After losing the Battle at the Crossings of Isen, Helm retreated his people to the Suthburg and endured a long siege. Helm held the fortress during the Long Winter. He blew his great war-horn, and broke through the Dunlending ranks, clad in white, stalking men like a snow-troll slaying them with his bare hands.
Getting low on food, Helm sent his son Háma out to resupply, but he never returned. Helm grew gaunt because of grief and famine; still his horn would fill the Dunlendings with fear each time it was heard. For this reason, Suthburg was renamed the Hornburg. During one of his night sorties Helm died, apparently from famine and cold; his body was discovered frozen in the snow still standing and ready to fight.
The Dunlendings and people of Harad broke upon the fortress like water on rock, but because of Helm's iron resolve, the people of Rohan managed to outlast them long enough for Fréaláf Hildeson to come and drive off all of Wulf's forces in the Spring. It is also surmised that most of the Haradrim died during the siege as they were unaccustomed to such chilling weather.
Siege of the Hornburg
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Date
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T.A. 2758-2759
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Good Factions
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Rohan
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Evil Factions
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Dunland, some Rhun, & some Harad
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Good Characters
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Helm & Háma
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Evil Characters
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Bountîg
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Good Numbers
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3,500 Rohirrim
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Evil Numbers
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8,000 Dunlendings, 1,000 Easterlings, and 1,000 Haradrim
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Victory
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Stalemate until Spring
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