What is "ohtar"

Ohtar is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium.

In the story "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields" found in Tolkien's Unfinished Tales, Ohtar was introduced as squire to Isildur, the Gondorian king who cut the ruling ring from the hand of Sauron at the end of the Second Age. A few years later, they were leading a small army of Men when a huge force of Orcs attacked. Isildur saw that they were in great peril, and determined to save one of the great heirlooms of his people — the shards of Isildur's sword. Isildur called Ohtar to his side; Tolkien wrote that Ohtar "was dear to Isildur and of his own kin," and suggested that Ohtar was not the squire's proper name but "probably only the title of address that Isildur used at this tragic moment, hiding his feelings under formality."

Isildur entrusted Ohtar with the broken sword and said, "Save it from capture by all means that you can find, and at all costs; even at the cost of being held a coward who deserted me. Take your companion with you and flee! Go! I command you!"

Isildur and virtually his entire army were soon wiped out by the Orc horde. The only other survivor was Estelmo, a young squire found "stunned and buried under fallen men," among them Elendur, Aratan, and Ciryon, Isildur's eldest sons.

Ohtar and his (unnamed) companion escaped the Orcs' onslaught, and delivered Isildur's sword to Rivendell, where Elrond fostered Isildur's youngest son Valandil.