> Random question here from a guy who has not yet memorized LotR or any of the vast piles of books Chris Tolkien put out after his dad's death.
>
> What exactly was Aragorn doing up north hiding in the woods? How did the heirs of Isildur end up as nameless rangers in the north?
>
> -- Dave

I'm no expert, but if I remember correctly from what I have read, Aragorn was actually the heir to the vanquished northern kingdom of Arnor. I think what happened was, Arnor fell to Angmar (led by the Witch-King, a.k.a. the Lord of the Nazgul), and so though Aragorn was an heir of Isildur, he never had a kingdom. He was born and brought up in Rivendell as a refugee of sorts. Meanwhile, the southern kingdom of Gondor still existed, but the line of kings had died out.

Aragorn wasn't just a ranger in the North, though. If you've seen the extended version of The Two Towers, you may recall him explaining to Eowyn that he is in his eighties. In his younger days he actually fought alongside Boromir & Faramir's grandfather, Echthelion, defending Gondor from its various foes. During that time he went under an assumed name. "Thorongil" or something like that.

Gri"correct me if I'm wrong"shny