Sîrrandras

The most ancient native people of Siragale were the Sirannar ,a tribal grouping of Silvan Elves.Their ancestors were Nandor,the Moriquendi who, in the Age of the Stars,turned away from the march to Aman to settle among the woodlands of the lower Anduin.In a later time, a host of the Nandor migrated westward, probably fleeing nameless evils then arising in the land of Mordor,to settle along the flanks of the Blue Mountains in Ossiriand(Lindon).Here they were known as the Laiquendi (Q. "Greenelves").Boromir was their King in the Elder Days,but he died,ere the firs rising of the sun,at the hands of the Orcish minions of Morgoth.

The Laiquendi then made alliance against Morgoth with the Noldor and Sindar of Beleriand,but had no King of their own.The Sirannar,the scattered clans dwelling east of the mountains,were far from any Sinda or Noldo lord ;their resistance to the Black Enemy was led by Merethorn,one of their clan chieftains.After the fall of Beleriand,Siragale was considered a demense of the Elvish kingdom of Lindon.Merethorn became ruling Lord of the Sirannar,marrying a Sinda Lady (of part Noldo descent) to seal his oath of loyalty to Gil-galad,High King of the Noldor.The fate of the Sirannar then became tied to theslowly declining fortunes of the western Elves.Gil-galad'skingdom lasted for the entirety of the Second Age of Middle-earth,and Merethorn fought loyally in his wars.He died in the last of them,on the sands of Mordor during the siege of Barad-dur.His widow, Elindiel, assumed the rule of Siragale,tending to the affairs of a diminished and bitter people.

After Gil-galad perished at the hand of Sauron on the slopes of Mount Doom,Elindiel refused to swear allegiance to his successor,the Sinda Lord Cirdan of Lindon.Instead,she joined the fate of the Elves of Siragale to the Dúnadan kingdom of Arnor.When Arnor was divided in TAT 861 Elindiel cast her lot with the successor kingdom of Arthedain.The Sirannas retained their autonomy throughout the history of both realms rarely fightingin mannish wars.Inspite of Elindiel's caution,the Sirannar have dwindled in number through the years;few in this age of the world bear childe or extend their line.The Sirannar who tire of Middle-earth or fear its evils take ship for the Undying Lands evermore frequently.Men have settled along ther oads of Siragale and built houses at wells and rivercrossings,unconcerned for the survival of a people they know little about.Some plot to takeover the whole of the province in order to use its resources to defend Arthedain against the threat of the Witch-king.Others seek control of Siragale to build their own wealth and power.

Elindiel's agreement to Hobbit immigration is in a sense an attempt to slow the progress of mannish control in the region,but it is also an admission of defeat.The Elves know that they will someday be driven from their land; they can choose their heirs,but they cannot preven the passing of the inheritance. The remaining Elves of Siragale bear the burden of this history.Immortality andn atural grace not withstanding,no Elf survives from the Elder Days,save Elindiel herself—accident and war have taken the rest.Only a few recall the days of Merethorn and Gil-galad.Their dwindling numbers make the Sirannar increasingly wary of Men and Hobbits; they hunt and sing by night,and prepare food,clothing,and gear closer to home by day.They know every rock and tree in their hunting grounds and use that knowledge to avoid contact withmortals.The Elves know the conquest of Siragale willbe comlete someday,but they playout their part wisely,bargaining away little valleys,well-watered campingspots,and groves of good trees as they no longer need them.No less than Galadriel or Elrond,they accept the Long Defeat,think of it only when need presses,and enjoy the passing time,be it year orcenturies ,before fate or the ships of Lindon carry them away.