Anartil was born in the year 2989 of the Third Age. His father, Beregilthor, is a citadel guard from the white city and his mother, Uiloniell, a herbalist who hails from Ithilien heritage. Her family fled to Osgiliath after Ithilien fell to the Uruks of Mordor in 2901. She ended up settling with Beregilthor in Minas Tirith where she gave birth to their son.

Meanwhile the rangers of Henneth Annûn guarded the road to the Black Gate and waylaid the forces of the enemy wherever they could, but they would never succeed in freeing the woods of Ithilien from Sauron's influence, not until Sauron was destroyed. In those days Denethor still sent out reinforcements from Osgiliath and Minas Tirith to try and gain a foothold in the woods, but to no avail. It was here that Anartil met Haladir, one of the rangers who answered to Faramir, son of Denethor. They became great friends, though they rarely saw each other.

When Sauron moved his forces against the ruins of Osgiliath to test the strength of Gondor, Anartil was amongst the reinforcements from Minas Tirith that were sent to aid in its defence. Boromir led their company and met up with his brother Faramir. Anartil and Haladir fought alongside each other, but the strength of Mordor was overwhelming and the battle turned sour. Surrounded by orcs, chilled by the presence of the nine riders and cut off from the others, Anartil fled the scene and he swam across the Anduin to safety.

Upon his return to the white city, he was banished by Lord Denethor who deemed him a deserter - though his sons had in fact retreated from battle themselves. Haladir was amongst the only survivors who returned with Faramir and upon hearing of his friend's banishment he tried to persuade him to plea for mercy and ask leave to join the rangers in Ithilien so that he may yet continue to serve Gondor, but Anartil refused. His mother Uiloniell was heartbroken and she would have joined him in his banishment if Anartil had let her do so. Beregilthor, his father, merely stared at him as he was guided away by some of the guard and bid him farewell with no words uttered.

Saying goodbye to his family and to the city he loved he travelled through Gondor on his search for a new place to call home. He stayed in Belfalas for a short time to earn some coin by working in the harbour. After he had gathered enough gold he bought a horse and left Gondor for Eriador. There he found the rangers of the north at Sarn Ford and they thought him strong and honourable and they took him in - not condemning his desertion but thinking it wise.

Not long after, the Nazgûl returned and attacked the rangers at Sarn Ford. Anartil was cut down and suffered from Black Breath for weeks on end. The rangers who escaped bared his body as far as Esteldín where he was cured of the Nazgûl's blight by the use of kingsfoil. Staying with the rangers he learned of the evil in the north and times when the Witchking still resided within the nearby fortress of Fornost. Still striken by fear for the nine he had nightmares of their appearance and always woke up sweating and shaking. One night he was having such a dream when he heard the faint barking of a dog in the background and the shadows of his nightmare vanished as he woke up to the sight of a dog next to his bed. No one knew where the dog came from but Anartil became his master and he called him Fornôl as the dog had appeared as if from his dream.

Today he is biding his time until he can regain his honour and perhaps return south to Gondor and Minas Tirith. It so happens that the rangers may have found him the perfect opportunity.