Stone of Erech

Stone of Erech.

Black Stone.

A man-high black and round stone, half-buried in the ground of Hill of Erech at the eastern side of river Morthond in Blackroot-Vale in the province Lamendon in Gondor.

2 Age.

S.A. 3020. The stone was set at the Hill of Erech by Isildur at his landing, brought from Númenor after the Downfall. If it was exactly the year of his landing at Osgiliath or some years after is untold but Erech, the king of the mountains, ( the mountains of Ered Nimrais ) swore allegiance to Isildur standing upon the stone in the beginning of the realm of Gondor.

S.A.3430. But after the return of Sauron when Isildur summoned the men from the mountains to fulfill their oath and join the Last Alliance they would not come because they had in the dark years before the realm of Gondor worshipped Sauron. Isildur lay a curse upon them; they should never find peace and rest until their oath were fulfilled and Erech should be their last king. The men of the mountains, in later days called the Shadow-men, did not dare to go to war upon either side, they hid themselves in the mountains and slowly they dwindled and died but their spirits hid in the tunnels and caves beneath the Haunted Mountain.

3 Age.

T.A.3019 ( 08/03-09/03 ). Aragorn II summoned them to war against Sauron in the dark caverns beneath the mountains, where they had been hiding, restless and awaiting the heir of Isildur, and they followed him to the Hill of Erech and the Black Stone where they once had sworn allegiance to Isildur and broken their wov. Aragorn promised them peace and rest if they this time would keep their oath and the Shadow-men followed him.

Related Links.: Battles.: War of the last Alliance.