A nobleman of Western Gondor, son of the lord of the Ringló Vale, the wide valley of the river Ringló on which the town of Ethring stood. Little is known of his life, except that at the time of the War of the Ring, he answered the summons of Minas Tirith and led three hundred of the Men of the Vale to the defence of the City of Gondor.4
The part that Dervorin played in the defence of Minas Tirith is not recorded, though he would have witnessed, and likely taken part in, the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. We are not told of his fate in that battle, but his name is not included among those slain there, which seems to imply that he at least survived the Siege of Minas Tirith. Though he is not mentioned by name, it would seem to follow that he would have marched alongside the Captains of the West on their journey to the Black Gate. It is not said whether he survived that venture to return to his mountain vale.
Notes
1 |
At least, Dervorin was probably a Dúnadan, given that he belonged to a noble family ruling an important Gondorian fief, though in fact this is never stated explicitly.
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2 |
Ethring is the only township we know of within the Ringló Vale, standing at the point where the road through Western Gondor crossed the river Ringló. Ethring therefore seems to have been the chief town of the Ringló Vale, and the most likely seat for the lords of the vale. It is not impossible, of course, that the lords ruled from some more remote location, not marked on any map.
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3 |
Dervorin's name is not explained. Assuming that it is derived from Elvish (which is not absolutely certain) then it possibly contains elements relating to nder ('man') and vor- ('steadfast', 'enduring'), but this is highly speculative.
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4 |
It is not explained why Dervorin led his people to war in place of his father, the unnamed lord of the Ringló Vale. Perhaps the lord was simply too old or infirm to lead his soldiers, or perhaps he remained behind to command the defence of his own land (as many others in the outer fiefs of Gondor were known to have done).
Aragorn would later lead the Shadow Host through the Ringló Vale (presumably passing through Ethring, where the eastward road crossed the river). It may be that Dervorin's father saw Aragorn's passing, and was even among the many who fled from the Grey Host as they marched through this region of Western Gondor.
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- Updated 20 May 2023
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