T.A. 3002

**Third Age 3002** (often abbreviated to **T.A. 3002**) was the third to last year of the Third Age. The war of the Ring continued on, but would eventually end on March 25, which would end up marking the day of Sauron's defeat and the birthday of Elanor Gamgee.

## January

**8:** The Company reach Hollin.

**11:** Snow on Caradhras.

**12:** More snow.

**13:** The Company reaches the West-gate of Moria at nightfall. Gollum begins to trail the Ring-bearer.

**15:** The Bridge of Khazad-dûm, and fall of Gandalf. The Company reaches Lothlorien and are arrested by Haldir. They reach a flet over the Nimrodel late at night.

**17:** The Company comes to Caras Galadhon at evening.

**23:** Gandalf pursues the Balrog to the peak of Zirakzigil.

**25:** He casts down the Balrog, and passes away. His body lies on the peak.

## February

**15:** The Mirror of Galadriel. Gandalf returns to life, and lies in a trance.

**16:** Farewell to Lothlórien. Gollum in hiding on the west bank observes the departure.

**17:** Gwaihir bears Gandalf to Lothlórien.

**23:** Shadowfax returns to Rohan.

**25:** The Company pass the Argonath and camp at Parth Galen.

**26:**  Breaking of the Fellowship. Death of Boromir. Meriadoc and Peregrin captured. Frodo and Samwise enter the eastern Emyn Muil. Aragorn sets out in pursuit of the Orcs at evening.

**27:** Aragorn reaches the west-cliff at sunrise. Saruman's forces attack the Westfold.

**28:** First Battle of the Fords of Isen; Théodred is mortally wounded, but rescued by Eomer. Éomer brings Theodred to Edoras and warns Theoden. Grima arranges for Eomer to be banished. He and his company ride North.

**29:**

* Frodo descends from the Emyn Muil and meets Gollum.
* Faramir sees the funeral boat of Boromir.
* The Rohirrim attack and destroy the Orcs at night. Merry and Pippin escape and meet Treebeard.

**30:** Eomer meets Aragorn.

## March

**1:**

* Frodo begins the passage of the Dead Marshes at dawn.
* Aragorn meets Gandalf, and forgets to celebrate his 87th birthday. They set out for Edoras. Second Battle of the Fords of Isen. Erkenbrand defeated.
* Faramir leaves Minas Tirith on an errand to Ithilien.

**2:**

* Frodo comes to the end of the Dead Marshes.  He hides in sight of the Morannon, and leaves at dusk.
* Gandalf comes to Edoras and heals Théoden. Grima, banished, leaves for Isengard.
* Freda and Eothain reach Edoras with news of Dunlending attack on the Westfold. Theoden decides, against Gandalf's advice, to make for Helm's Deep.

**3:**

* Exodus of Edoras begins.
* Frodo, Sam and Gollum travel through Ithilien.

**4:**

* Faramir captures Frodo and Sam.
* The people of Rohan travel by the feet of the White Mountains towards Helm's Deep.

**5:**

* Warg attack. Death of Hama. Aragorn is lost in the Isen. He recovers later.
* Theoden reaches Helm's Deep. Saruman's army leaves to besiege it.
* Arwen is convinced by Elrond to make for the Grey Havens. Galadriel compells Elrond to authorize sending an Elven force to aid Aragorn. Haldir leaves Lorien at the head of the Elvish host.
* Faramir brings Frodo and Sam to Henneth Annun.

**6:** Aragorn, astride Brego, sees Saruman's army and rides to warn Helm's Deep.

**7:**

* Aragorn arrives at Helm's Deep. Haldir arrives at Helm's Deep with the host of the Eldar. The Battle of Helm's Deep begins at night.
* Treebeard brings Merry and Pippin to Entmoot at noon. Entmoot ends at night with indecision.

**8:**

* Treebeard takes Merry and Pippin West, but Pippin directs him to go South. The sight of Fangorn's southern forest cut down enrages the Ents, and they assault Isengard. By afternoon, the Ents overcome Isengard.
* Faramir brings Sam, Frodo and Gollum to Osgiliath in the morning. They find the city all but overrun, when a Nazgul appears. Sam saves Frodo and brings his spirit up. Faramir, having learnt of Boromir's madness, lets them go and leads to the sewers. In the woods of Ithilien, Gollum - resentful for what he percieves as Frodo betraying him to the abusive rangers - decides to betray Frodo and Sam to Shelob.
* Gandalf arrives with Eomer and his riders, and the battle of Helm's Deep is won at dawn.

**9:** Théoden and Gandalf set out from the Hornburg for Isengard.

**10:** Théoden reaches Isengard at noon. Parley with Saruman in Orthanc. Death of Saruman and Grima.

**11**: Return to Edoras and celebrations. Pippin looks in the Palantir at night.

**12**: Gandalf takes Pippin to Minas Tirith. Arwen, seeing a vision of Eldarion, heads back to Rivendell.

**14**: Arwen convinces Elrond to reforge Narsil for Aragorn. She begins dying from Sauron's malice.

**15**: At dawn Gandalf and Pippin reach Minas Tirith. Gollum leads Frodo and Sam to the Crossroads. By nightfall, Frodo and Sam reach Minas Morgul. The Witch-King's army leaves for Minas Tirith, and his beacon is seen from the city. Corsairs set out from Umbar.

**16**: Pippin is sent to light the Beacons at dawn. Gothmog's army crosses the Anduin at Osgiliath under cover of fog and the darkness of Mordor's clouds. Pippin lights the Beacons, and Theoden sets out to Dunharrow.

**17**:

* By dawn, Osgiliath is overrun and Faramir leads a retreat to Minas Tirith. Gandalf, with Pippin, deflects the Nazgul chasing them. Denethor reprimands Faramir for letting the One Ring slip from his grasp. He orders his son to try and recpature Osgiliath, resulting in the death of his company and Faramir being badly wounded.
* Gollum throws away the Lembas and frames Sam. Frodo parts with Sam.
* Theoden and Aragorn reach Dunharrow. Aragorn tells him to wait until dawn and then ride. By nightfall, Elrond arrives and compells Aragorn to go down the Dimholt road to recruit the Dead and intercept the Corsairs. Aragorn leaves for the Dimholt. He rejects Eowyn, who decides to join the Battle.

**18**:

* Theoden leads his army to Gondor at dawn. Merry is not allowed to join, but is brought along by a disguised Eowyn.
* Aragorn reaches the Paths of the Dead.

**19**:

* The Siege of Minas Tirith begins. Faramir is retrieved, badly wounded. Denethor, despaired, thinks Faramir mortally wounded. Gandalf leads the defense of the city in his stead. At night, Denethor arrages for himself and Faramir to be burnt alive. At night, the city's gates are breached by Grond. Gadalf leads a retreat to the city's second level. Pippin informs him of Denethor's plan, and he goes to stop him. He is held back by the Witch King until the Rohirrim arrive.
* Aragorn confronts the King of the Dead with Anduril. The cave collapses and Aragorn flees only to see the Corsairs attacking Pelargir. The King of the Dead joins his cause. They take the Corsair Ships

* Gollum leads Frodo to Shelob's Lair. He escapes and confronts Gollum, but Shelob is still on his trail. Sam turns back to rejoin his master.
* The Rohirrim ride through the night to reach Minas Tirith in time.

**20**:

* Gandalf stops Denethor from burning Faramir, but is unable to stop Denethor immolating himself.
* Frodo is captured by Shelob, who stings him into unconciousness. Sam fends her off, but thinks Frodo dead and takes the Ring. Cirith Ungol Orcs take Frodo to the tower. Sam follows.
* The Rohirrim arrive at dawn and turn the tide of the battle until they meet the Haradrim. Theoden is felled by the Witch King, who is killed by Eowyn. Aragorn arrives with the Army of the Dead on the ships at Harlond. They secure victory. Eowyn and Merry are found badly wounded on the battlefield, and Aragorn heals them during the night.
* Battle under the trees in Mirkwood; Thranduil repels the forces of Dol Guldur. Second assault on Lothlórien.

**21:**

* Frodo recovers in Cirith Ungol. The Orcs fight over his Mithril vest, which depopulates the tower just as Sam comes to rescue his Master. Frodo reclaims the Ring from Sam. They leave, in Orc garb, over the Morgai.
* Aragorn decides to arrange for a distraction for Frodo by marching on the Black Gate.

**22:**

* Aragorn uses the Palantir to taunt Sauron with Anduril. Sauron shows him a dying Arwen. The host of the West leaves for the Morannon.
* Battle of Dale. King Brand and King Dáin Ironfoot fall. Many Dwarves and Men take refuge in Erebor and are besieged. Shagrat brings Frodo's cloak, mail-shirt, and sword to Barad-dûr, and is murdered.

**23**: A force of Orcs and Easterlings attempt to ambush lead companies of the Host.

**24**:

* The Host passes out of Ithilien. Aragorn dismisses the faint-hearted. Frodo and Samwise cast away their arms and gear. Third Attack on Lothlorien. Galadriel summons the Eagles to aid the Host of the West.
* Frodo comes in sight of the Isenmouthe; he is over-taken by Orcs on the road from Durthang to Udûn. Frodo and Samwise escape and begin their journey across Gorgoroth.

**25:**

* The Host arrives at the Morannon. Aragorn confronts and kills the Mouth of Sauron, who uses the Mithril vest to convince them that Frodo (whom Sauron thinks a mere spy) is dead. The Battle of Moranon begins. Eagles arrive to combat the Nazgul's fell beasts.
* Gollum reappears. Sam holds him off as Frodo goes to Sammath Naur. He claims the Ring for himself. Gollum bites his Ring-finger off, and they fight for the Ring. Gollum falls with it to the lava, while Sam attempts to rescue Frodo, to whom the Ring calls.
* Sauron is defeated. The Orc army disperses. Sam rescues Frodo but they're stranded on the slopes of the mountain amidst streams of Lava. Gandalf goes to their aid with Eagles.

**27** - Bard II and Thorin III Stonehelm drive the enemy from Dale.

## April

**8** - Frodo recovers in the Houses of Healing, reunited with Gandalf, and the remaining members of the Fellowship.  Elrond and Arwen set out from Rivendell.

## June

**21**: King Elessar is crowned on Midsummer's Day. He is wed to Arwen and honours the four Hobbits. The Fourth Age begins.

## July

**15** - Arwen gives Frodo her place to sail into the West.

**22** - The funeral escort of King Théoden sets out from Minas Tirith.

## August

**7** - The escort comes to Edoras.

**10** - Funeral of Théoden.

**14** - The guests take leave of King Éomer.

**18** - They come to Helm's Deep.

**22** - They come to Isengard, they take leave of the King of the West at sunset.

## September

**6:** They halt in the sight of the Mountains of Moria.

**22:** The hundred and thirteen birthday of Bilbo.

## October

**5** - Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin leave Rivendell.

**6** - They cross the Ford of Bruinen; Frodo feels the first return of pain (the anniversary of his stabbing at Weathertop).

**23** - The Hobbits reach Hobbiton.