The youngest son of Denthor, Steward of Gondor, Faramir ever walks in the long shadow of his older brother Boromir. Though Faramir's heart is noble and his valour as great as any man's, his father sees it not, and counts him little more than a pale reflection of his fallen brother. When Boromir fails to return from Rivendell whence Denethor had sent him, Faramir takes up the charge of defending the borders of their land from the irrepressible advance of Sauron's forces, but to little avail. For by this time the might of Mordor had grown great indeed, and war descends upon Gondor like an unstoppable storm.