After Túrin exiled himself from Doriath, he fell in with a band of outlaws in the forests to the west. He rose to become the leader of this band of Gaurwaith or 'Wolf-men', who raided the settled Woodmen who dwelt in the woods southward of the river Teiglin. In one of their forays, the outlaw band came across the Petty-dwarf Mîm and his sons and, in exchange for Mîm's life, took his secret home on Amon Rûdh to dwell in. This hidden stronghold thus became known as the House of Ransom, Bar-en-Danwedh.

On Amon Rûdh, Tûrin and his outlaws were joined by Túrin's old friend, the Elf Beleg Strongbow, and they began to resist the incursions of Orcs that were coming down into that region. The former outlaws were joined by many others, who camped in the forests around the red-crested hill of Amon Rûdh. Thus grew up a new land, Dor-Cúarthol, the Land of Bow and Helm. At its heart were the original band, which were now often called the Old Company, or simply 'the Company'. No others but members of the Company occupied the secret heights of the Bald Hill, and their House of Ransom was given a new name, Echad i Sedryn, the Camp of the Faithful.

Túrin, Beleg and the Company held back the Orcs for nearly a year, but their land was not to be long-lived. Mîm, in whose house they dwelt, was captured by the Orcs and betrayed the Company. The Orcs found their way into the hidden refuge on the hill, slaying almost all of the Company and carrying away its leader Túrin. Thus the Old Company of Amon Rûdh came to an end in the closing months of the year I 489.