Full Name: Beorn
Name Meaning: Unknown
Aliases: Chieftain of the Beornings
Birth Date: Unknown
Date of Death: Probably late TA, before the War of the Ring
Race: Man
Parents: Unknown
Siblings Unknown
Spouse: Unknown
Children: Son, Grimbeorn the Old
History:
Where Beorn came from wasn’t clear, but Gandalf suspected that he had come from the mountains originally with his kin. Although just a theory of Gandalf’s, Beorn might possibly have belonged to a large race of skin-changer’s living peacefully in the Misty Mountains, but that they were then chased out by orcs leaving Beorn as one of the last of his kind and it forced him to find a new home by the river Anduil. Beorn was a skin-changer (shape-shifter) who spent his life living with dogs, horses, sheep and cows and other animals in between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. The animals living with him were all highly intelligent, and his dogs could for example walk on two legs instead of four. Beorn being a skin-changer meant that he could transform into a large black bear at will. Another of his traits was that he could talk to his animals. Although it was never clear why, Beorn would often leave his home (sometimes at night, in his bear form) for several days in a row.
Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, Thorin and his company of dwarves were helped by Beorn when they were allowed to stay and rest in his house for the night. Thorin had an idea of where the company should go next but Beorn gave them new information and a new, safer, route to take through Mirkwood. As it happened this help from Beorn most likely saved several lives of the dwarves and the others. Beorn did not trust the visitors however until he found out for himself that Gandalf had indeed slain the Great Goblin, the leader of the goblins in the Misty Mountains. When he realized they were trustworthy he told them about a secret path created by the elves leading from Thranduil’s halls at the River Running to a western outlet very close to Beorn’s own home.
Beorn fought in the Battle of Five Armies, in his bear form, at the Lonely Mountain when he found out about a large amount of goblins on the move. It was Beorn who killed the goblin’s new leader, Bolg, as well as his bodyguards. Once their leaders were gone the goblins could easily be picked off by elves, men, eagles and dwarves.
In the years after the Battle of Five Armies and before the War of the Ring Beorn came out of his shell and stopped being a recluse, instead taking up the role of the leader in between the Anduin River and the outskirts of Mirkwood, of the woodmen living there. Then he led his people into battle against the last orcs who remained in the mountains. That was when his people became known as Beornings, and they also aided Thranduil by defending his kingdom in Mirkwood. Although it was unclear exactly when, Beorn most probably died before the War of the Ring and left his son Grimbeorn the Old to lead the Beornings in his place.
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