Character Bios
Lossoth, The
Meaning: Snow host
Other Names: The Snowmen of Forochel
Location(s): Cape of Forochel, south shores of Bay of Forochel
Race/Species: Man
Dates: Third Age
Description:
These are a strange, unfriendly people, remnant of the Forodwaith, Men of far-off days, accustomed to the bitter colds of the realm of Morgoth. Indeed those colds linger still in that region, though they lie hardly more than a hundred leagues north of the Shire. The Lossoth house in the snow, and it is said that they can run on the ice with bones on their feet, and have carts without wheels. They live mostly, inaccessible to their enemies, on the great Cape of Forochel that shuts off to the north-west the immense bay of that name; but they often camp on the south shores of the bay at the feet of the Mountains.
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, note to iii. Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur
In 1974 III, Arvedui takes refuge with the Lossoth after the Witch-king of Angmar overruns Arthedain. The ship sent by Círdan to rescue him founders in the ice and Arvedui and the palantíri of Amon Sûl and Annúminas are lost. The ring of the house of Isildur (said to be the ring of Barahir) is saved when Arvedui gives it to the chief of the Lossoth and it is later ransomed by the Dúnedain.
Skills
[They] built for [Arvedui and his men] snow-huts.
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur
[They] drew the king and those that survived of his company out over the ice in their sliding carts.
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur
[The] Snowmen were uneasy; for they said that they smelled danger in the wind’ And the chief of the Lossoth said to Arvedui: “Do not mount on this sea-monster!” […] The counsel of the Lossoth was good, by chance or by foresight; for the ship had not reached the open sea when a great storm of wind arose, and came with blinding snow out of the North; and it drove the ship back upon the ice and piled ice up against it.
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur
[They] were afraid of the Witch-king, who (they said) could make frost or thaw at his will. [According to the chief of the Lossoth] “…in summer his power wanes; but now his breath is deadly, and his cold arm is long.”
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur
When the Snowmen saw the [Elven] ship they were amazed and afraid, for they had seen no such ship on the sea within their memories.
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur
[Arvedui] had nothing to offer them, save a few jewels which they did not value.
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur
Language
In the west-lands of Middle-earth, where they [Elendil and his sons] established their exiled realms, they found a common tongue in use along the coast-lands from the Mouths of Anduin to the icy Bay of Forochel in the North. This tongue was […] the Common or Westron Speech. […] Men who dwelt in Eriador […] used the Westron only and had long forgotten their own tongues.
The Peoples of Middle-Earth, HoME Vol 12, Part 1, Ch 2, The Appendix on Languages
Contributors:
Tanaqui, 11.11.04; Links, Skills and Language added 11.12.04
