How many Rangers of the North were there ?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

I can't think of anything they'd have that anyone else would want, especially with their reputation- I'm sure if people traded with them they would have a better reputation and be more well-known. But how else would they have got resources such as metal?

Originally Posted by Inziladun

The Dúnedain of Arnor were able to save many of their posessions from the sack of Fornost by the Witch-king, such as weapons and heirlooms. I don't think it's out of the question for them to have hidden treasure and money also. At any rate, the Witch-king and his men were defeated and driven off permanently, so whatever they had gotten from looting the Dúnedain probably wouldn't have been that difficult to recover. Arnor at one time had been the great kingdom of the North, and they could have still had money left over from those days, enough to sustain a much diminished population.

The Dunedain had the aid of Elrond and Imladris. Besides heirlooms of Arnorion origin, it is more than likely the Dunedain were equipped by the friendly forges of Rivendell (in much the same way the Noldor reforged Narsil into Anduril, sheltered Dunedain chieftains, and went out on joint martial missions). Think about it, without the aid of Elrond over many centuries, the chieftains of the Dunedain would have faded into memory long before the War of the Ring.