The Carnen, also known as the Redwater, was a river in the region of Rhovanion in Middle-earth.
The Carnen originated in the Iron Hills and was east of the Lonely Mountain. It flowed southward before emptying into the River Running, which was about 250 Númenórean miles to the south. This river, in turn, flowed past the land of Dorwinion and into the Sea of Rhûn.
In the War of the Ring, in the year TA 3019, a large force of Easterlings under Sauron's command crossed and forded this river on their way to attack the Dwarf realm of the Lonely Mountain and the Mannish kingdom of Dale.
Etymology
Carnen is a Sindarin name meaning "Redwater", consisting of the words caran ("red") and nen ("water; lake, pool; lesser river").
It is possible that Redwater is a translation of the name for the river in the common tongue.
In adaptations
In The Lord of the Rings Online, the origins of river Carnen can be found in the Ironfold region. It begins as six streams flowing into the Iron Hills from the nearby mountains, all shallow and rust-brown in colour. Across the Iron Hills, the streams eventually join into a single river, which then plummets down through several waterfalls into the area called "the Barding-lands", clearing it of sediment before it flows further to the south.
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Description
Between the time when Thráin I founded the dwarf-kingdom in the Lonely Mountain (in T.A. 1999) and the arrival of Smaug (in 2770) the Northmen living between the Celduin and Carnen grew strong and repelled all enemies from the East. It is possible that this military success was the result of the acquisition of weapons and armour from the Dwarves of Erebor. The area became depopulated after the arrival of the dragon but again filled with Northmen after Smaug's demise.
For a long time Easterlings, which were allied with Sauron threatened the borders of the Kingdom of Dale. On 14 March T.A. 3019, during the War of the Ring an army of these Easterlings host of Sauron crossed the Carnen and drove the forces of King Brand back to Dale. A great battle between the army of the Easterlings and the army of King Brand and their allies the Dwarves of Erebor lasted for three days at the feet of the Erebor. On 17 March T.A. 3019, the Easterlings defeated their opponents and killed King Brand and King Dáin Ironfoot. The surviving men of Dale and Dwarves retreated into the Lonely Mountain and were besieged by the Easterlings. The Easterlings were distressed when they received news that Sauron's army had been defeated in the south. On 27 March T.A. 3019, the defenders of the Lonely Mountain attacked and defeated the Easterlings. The surviving Easterlings feld back to the East and did no longer trouble Dale.