword he named Gurthang.