Dúnedain

Around Bree, folk speak warily of the Rangers, tall grim wanderers out of the wild. These are Dúnedain, Men of the West, and their name reaches deep into the history of Middle-earth. They descend from the Men of Westernesse, the sea-kings whose realm in an earlier age was the mightiest among mortals, and their blood carries long life and memory beyond that of other Men. In the North their ancient kingdom is many centuries gone, and the Rangers who remain are few, hardy, and secretive, knowing the lands about the Shire better than its comfortable inhabitants ever guess. In the South the men of Gondor also keep the old descent. The word itself is Elvish, for the Dúnedain are close in friendship and history to the Elves, as few mortal peoples are.