Dunland is a region of hills to the North-East of Rohan.
Inhabitants[]
Dunland was inhabited by the Dunlendings, an ancient but wild people who harrassed the people of Rohan (most notably at the times of Helm and Théoden) for robbing them of the more fertile lands of Calenardhon. It was also the habitat of the Crebain, a race of crows, which Saruman (whose stronghold of Isengard was beside Dunland) later used as spies.
It was also briefly the home of the Dwarven refugees of Erebor, who settled there after failing to reclaim Moria to the North. They worked there in the service of men as merchants, miners and toy-makers before their leader Thorin led them west to the Blue Mountains. It seems that some Dwarves continued to nevertheless live there, as Bofur was quick to use this as an excuse for Thorin and Company's presence in the Misty Mountains (when inquired by their captor, the Goblin King), saying that they were overdue to visit distant relations of his.
History[]
In TA 2941, Thorin heard rumours that his missing father, Thrain, was seen in the wilds near Dunland, and went looking there, in vain. It was during this visit, in which he drew near the Misty Mountains, that he was spotted by spies of The Necromancer, and contacted by Gandalf, thereby inciting the Quest of Erebor.
The Dwarves also continued to deal with the inhabitants of Dunland, as Kíli recalls escorting merchants there, who were trading for the region's furs with silver.
During the War of the Ring, The Dunlendings swore allegiance to Saruman and attacked the Westfold of Rohan, burning many of its villages to the ground.