Beorn the skin-changer was unique among the creatures of Middle-Earth.  He had the ability to change from a man into a bear, and thus all bears were under his command.  The Vales of Anduin were not only his home but also the meeting places of all bears.  The Vales are located between the Misty Mountains and the Mirkwood forest.  Not much is known about Beorn, except that he helped defeat the goblins in the Battle of Five Armies.  He fought fiercely, and killed Bolg the leader of the goblin army.  Not long after the Battle, Beorn could again be found in his home, protecting his animal friends. 

            Now the one thing in Middle-Earth that Beorn hated above all else were the goblins of the mountains.  He spent much of his time killing goblins that strayed into his domain and threatened his animal friends and the people that lived south of him.  For this purpose he recruited the help of other bears in the area, and they held secret meetings at night outside of his house planning how to destroy the goblins.  Not long after Bilbo Baggins, a humble Hobbit who fought in the Battle of Five Armies, visited him on his journey home, this calling became very important.  A son named Grimbeorn was born to him.  We are not sure who gave birth to this son, but we do know that he was very important to Beorn.

            Beorn resolved that he was going to kill all goblins, thereby providing a safe and peaceful world for his son to grow up in.  He called a great council of all bears, beasts, and men willing to risk their lives for the protection of Middle-Earth.  Many came to this meeting and they decided to set up a front between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood forest.  This front would be located slightly north of Beorn’s house at the Carrock, a rock in the middle of the river Anduin.  Forts were set up and manned by a combination of those present at the meeting.      

           Beorn also held council with Gandalf the wizard and the elves of Lorien.  He wished to obtain help, because his efforts would also be protecting their lands south of him.  A few elves were sent as scouts to discover the whereabouts of the goblin hordes, and the road they were taking to Mordor.  They discovered that the goblins were traveling south though new tunnels they had delved, and exiting south of his front.  To help with this, Gandalf recruited help from the Stone Giants that lived in the Misty Mountains.  These giants blocked up the southern exits of the tunnels, therefore, forcing the goblins to exit north of the front. 

            This was exactly what Beorn was hopping would happen.  He prepared his diverse army for a war with the goblins.  Beorn’s army ambushed the goblins on their trek towards Mordor, killing all that tried to pass through his fronts.  Soon the goblins dug new tunnels around Beorn’s front, but the Stone Giants also closed these up.  This battle was very successful, but Beorn suffered many losses among his ranks.  He mourned their loss, but it only strengthened his resolve to rid Middle-Earth of the goblin threat.  He was a great help to those that warred against the evils of Sauron south of him. 

            His war lasted many years, repeating the process of killing the goblins and trapping them into their tunnels until no goblins dared to leave the Misty Mountains.  Slowly they starved to death and cannibalized their ranks, thereby ridding the Vales of Anduin from the goblin threat.  After this, Beorn returned home to raise his son in the ways of a skin-changer and prepare him to be the next leader of the bears.  His son, Grimbeorn, went on to rule not only the creatures, but also the men of the Vales of Anduin.  He was recorded as being one of the three longest living men of all time, and ruled his people through a time of great peace and prosperity.                 

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