Gobennas Na' Ennor (History of Middle Earth)

[Abiadan]

Story of Earendil, Part I -- this has some background info that puts the story into context. for that reason, this will be a several-day process, as i don't wish to sit and relate the entire story in one sitting, and cutting it up into little snippets might make it easier for members to read.

Earendil was the son of Tuor and Idril, and born in Gondolin during the First Age before its fall. Earendil lived at the court of Gondolin, the Hidden City, until he was 7 years old. In FA 510, Morgoth found Gondolin and utterly destroyed it. Earendil and his parents along with a remnant of the Gondolindrim escaped Morgoth's hordes, heading south along the Vales of Sirion where they were protected by the power of Ulmo that still ran in the river.

Arriving in Nan-tathren (Land of the Willows), the survivors of Gondolin stayed for a while. From Nan-tathren, Tuor and Idril led their son and people further south to the Mouths of Sirion joining with Elwing and other survivors of the Ruin of Doriath. There they settled on the shores of the sea.

(P.S. plz note that if u have any questions about any of the names/locations/happenings in this story plz send me an in-game mail with the question(s), or post it here and i will put them on a list for future posting.)

[Abiadan]

Earendil, FA 511 - 538

The Golondrim were basically taken in by the elves on the nearby Isle of Balar. Cirdan the Shipwright took Earendil as an apprentice and taught him shipbuilding and navigation.

In 525 Earendil married Elwing, uniting the royal houses of Gondolin and Doriath. At this time Tuor and Idril decided to leave Middle Earth. Idril gave Earendil the Elessar, made by Celebrimbor, and then left with her husband Tuor on his great ship Earrame. It is believed that they sailed for Aman never to be seen again in Middle Earth. Tuor is said to have been accepted into Aman as one of the Firstborn, a gift never given to any other of the race of Man.

Earendil became the lord of the people at the Mouths of Sirion when his mother and father sailed for the lands of the Valar. In 532 he became father to twins: Elrond and Elros.

With the help of his friend Círdan, he began building a ship of his own, using wood from the birches of Nimbrethil. He named that ship Vingilot, 'Foam-flower', and aboard it he set out to voyage the Western Sea.

[Abiadan]

Taking three friends, Falathar, Erellont and Aerandir, Eärendil left Middle-earth to sail the Great Sea and find a way, if he could, to Valinor in the West. According to one historical source Eärendil encountered, and slew, the monstrous spider Ungoliant.

Long before, the Valar had hidden their land from seafarers, and Eärendil could find no way past the Enchanted Isles and the Shadowy Seas that blocked the way westwards. Giving up, he turned around and sailed towards his home in Middle-earth.

One night, as Eärendil stood at the Vingilot's helm, he saw a great white bird bearing a light that shone as brightly as a star. The bird landed on the deck of his ship, but in the morning he discovered that the bird was Elwing his wife with a Silmaril. The Sons of Fëanor had attacked the Mouths of Sirion to take the jewel per their Oath, and Elwing had thrown herself into the Sea with it. Ulmo changed her into the form a white bird, enabling her to reach Eärendil out on the ocean.

With his home gone, Eärendil turned back around to the West. Putting the Silmaril in a circlet on his head, he found that it shone more brightly as Vingilot passed further westward. After four years of searching, through the power of the Silmaril, Eärendil found his way to the coasts of Aman. He left his crew aboard the ship to avoid any punishment he might incur by setting foot in the Blessed Realm, but Elwing would not remain behind, and followed him ashore.

Leaving Elwing to wander the shore, Eärendil entered the Pass of Light and reached the city of Tirion, but the city was empty of people. At last he turned away from the city and began his journey back to Vingilot, but at that moment he was hailed by a figure on the hill of Túna: Eönwë the herald of Manwë, who summoned Eärendil to stand before the Valar.

[Abiadan]

The Judgement of the Valar and the War of Wrath

The Valar heard Eärendil's plea, and agreed to send aid to Middle-earth. They also judged Eärendil himself and Elwing his wife. Being descended from both Elves and Men, they were required to choose one of the two kindreds. Elwing elected to be counted among the Firstborn, and Eärendil followed her choice. The same choice was granted to all of their descendants, thus giving rise to the so-called Half-elven in Middle-earth, though neither Eärendil nor Elwing were permitted to set foot again in mortal lands.

Eärendil's companions were returned to Middle-earth, and his vessel Vingilot was carried through Valinor and transformed by the Valar. Aboard his shining ship Eärendil set out into the airs that surrounded Arda with the Silmaril shimmering on his brow. His light was visible even from Middle-earth, and as he voyaged the skies of the distant West he became the Evening Star. When that shining star was first glimpsed from Mortal Lands, those who saw it gave it the name Gil-Estel, the Star of High Hope, as a sign that the Valar remembered their plight.

The hopes raised by the Star were fulfilled. The Valar sent an overwhelming host into Middle-earth under the leadership of Eönwë, a force so great that even Morgoth could not hope withstand its assault. There followed the War of Wrath, a conflict lasting more than forty years that broke the land itself, but at its end Morgoth was captured by the force of the Valar and thrust into the Void. Eärendil played his part in this victory: sailing through the airs he joined battle with the great Dragon Ancalagon, and slew him.

[Abiadan]

The Legacy of Eärendil

After the War of Wrath, Eärendil and Elwing remained in the West, but their twin sons Elrond and Elros still lived in Middle-earth. They were also given the choice of their father and mother, whether to be counted among Elves or Men.

Elrond elected to be considered one of the Firstborn, and after the War he remained for a time in Lindon with High King Gil-galad. During the War of the Elves and Sauron he founded a refuge at Imladris, better known as Rivendell, and there he bore the Blue Ring Vilya until the end of the Third Age.

Elros took a different path, choosing to be considered a Man, and he became the lord of the surviving Edain. As a reward for their part in the conflict with Morgoth, these Edain were granted a new land, a Land of Gift across the Great Sea, and Elros became their first King, taking the name Tar-Minyatur. He enjoyed an extraordinary lifespan of five hundred years, and from him sprang the line of Kings of Númenor. Elendil was also a descendant of Elros, and thus the line of Eärendil continued among the Heirs of Isildur and Anárion, down even to Aragorn and his own descendants.

In the Undying Lands, Eärendil lived on, and could still often be seen by those who remained in Middle-earth: the gleaming of the Silmaril on his brow shone in the West as the Evening Star. Some of that light was captured in a phial by Galadriel, and given as a gift to Frodo Baggins as he passed through her land; without the light in that Star-glass, Frodo would not have succeeded in the Quest of Mount Doom. So, Eärendil still had a vital (if indirect) part to play in history, even at the end of the Third Age.

[Abiadan]

Ainur means "Holy Ones", and they were the first creations of Eru, or Iluvatar. They helped create Arda through the Music of the Ainur. Many of the Ainur came to Arda to guide and order its growth; of these there were fifteen more powerful than the rest. Fourteen of these great Ainur became the Valar, or Powers of Arda. The fifteenth, Melkor, chose chaos and death over light and life, and became the first Dark Lord. The many lesser Ainur that accompanied the Valar into Arda are known as Maiar. The Ainur came to Arda to prepare it for the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar, or the Elves and Men. (For those dorfzez reading this and wondering why that race is not mentioned in this narrative, make note: Iluvatar did NOT create the race of the Dwarves. They are the children of Aule, one of the Aratar, and Iluvatar would not allow them to have life until Elves and Men had entered the world first. Thus, the Dwarfs are not considered to be of the Children of Iluvatar for this reason.)

The Ainur were the first and mightiest creations of Ilúvatar before the beginning of the World. The Ainur were the offspring of Ilúvatar's thought, and each was given understanding only of that part of the mind of Ilúvatar from which he or she came. The exception to this was Melkor, the greatest of the Ainur, who had a part of the gifts of all the others. Melkor is at the least the equal of Manwe in power and gifts, and may well exceed him in ultimate power.

Those Ainur who entered the World at its beginning remain bound to it until its end. Though Melkor was eventually thrown into the Void by the others, he is prophesied to return before the end. Little is known of the ultimate future of the Ainur, even by themselves, but it is said that, after the great battle at the end of the World, they will make a Second, even greater, Music with the Children of Ilúvatar.

Among the many Ainur that entered the World long ago, there was one of the order of the Maiar named Melian. Alone of all the Ainur, she married one of the Children of Ilúvatar, King Elu Thingol of Doriath. From this marriage, the heritage of the Ainur entered the bloodlines of the Elves and Men, and was still present at the time of the War of the Ring. Elrond was Melian's great-great-grandson. Aragorn is also her descendant, though through many more generations than Elrond.

[Abiadan]

The history of Middle Earth is as complex as that of our own world. The background history that brings about the presence of the Elves in Middle Earth, the rise and fall of Westernesse, the creation of the One Ring, the rise of Sauron as the preeminent threat to all that is good in Middle Earth, the repeated destructions and reshaping of the lands of Middle Earth....it provides for a huge question: how do i continue this effort on my part to provide what I view as a fascinating part of this game that is rarely touched on by the developers?

So, what i've decided is I am going to start at the beginning; which is y my last post dealt with the Ainur. I won't go so far back as to dwell on the Age of the Trees, etc -- but, I think starting with the creation of the elves, their awakening, Doriath, Gondolin, Eru Thingol and his marriage to Melian, The Oath by Feanor, the Kinslaying -- all of this sets the stage over the eons for the Lord of the Rings story line.

Now, i COULD branch out and explain all the references of such cities/kingdoms as Doriath, Gondolin, Mithrond, Tuna, etc as i post up my periodic history items but that would create a very meandering story line for u all to follow and imo would create more confusion than help. The best thing i can do is to again stress that if u have any questions about any of this please post them. I will answer specific posts as they are put up.

I hope that those of u that do come out here and read these entries are finding them entertaining, informative, and helpful.

Thank you to those that enjoy this stuff along with one of the biggest Tolkien nerds in the game.

[Abiadan]

I am starting with Melkor, possibly the greatest of the Valar, and the one individual from the beginning of Time to now (thru Sauron) most responsible for all of the death, chaos, destruction, and marring of the beauty of what could have been.

Said to be the mightiest dweller in Arda, Melkor was of the Valar and equal in power to Manwë himself, being created by Ilúvatar as Manwe's brother. While the Valar descended into Arda to bring order, justice, light, and beauty, Melkor wanted power for himself. Everything he did was for the sole purpose of bending all things to his own will.

All that the Valar made, Melkor looked to destroy; long before the Elves awoke, he threw down the Lamps of the Valar, destroying their dwelling in Almaren. They removed to Valinor, and fearing for the coming Elves, made war on Melkor and imprisoned him for three ages. By the time he was released, the Elves had come to Valinor; Melkor turned back to his evil ways; slaying Finwë and stealing the Silmarils, he destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor and fled back to his ancient fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth.

Almaren

Almaren was the site of the Valar's first major defeat at the hands of Melkor. He launched a surprise attack from his northern fortress of Utumno, which at that time had been newly built.

This is known as the First War, and was fought before the World was fully formed, and before living things had been created. The First War lasted more than 14,000 solar years.

Both the Lamps of the Valar were thrown down and destroyed, and Almaren lay in ruins. Tulkas (last of the Valar to enter Arda, and the strongest and most warlike) confronted Melkor, but Melkor escaped into the dungeons of Utumno (also called Udûn. This is y, if u remember, Gandalf referenced "Udun" when speaking to the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. All Balrogs were the creation of Melkor, and the creature from LoTR was a remnant from this time.).

Tulkas changed the balance of power and with his entry into the conflict brought it to an end. Tulkas led the Valar into Utumno and they were able to force Melkor to flee into the Void. Utumno was reduced to ruins.

After this, the Valar left Middle-earth to seldom return. They founded a new land far away to the west, in Aman, that they called Valinor; a land lit by the fabled light of the Two Trees.


Map of Udun (Utumno)
http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/u/udunvalley.html