Much history is written of them. From an equal kingdom with Gondor, to its partition into three kingdom states of Rhuadur, Cardolan, and Arthedain, to each state's eventual destruction by the sustained pressure from the Witch King of Angmar. With the downfall of Fornost Erain, the capitol of Arthedain, in late 1974 of the Third Age and the loss of King Arvedui in the frozen north, the Dunedain of the North were much weakened, and the remnants of the people became wanderers of the wild of the old lands. But the continuous watch of the Rangers for more than a millennia helped keep the former lands of Arnor as peaceful as possible. Finally, Aragorn returned as the King of both Kingdoms. (All of which was swept under the rug by PJ's fanfic. Anyway, I wont go on my usual rant about that.)
This is about the Dúnedain Rangers after they came into being in 1976 of the Third Age. I believe this is just about everything mentioned about the Dúnedain Rangers of the North in the various books. Let me know if there are some I missed.
"Few now remember them ... yet still some go wandering, sons of forgotten kings walking in loneliness, guarding from evil things folk that are heedless."
-Tom Bombadil … The Fellowship of the Ring- Fog on the Barrow-downs
Rangers - The Dúnedain of the North after the fall of the North Kingdom, secret guardians of Eriador
-Unfinished Tales, index
"…the Dúnedain of the North, ……..a strange people wandering secretly in the wild, and other men knew not their homes nor the purpose of their journeys, and save in Imladris, in the House of Elrond, their ancestry was forgotten.
-Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
When the kingdom ended the Dúnedain passed into the shadows and became a secret and wandering people, and their deeds and labours were seldom sung or recorded. Little is now remembered of them since Elrond departed....
-Lord of the Rings, Appendix A
In the wild lands beyond Bree there were mysterious wanderers. The Bree folk called them Rangers and knew nothing of their origin. They were taller and darker than the Men of Bree and were believed to have strange powers of sight and hearing, and to understand the language of beasts and birds. They roamed at will southwards and eastwards even as far as the Misty Mountains; but they were now few and rarely seen.
-Lord of the Rings, At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
"I have thirty with me." said Halbarad "That is all of our kindred that could be gathered in haste."
-Lord of the Rings, The Passing of the Grey Company
When the Nazgul came to Sarn Ford and tried to enter the Shire:
They came to Sarn Ford and the southernmost borders of the Shire. They found them guarded, for the Rangers barred their way.……some fled northward … Some still dared to bar the ford and held it while the day lasted.
-Unfinished Tales, The Hunt for the Ring
Aragorn speaks of some of their ways:
"There is food in the wild,’ said Strider "berry, root and herb; and I have some skill as a hunter at need."
-Lord of the Rings, A Knife in the Dark
Aragorn is described as such:
He wore high boots of supple leather that fitted him well……A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark green cloth was drawn closely about him……he wore a hood that overshadowed his face;……..a shaggy head flecked with grey, and in a pale, stern face a pair of keen grey eyes.
-Lord of the Rings, Strider
It's mentioned:
Strider was content with a single cloak
-Lord of the Rings, A Knife in the Dark
When when the fellowship left Rivendell:
Aragorn had Anduril, but no other weapon, and he went forth clad only in rusty green and brown, as a Ranger in the wilderness.
-Lord of the Rings, The Ring Goes South
A description of Halbarad's company of Rangers:
A little apart the Rangers sat, silent, in an ordered company, armed with spear and bow and sword. They were clad in cloaks of dark grey, and their hoods were cast now over helm and head. Their horses were strong and of proud bearing, but rough-haired;…….There was no gleam of stone or gold, nor any fair thing in all their gear or harness; nor did their riders bear any badge or token, save only that each cloak was pinned upon the left shoulder by a brooch of silver shaped like a rayed star.
-Lord of the Rings, The Passing of the Grey Company
Rangers looked out for each other in the wild:
’Rangers have been here lately. It is they who left the firewood behind.
-Lord of the Rings, A Knife in the Dark