Dor-Cúarthol

 / Dor-Cuarthol

   'Land of Bow and Helm', name of the country defended by Beleg and Túrin from their lair on Amon Rûdh.

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   The Land of Bow and Helm.

   In Doriath, Túrin Turambar and Beleg Strongbow were great friends and comrades in arms. Through a tragic mistake, Túrin caused the death of one of King Thingol's courtiers, and fled the land where he had grown up.

   After many adventures in the wild, he joined himself to an outlaw band who eventually came to the occupy the hill known as Amon Rudh. This was the old home of a family of Petty-dwarves, Mîm and his sons, who gave his home over to the outlaws in ransom for his life.

   One day in the midst of winter, Beleg sought out his old friend Túrin, and they formed an alliance to defend that region against the Orcs of Morgoth. Túrin took a new name, Gorthol, from the dreadful helm of his ancestors that Beleg had brought to him. Together with Túrin's outlaws, they commanded a land that stretched from the River Teiglin in the north to the edges of Doriath in the south and east. This land was given the name Dor-Cúarthol, the Land of Bow and Helm; the name comes from Beleg's great bow and the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin borne by Túrin.

   The land of Dor-Cúarthol was to survive for less than a year. Perceiving that 'Gorthol' was truly Túrin the son of Húrin, Morgoth sent his spies to watch the lands around Amon Rudh. Mîm the Petty-dwarf, whose mansions the Two Captains had occupied, struck a bargain with the captain of Morgoth's Orcs, and betrayed Beleg and Túrin. The outlaws were routed, Beleg was left for dead, and Túrin was captured and led away to the north. Though Beleg in fact survived, and later rescued Túrin, this was the end of the short-lived land of Dor-Cúarthol.