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The race of Men is the second race of beings created by the Supreme God, Ilúvatar. Because they awoke at the start of the First Age, while the Elves awoke three Ages before them, they are called the Afterborn ( Quenya Atani, Sindarin: Edain) by the Elves.
Men bear the so-called Gift of Men , mortality. Elves are immortal, in the sense that even if their bodies are slain, their spirits remain bound to the world, going to the Halls of Mandos to wait until they are released or the world ends. Elves are tied to the world for as long as it lasts. When Men die, they are released from Arda and the bounds of the world and have rest from its troubles.
The Elves called the race of Men in Quenya Atani, literally meaning "Second People", but also Hildor (Aftercomers), and Fírimar (Mortals) or Engwar (The Sickly). The name Atani became Edain in Sindarin, but this term was later only applied to those Men who were friendly to the Elves.
Although all Men are related to one another, there are many different groups with different cultures. The most important group in the tales of the First Age were the Edain. Although the word Edain refers to all Men, the Elves use it to distinguish those Men who fought with them in the First Age against MorgothMorgoth Bauglir Morgoth means "The Dark Enemy", Bauglir is "The Constrainer"), originally named Melkor ("He Who Arises in Might"), is a fictional character of Middle-earth, created by J. He was — at the creation of Tolkien's world — the most powerful of t in BeleriandIn the fiction of J. Tolkien, Beleriand was the region of northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Originally, the name belonged only to the area around the Bay of Balar, but in time the name was applied to the entire land. The element Beler ''Bala. Those Men who fought against Morgoth in the First Age were divided into three Houses.
The First House of the Edain was the House of BëorIn the fiction of J. Tolkien, the House of Beor was the oldest of the Three Houses of Men that had allied with the Elves in the First Age. Beor the Old originally named Balan the founder of the House, was the first to lead Men across the Ered Luin (Blue M, and entered Beleriand in 305 T.A. and were granted the fief of LadrosLadros is a fictional Middle-earth highland of the region north-east of Dorthonion. It was briefly a fief by the House of Beor, but lost to Morgoth in the Dagor Bragollach. There have been three Lords of Ladros: Boromir, Bregor and Bregolas. In Bregolas' in DorthonionIn the fiction of J. Tolkien, Dorthonion ("Land of Pines"), later Taur-nu-Fuin was a highland region of the First Age, lying immediately to the north of Beleriand, and south of the plains of Ard-galen (later Anfauglith) that bordered Morgoth's stronghold by Finrod FelagundTolkien's Middle-earth fictional universe, Finrod Felagund was a Noldorin Elf, the eldest son of Finarfin and Earwen of Alqualonde in Aman. He was the brother of Galadriel, Angrod and Aegnor. Finrod founded the original Minas Tirith in the Pass of Sirion,. The Second House of the Edain, the Haladin was led by Haldad and later by his daughter Haleth and settled in the Forest of Brethil. The Third House, which became the greatest, was led by Marach and later his descendant Hador, and they settled in Dor-lómin. This house was known both as the House of Marach and the House of Hador.
Other Men didn't cross the Misty Mountains or fight against Morgoth. Some such as the Easterlings fought openly on his side. Later on the Haradrim would fight on Sauron's side against the descendants of the Edain. Here below follow the short descriptions of the most important groups of Men in the First, Second and Third Age.