#three houses of the edain

[tenth-sentence]

But few men on the Three Houses of the Edain would give ear to him, not even were they brought to the torment of Angband.

"The Silmarillion" - J.R.R. Tolkien

[melestasflight]

I’m a Russingon girlie at heart and will never miss an opportunity to read into the romanticism of Maedhros’ rescue from Thangorodrim: ancient friends/lovers coming back together, Fingon finding compassion despite betrayal, all that good tear-jerker stuff.

But what makes Fingon’s heroism massive to me has nothing to do with the personal and everything to do with the politics at Mithrim. The fact that had he not gone to Thangorodrim, the Noldor in Beleriand would find themselves at literal war against each other.

This little passage from the Silm really deserves a lot more attention:

No love was there in the hearts of those that followed Fingolfin for the House of Fëanor, for the agony of those that endured the crossing of the Ice had been great, and Fingolfin held the sons the accomplices of their father. Then there was peril of strife between the hosts

Years later, when Fingon decides to look for Maedhros, the conflict between the hosts comes back as a primary reason behind his decision:

Then Fingon the valiant, son of Fingolfin, resolved to heal the feud that divided the Noldor, before their Enemy should be ready for war

This makes me conclude that the three years between Fingolfin’s arrival at Mitrhim (FA 2) to Fingon’s rescue mission (FA 5) must have been a continuous civil crisis. The hosts are in close proximity, a single lake dividing them, Fingolfin on one side, Maglor on the other, and for three years they cannot find a compromise. This crisis must have gotten pretty bad for someone to decide that braving Thangorodrim might be worth it.

And to me, this is Fingon's greatest contribution he ever made, not his battles, not his chasing of dragons, but preventing civil war among his people.

Of all the children of Finwë he is justly most renowned...

Yes, indeed, he is. Because without Fingon’s deed, there would be no victories for the Noldor, no Long Peace, no meeting of the Edain and Eldar. They would have fought each other endlessly until one group obliterated the other, or alternatively, Morgoth used this division (as the book seems to imply) to destroy them all swiftly. 

Fingon effectively accomplishes what Fingolfin and Fëanor never managed: peace, at least for a good while. Maedhros of course contributes in return by giving up the crown. He meets Fingon halfway, and they stay true to this alliance until Fingon’s death. They cross an impossible bridge no matter how you read their relationship. 

I’ll never tire of it. Ever.

[violetumbrellalover]

Haleth of the Haladin 🏹

Haleth was a daughter of Haldad, leader of the Haladin. After her father and twin brother Haldar were slain in an Orc raid, she became chieftain of the Haladin.

The House of Haleth was the second of the three Houses of Edain. The men of this House were descendants of Haldad, but the house was named after Haldad’s daughter Haleth, who led people from East Beleriand to Brethil. They were a reclusive folk, separate from the other Edain and spoke a different language.

[redreyenotarget]

Haleth🗡️

Haleth was the daughter of Haldad, leader of the Haladin (or Halethrim), one of the Three Houses of the Edain..

[glorfindel-of-imladris]

The Case of Erestor Half-elven

It’s been a hot minute since my last fandom meta, but this one I accidentally stumbled upon gathering notes for—would you believe it—a Glorfindel meta I intended to write. Man, I’m not even going to question the process, so let’s just get right on to it!

I like to joke around that there are only six instances when Erestor was mentioned in the entire legendarium, and by this I mean in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion (in which he does not even appear in the latter two). 

But let’s talk about the early draft of him that is often referenced in fandom. If one extends the search, in The Return of Shadow, which details the writing process of what ultimately would be The Fellowship of the Ring, Erestor does get a mention, and is described as follows:

“There were three counsellors of Elrond’s own household: Erestor his kinsman (a man of the same half-elvish folk known as the children of Lúthien), and beside him two elflords of Rivendell.” -- In the House of Elrond, The Return of Shadow 

By the final version of The Lord of the Rings, however, there is no more reference to Erestor as Half-elven. The final published version goes:

"Beside Glorfindel there were several other counsellors of Elrond's household, of whom Erestor was the chief..." -- The Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

By this final version of the story, the Half-elven trait no longer made sense for Erestor, and was replaced instead by him being Elrond's chief counsellor. 

The nature of Half-elves

Tolkien acknowledges three unions of Elves and Men:

“There were three unions of the Eldar and the Edain: Lúthien and Beren; Idril and Tuor; Arwen and Aragorn. By the last the long-sundered branches of the Half-elven were reunited and their line was restored.” –Appendix A, Return of the King

One of the later themes Tolkien came up with surrounding the Half-elven line (which likely did not yet exist at the early stages of the story when he was first forming the fellowship) was how they united and reunited all the houses of the Eldar and the Edain. Beren was a descendant of the three houses of the Edain—the Houses of Bëor, Haleth, and Hador—while Lúthien was the daughter of a Sinda (Teleri) and a Maia. Idril was the daughter of a Ñoldo and a Vanya. Lúthien and Beren had Dior, who then had a daughter, Elwing, who wed Eärendil, the son of Idril and Tuor. Elwing and Eärendil then had Elros and Elrond, and the line was separated for many generations when Elros chose to be counted among Men, and Elrond among Elves. The two lines were reunited with the marriage of Aragorn and Arwen.

One important detail here is that before the “Choice of the Half-elves” that was later gifted to Eärendil, Elwing, and their children, the children born out of an Elf-Man union led lives akin to Men. Dior was able to rule Doriath at age 33, and Eärendil and Elwing married at 22. These, as we know, would have been too young for Elves, given:

“Children of Men might reach their full height while Eldar of the same age were still in the body like to mortals of no more than seven years. Not until their fiftieth year did the Eldar attain the stature and shape in which their lives would afterwards endure, and for some a hundred years would pass before they were full-grown.” -- Laws and Customs of the Eldar, Morgoth’s Ring

and

“The Eldar wedded for the most part in their youth and soon after their fiftieth year […] Those who would afterwards become wedded might choose one another early in youth, even as children (and indeed this happened often in days of peace); but unless they desired soon to be married and were of fitting age, the betrothal awaited the judgment of the parents of either party.” -- Laws and Customs of the Eldar, Morgoth’s Ring

After the events of the War of the Wrath, Eärendil, Elwing, and their sons Elrond and Elros, for their deeds in the war, were gifted with the choice to be counted either among the Eldar or the Edain. Eärendil, Elwing, and Elrond chose to be counted among Elves, and the choice continued on to Elrond’s children: Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir. Elros chose to be counted among Men, but in his case, the choice no longer extended to his descendants; every descendant of Elros was mortal. 

The only thing I can conclude for why Elros’ line did not get to choose is because the Gift of Ilúvatar—that is, a death that transcends the world of Arda—trumps all other gifts. It is a blessing that followed the line of Elros—never mind that the latter Númenóreans did not all agree that this was a blessing at all.

A similar sentiment can be found in earlier versions of the Quenta Silmarillion, where Manwë said to Eärendil:

"Now all those who have the blood of mortal Men, in whatever part, great or small, are mortal, unless other doom be granted to them; but in this matter the power of doom is given to me." -- Quenta Silmarillion, The Lost Road and Other Writings

Although this was no longer included in the published Silmarillion, Christopher Tolkien still considered this in judging that Dior, son of Beren and Lúthien, would have been mortal, regardless of whether Lúthien was Elf or mortal when she begetted him.

Bonus extra: The fourth case of Elf-Man union

Despite the excerpt from Appendix A, there is another case of Elf-Man union that we know: Mithrellas and Imrazôr. This was alluded to in Return of the King when describing Prince Imrahil: 

“...and with him went the Prince of Dol Amroth in his shining mail. For he and his knights still held themselves like lords in whom the race of Númenor ran true. Men that saw them whispered saying: ‘Belike the old tales speak well; there is Elvish blood in the veins of that folk, for the people of Nimrodel dwelt in that land once long ago.’” The Siege of Gondor, Return of the King

Although it seems as though this was only a rumor among Men, in the wider History of Middle-earth, Mithrellas is indeed mentioned to have been the spouse of Imrazôr who bore him children, of whom Galador was the ancestor of the princes of Dol Amroth. Of their line, it was said:

“But though Mithrellas was of the lesser silvan race (and not of the High Elves or the Grey) it was ever held that the house and kin of the Lords of Dol Amroth were noble by blood, as they were fair of face and mind.” The Heirs of Elendil, The Peoples of Middle-earth

The princes of Dol Amroth, of course, are mortal, and this does not contradict anything that has already been established. It is easy to imagine how, in a world where Elves and Men co-exist, there could be many other undocumented cases throughout the years. But what we do know is that no other Half-elf outside of Eärendil’s line would have led a long life by choosing the path of Elves. Therefore, if there were any other Half-elves in the Council of Elrond, aside from Elrond himself, they would have been not much older than Aragorn or Boromir. 

Erestor’s age and role in Rivendell

We now return to Erestor. One of the clearest things in “The Council of Elrond” is the Elves’ reluctance to take the One Ring. Erestor is one of the most vocal about this, and this is one of my favorite themes to explore about his character in the Third Age.

Thematically, Erestor represents the fading of the Elves. He is most known for his quick suggestion to give the Ring to Tom Bombadil. This tells us:

The Elves do not want anything to do with the Ring anymore, a sentiment that would be especially potent for one who was there during the Last Alliance, in the Second Age when Sauron was at the peak of his power; and 

The time of the Elves is ending, and there is little more they can give to Middle-earth.

Granted, Legolas remained a member of the Fellowship and thus represented the Elves, but by Elven standards, Legolas was young, and did not have the weariness that someone older would have. Erestor reads to me as someone older, even older in spirit in comparison to Glorfindel. 

‘We know not for certain,’ answered Elrond sadly. ‘Some hope that the Three Rings, which Sauron has never touched, would then become free, and their rulers might heal the hurts of the world that he has wrought. But maybe when the One has gone, the Three will fail, and many fair things will fade and be forgotten. That is my belief.’ ‘Yet all the Elves are willing to endure this chance,’ said Glorfindel, ‘if by it the power of Sauron may be broken, and the fear of his dominion be taken away for ever.’ ‘Thus we return once more to the destroying of the Ring,’ said Erestor, ‘and yet we come no nearer. What strength have we for the finding of the fire in which it was made? That is the path of despair. Of folly, I would say, if the long wisdom of Elrond did not forbid me.’ -- The Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

Erestor has a weariness to him that is even notable especially beside Glorfindel's vitality, whom we know was reborn in Aman as though young again, with "the primitive innocence and grace of the Eldar" (Peoples of Middle-earth). Glorfindel, however, is a special case even among all Elves in the Third Age, while Erestor arguably would have been more representative of them, at least of the ones that remained in Middle-earth.

Another case to be made about Erestor being one of the oldest in Rivendell is by virtue of his status as chief among Elrond’s counsellors. Considering the population of Elves in Rivendell, this is no small feat. As Gandalf told Frodo:

‘Here in Rivendell there live still some of [Sauron’s] chief foes: the Elven-wise, lords of the Eldar from beyond the furthest seas. They do not fear the Ringwraiths, for those who have dwelt in the Blessed Realm live at once in both worlds, and against both the Seen and the Unseen they have great power. [...] Indeed there is power in Rivendell to withstand the might of Mordor, for a while: and elsewhere other powers still dwell.’ -- Many Meetings, The Fellowship of the Ring

So what is he?

The last quote about the Elf-lords of Rivendell is one of the main reasons why I say Erestor is likely of the Ñoldorin Calaquendi. This makes the most sense given his position in Elrond’s household and given the sorts of Elves that dwell there. Fortunately, this still gives us many options: he could be an Elf from Gondolin, from Nargothrond, even among one of the many houses of the Fëanoryn. 

Could he have been any other kind of Elf? Sure! I even particularly have a soft spot for Erestor being Sindarin, but again, given his position, I would guess one of the older lines. Doriath, in particular, would make sense. Given how Elves seem to be “ranked” by wisdom defined by their exposure to the Valar and the rest of the Ainur, Doriath, with Melian’s influence, would have been a special kind of place. 

Could Erestor still be Half-elven? My easiest answer would be that it’s unlikely. But! Do not despair! With fiction, really anything is possible. Erestor could be an exceptional Half-elf and that is why he is chief counsellor. He could still be a kindred of Elrond’s by some obscure line, such as an unrecorded child in the line of Beren and Lúthien, or as a popular fanon, either Eluréd or Elurín survived. Or he could just be the son of some other Elf and Man. But whatever version it is, Erestor Half-elven would not have had the choice of the Half-elves, and so likely would not have been alive beyond the lifetime of a Númenórean.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Doing Silmarillion Daily has made me notice more about the Edain, and wow, some of the lesser-noticed characters had incredibly hard lives once you put the pieces together.

Take Galdor and Hareth, the father and mother of Húrin and Huor. They get married in Brethil (Hareth’s home), in a big double wedding (Galdor’s older sister and Hareth’s older brother also marry each other), at an incredibly young age - they’re nineteen and sixteen respectively, though they don’t have kids until they’re in their twenties. Hareth has to move to Hithlum, away from all of her family, while she’s still a teenager. When her kids are still fairly young, she has to send them off to Brethil to be fostered by their uncle according to Haladin custom, so she’s separated from her kids as well as parents and other relatives.

Then, while the boys are in Brethil, the Battle of Sudden Flame happens. The times of relative safety are over. Galdor’s father and his younger brother are both killed. Only a couple years later, they learn that their sons (teenagers, 16 and 13) fought in a battle against orcs and are missing, presumed dead.

A year later their sons return under mysterious circumstances and will say nothing about where they’ve been.

And only three years after that, Galdor is killed in defence of Eithel Sirion, the same place his father and brother died defending, and his son Húrin - only 21 years old - leads the counterattack.

Hareth has now lost her husband, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and spent a year thinking her kids were dead or worse, in addition to having been separated from all the rest of her family since her mid-teens - and her son, barely out of his teens, is now fighting in the same war that took everyone else from her and is called the head of the House of Hador.

And then, nine years later when she’s 51 years old, her father Halmir dies in Brethil, and a year after that comes the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and the occupation of Hithlum, and one of her sons is missing-presumed-dead for the second time in her life and her other son is dead. And after that all the tragedies of Húrin’s family.

Just…ouch that is a lot!

[tolkienmatters]

Thus ended Nirnaeth Arnoediad, as the sun went down beyond the sea. Night fell in Hithlum, and there came a great storm of wind out of the West.

Great was the triumph of Morgoth, and his design was accomplished in a manner after his own heart; for Men took the lives of Men, and betrayed the Eldar, and fear and hatred were aroused among those that should have been united against him. From that day the hearts of the Elves were estranged from Men, save only those of the Three Houses of the Edain.

The aftermath of Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Silmarillion, Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad.

[sillylotrpolls]

(Notes on names and translations below poll. Click the read-more link to see, for example, why "star", "noble", and "silver" were used in options.)

I can't be the only person who thinks "Elf-man" is a terrible name, right? Like, I get it Elrond, your family tree is a giant mess and you're like half elf, three-eighths man, and one-eighth demigod, and everyone you know love naming their kids with the same first letters as their own name (thanks for that, Tolkien, I just love trying to keep all those Fi- names in the Silm straight), but maybe you could have broken with tradition and given your boys slightly nicer names? It's not like it's Latin, either, where most people have forgotten what the words actually mean; this is your everyday language here.

At least Elrond and Celebrían wised up by the time Arwen came along, though "Noble Maiden" still isn't very creative. I think Elves just might have something to learn from Mormons in this case.

Pictured: definitely not Jolkien Rolkien Rolkien Tolkien.

Anyway, translations for Elrond's family's names and where I got the names for the poll choices after the cut:

Elladan and Elrohir (Elrond's twin sons)

The name Elladan is Sindarin for "Elf-Man" or "Elf-Dúnadan," referring to his dual descent from both Elves and Edain (a name given to those descending from the three houses of Men from Beleriand).[15] It comes from the words el ("elf or star") and adan, singular of Edain.[16] On the other hand, Elrohir means "Elf-knight", but rochir also means "horse-lord".

Elrond (Elrond)

Elrond is a Sindarin name that means "Star-dome" or "Elf of the cave", from el ("Elf" or "star", interchangeably) and rond ("cave, vault").[17][18][19]

Celebrían (Elrond's wife)

The name Celebrían means "Silver queen"[6], from the Sindarin words celeb ("silver") and rían ("queen").[7]

Arwen (Elrond's daughter)

The name Arwen means "Noble maiden", from Sindarin ar(a) ("royal, noble") and wen ("maiden"). Her epessë Undómiel means "Evenstar", from the Quenya Undómë ("evening twilight") and el ("star").

Elros (Elrond's twin brother who chose to be mortal and founded Middle-earth Atlantis and was, for the record, much better at naming children than his brother)

Elros was a Sindarin word that meant "Elf of the spray", from el ("elf" or "star", interchangeably) and ross ("foam, spray").[8][9] The name came from the Quenya word Elerossë.[10]

And while we're all here, epessë:

The epessë or the "after-name" is the third type. The after-name is given later in life, but not necessarily by their kin, as a title of admiration. In some circumstances, the epessë is chosen by the Elf himself or herself. An Elf could be referred to by any of the three, but the epessë typically took preference.

Galadriel is the Sindarin translation of Alatáriel, the latter being the Telerin epessë originally given to her by Celeborn. Galadriel means "Maiden Crowned by a Radiant Garland". The name itself is an epessë: her father-name is Artanis (noble woman) and her mother-name is Nerwen (man-maiden).

The poll choices were created using this Lord of the Rings Elf name generator. I tried to make sure I picked the Sindarin options, in keeping with Elrond's family's clear preference. I primarily used the "meaning" option, but you could also specify "starts with 'el'", "male", and "Sindarin elvish names" to turn up a list of names like Elunaer ("Light blue bridegroom") or Elanorchanar ("Star sun flower brother").

Although the generator has obvious limitations due to the nature of Tolkien's conlangs, it's a lot of fun to play with. Just be careful or you'll next find yourself on the Parf Edhellen (Elvish dictionary) and from there it's just a hop skip and a jump until you're in a discord chat trying to figure out how to properly conjugate "knitting" or something.

Finally, just because I have always loved this paragraph, a quote from Bigger Things by Blossomwitch on Ao3:

Most people had trouble telling the twin sons of Lord Elrond apart. Gimli did not share this problem. True, they were very similar physically, but to Gimli the difference was plain. The one hanging all over Legolas like the Mirkwood Prince somehow belonged to him was Elladan; the one with enough sense to keep his paws off other people's elves was Elrohir. Simple enough.

[ettelenethelien]

Trying to write something...

-----------------------------------------------

It all started with Elros wanting a cavalry. The Edain did not have any larger, or even moderately sized horseback regiment and the lack irked him. Truth be told, there was more of them that did not know how to ride, than those who knew, and there was not enough of the latter among any single people to make up one - but there was plenty enough between the three Houses, and the House of Bor, and the many disparate mortal groups that had wandered into Beleriand at some point or another.

The other indisputable fact is that, among the members of the high command, Elros was The Baby, and the general consensus was that if Elros wanted a cavalry he should have one.

In hindsight, this may have been the begining of a nation.

[swanmaids]

thank you @ethanray for letting me write for your gorgeous @fall-for-tolkien piece young elwing with birds! i hope you like this short drabble sequence. read it on ao3 here.

~

The daughter of Nimloth the White and Dior Eluchíl the Beautiful is born at night under a blaze of stars shining against the silver waters of the Lanthir Lamath. Star-Spray, her mother names her as she rests, for the beauty of it as it lights up her newborn face, each tiny eyelash picked out perfectly in the light. Eyes closed, she curls into her mother’s breast.

The song of the nightingale has scarcely been heard in Beleriand since the departure of Melian. But as the dawn rolls over the horizon, their chorus rings throughout Ossiriand. It seems to say: sister. 

~

Hello, the terns that nest in the soupy marshes at Sirion say to Elwing, we love you.

We love you, say the gulls, as they dive between the painted houses of the Edain. We love you, say the petrels as they make their way overhead to faraway places unseen and unheard of. 

It is a small thing, but it helps, in its way. Elwing is only three, and she is very lonely. She holds her secret kinship with the seabirds of Sirion close to her chest –- like her father’s gem, it is precious, and so it is worth caring for. 

~

“Is it true you can speak to birds?” the boy Eärendil asks her, not long after his arrival at the Havens. 

Elwing shrugs a little. “They speak to me. Sometimes they listen, too.”

“Wow.” He kicks lightly at the sand. “I wish I could do something like that.”

She looks at him, from the corner of her eye. There is an earnestness in his young face that she likes. “I could show you how I call them to me, if you’d like.”

She holds out an arm, whistles, and they watch together, smiling, as the seabirds dive down towards them.

~

Here, the gull tells her. Look. 

Elwing follows it across the sand, to the small tidal pool where it perches. Floating in the water amid the hair-like weeds: a bottle of blue sea-glass stoppered with a cork. She pulls it out, and unrolls the parchment within. 

Elwing, beloved , the letter begins, all is well on the maiden voyage of Vingilot. But I miss you so!

She feels herself begin to smile, and hugs the letter against her breast. The gull rises into the air, its work done, and Elwing’s heart soars with it, high among the stars and the clouds. 

~

The fairy terns hop along the shore in a miniature ballet, while Elwing’s sons watch, enraptured. Friends? One tern asks, shy. Friends. She assures it. 

She pushes her bare toes into the sand as she observes the scene. Sirion is at its best in high summer: the laughter of children ringing along the beach, the shimmer of the sun and the Silmaril against the waves, the migratory birds returning towards the warmer weather. The twins’ father will be home soon, too. 

One brave tern steps onto Elrond’s chubby hand. Another flutters towards Elros. All around them, tender joy takes flight.

[thelordofgifs]

Obscure Tolkien Blorbo: Quarterfinal

Urwen vs Eldacar of Gondor

Urwen:

Also known as Lalaith, she was the elder daughter of Húrin and Morwen and died age three of the Evil Breath from Angband.

MY SWEET LAUGHING DAUGHTER SHE DESERVED SO MUCH BETTER

In response to her death, Hurin says this "Marrer of Middle-earth, would that I might see you face to face, and mar you as my lord Fingolfin did!' His love and subsequent loss of her is definitely a motivator, I think, for his later valiant defiance of Morgoth! So she may have died young but she had a big impact. (I mean if we want to apply the butterfly effect she kinda caused the fall of Nargothrond: motivated Hurin to deny Morgoth, got Turin cursed to give really bad advice about bridges, no more Nargothrond.  How many 3 year olds could claim that? Also more seriously, a lot of the deaths in the Silm are violent and awful. But we little of mundane, quiet deaths from sickness. A young child dying in this way stands out in its more realist tragedy. And it shows the subtler ways Morgoth sowed despair in middle earth and also that he knew the Edain were a threat. The 'evil breath' mostly killed 'the children or the rising youth in the houses of Men.'

Eldacar of Gondor:

The twenty-first King of Gondor, also known as Vinitharya. During his reign the conflict known as the Kin-strife occurred and he was forced from his throne for ten years.

The blorbo of all time actually. He’s the protagonist of one of the most interesting stories in the LoTR appendices, the Kin-strife, and everything about his life story is so fascinating! His father was the crown prince of Gondor and his mother was the princess of Rhovanion so not a Númenorean. As a result all the racist nobles of Gondor made noises about how Eldacar was of “lesser race” and wouldn’t live as long as a “true Dúnadan”. One of the most fascinating examples of fantasy racism in Tolkien’s works imo – the bigotry is awful but the bigots have a shield to hide behind! Obviously their concerns are actually valid because they just don’t want their king to die young! (Their concerns aren’t valid. But I think the worldbuilding here is great.) Anyway Eldacar was born in Rhovanion and given the birth-name Vinitharya, but when he returned to Gondor aged five he was obliged to take up the Quenya name Eldacar, presumably to pacify all the racists in Gondor. He’s the EMBODIMENT of mixed-race/immigrant child trauma my beloved. Eventually his father died and he ascended to the throne of Gondor, but then his shitty second cousin Castamir (all my homies hate Castamir he’s the worst) started the civil war known as the Kin-strife and usurped Eldacar’s throne. Eldacar was forced to flee north to Rhovanion but Castamir captured his eldest son Ornendil and had him cruelly put to death which is SO SAD. But Eldacar, being brave and resourceful and clever and extremely cool, put together an alliance with his mother’s kinsfolk in Rhovanion and after ten years reclaimed his throne, which turned out to be slightly easier than expected because Castamir was The Worst and all his subjects hated him. And Eldacar PERSONALLY fought and killed Castamir HIMSELF and AVENGED HIS SON which is extremely important when you consider all the cringefail elves in the legendarium whose quests for revenge didn’t really go anywhere at all. Then he lived to be 235 proving that all the idiot racists who were worried about his lifespan didn’t have any idea what they were talking about, as is par for the course with racists. Also the Kin-strife itself has such far-reaching consequences for the history of Gondor! The Corsairs of Umbar, Gondor’s long-standing enemies, are actually followers of the descendants of Castamir. And during the Usurpation of Castamir Osgiliath was sacked and burned, leading to the beginning of its decline as Gondor’s greatest city. Even though Eldacar’s story is, to me, ultimately hopeful, it’s also such a fascinating turning point in the history of Gondor. Also ALSO he’s explicitly surrounded by textual ghosts which is really fascinating. His father Valacar has “children” plural – so Eldacar had siblings!! What were they like? How did they react to it all? And his son Aldamir is described as Eldacar’s second son and third child, meaning that he had a daughter too. Who was she?? What happened to her? He’s such a blorbo and there’s so much interesting stuff to dig into around him and he has to win this entire tournament please please please❤️

Quarterfinals masterpost

[tanoraqui]

was trying to think up a succinct way later-Age Elves might say “those who lived in Beleriand for the whole First Age (or until they died)”, hit on “Beleriandrim”, now having a lot of emotions about the “people of Beleriand” (including Ossiriand). How they’re distinct from those who merely came to fight in the War of Wrath. 

How an explicit function of Valinor is that healing from great traumas can be found there, that everyone might fully come home from the long, dark war - but even if they returned easily to the Shire in a way Frodo couldn’t, Merry and Pippin were still changed from their adventures and trials, they still stood taller, laughed louder, and rode at times with swords at their sides; and I can’t imagine Elves are any different. The Beleriandrim, those who fought the long defeat!  There are things the people of far northern Hithlum and far souther Ossiriand have in common which the boldest warrior in the Vanyarin host could never understand, no matter how many orcs and balrogs they personally faced. There are memories shared between bright-eyed kinslayers of Himring, grey-cloaked gardeners of Doriath, and rigging-running sailors of the Falas, and bristle-bearded dwarves of Ered Luin and stubbornly independent Men of Brethil, though none of either mortals are left alive today.

Beleriand! Avari, Returned and finally-sailed, sing of it around their campfires in the distant corners of Valinor’s many forests, and Finrod still-called-Felagund sings of it in his father’s high court in Tirion. They were Doomed and forsaken there (except by Ulmo; always shoutout to our bro Ulmo), but what a wild glory there was in that abandonment! What glorious wildness! They cannot know, those who were only there for 40-odd years of war - not like even those who were born late and so only knew that last war. Only by living in Beleriand, with no hope nor thought of anywhere else - only by tasting every day the faintest acidity of rot in the air, a flavoring like spice in every meal which simply isn’t found in eternal Valinor, and knowing everything more precious for it. Only by turning your face to the cold northern winds that blew dark thoughts into your soul, and laughing. Only by having been there for the heady, in retrospect absurd confidence of the Long Peace - “Save by treason among us, Morgoth could never again burst from the leaguer of the Eldar,” Fingolfin is said to have boasted, and he was wrong, he was so terribly wrong - but it is worth remembering that the treachery and further kinslaying didn’t start until after all were pushed to much greater extremis. They weren’t as strong as they thought they were, but they were united, the staunch Siege-line of the three houses of Finwë’s royal sons - and the Northern Sindar with them, and the newly found and befriended Edain, the Dwarvish trading partners, the Laegrim who shared their tricks for slipping unseen through the land and Círdan’s Falathrim who eventually got the chance to return the favor of sailing to the rescue, and provided refuge unto the end...even a couple Marchwardens of Doriath fought in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad!

Beleriandrim!

[eomerofrohan]

while doing some research for something, I noticed that the One Ring Wiki lists Rivendell's population as only Noldor, and y'all... no. that could not be farther from the truth.

first of all, Rivendell's founder himself is not just "only Noldor." Elrond is Thingol's heir as well as the heir to all three houses of the Edain. then there's Celebrian, who is half Noldor half Sindar and royalty on both sides. and you cannot convince me that there was not a group of Sindar from Lothlorien who decided to move to Rivendell when Celebrian moved there. she took an entourage with her is what I'm saying. there's a healthy, established Sindarin contingent in Rivendell is what I'm saying.

then of course there's also all of the humans that Elrond adopts/takes in. it's not just Isildur's Heir. Elrond's doors are wide open to all of the Dunedain. I strongly believe that by the end of the Third Age, especially given the amount of time that Elladan and Elrohir spend with them, there should be a decently sized population of Rangers living in Rivendell permanently, with even more of them who filter through on various wanderings and such.

[violetumbrellalover]

⚔️Three Houses of Edain⚔️

A little over three centuries after the Noldor had returned to Middle-earth, Finrod discovered a new people in the glens of the Blue Mountains. These were Men out of the distant East of Middle-earth, the first of their kind to be seen in Beleriand. These Men crossed the mountains as three distinct peoples, but each of these peoples became allies of the Elves in the Wars of Beleriand. The name Edain became associated with these friends of the Elves, and their leaders gave rise to three houses: those of Bëor, Haleth and Hador.

House of Bëor

Bëor was the first of Men to cross the Blue Mountains into Beleriand, and his house is thus considered the first of the houses of the Edain. Bëor himself became a vassal of Finrod, and many of his descendants also served the Elves. Later generations of this house held the land of Dorthonion, until it was lost to Morgoth in the Dagor Bragollach. The greatest of the heroes of the House of Bëor was Beren, who escaped from Dorthonion and captured a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown.

House of Haleth

The people known as the Haladin spoke their own language, alien to that of the other Edain. They were the second house of Men to cross the Mountains, and settled for a while in the southern part of Dor Caranthir. Faced with a sudden assault by Orcs, they united under a leader named Haldad, but he was slain defending his people. His daughter Haleth, from whom this house took its name, led the survivors into the west, until they reached the Forest of Brethil, where they settled. This house of the Edain is noted for their friendship with the Drúedain, with whom they shared their forest home.

House of Hador

The Third House of the Edain derived from the followers of Marach, who led his people across the Blue Mountains soon after the other houses. The Men of this House built a strong alliance with Fingolfin's people in Hithlum. Indeed, Marach's great-great-grandson Hador was made Lord of Dor-lómin by the High King of the Noldor, thus giving his name to this renowned House. Among Hador's famous descendants were Húrin and Huor, Túrin and Tuor, and Eärendil the Mariner.

“Do you forget to whom you speak? Such things you spoke long ago to our fathers; but we escaped from your shadow. And now we have knowledge of you, for we have looked on the faces that have seen the Light, and heard the voices that have spoken with Manwe."

~ Húrin Thalion in The Children of Húrin, "The Words of Húrin and Morgoth"

[outofangband]

🪼 for Edain who remained in East Beleriand, after the Three Houses left for their separate regions?

From this world building ask here!

🪼society, planning hierarchy or roles

These are a collection of fairly random thoughts, I made this world building ask game with the intention to be inspirational rather than strictly adhering to the proms, which is why the collections of words are so big, so I hope this is OK!

So I headcanon that both the houses of Bëor and Hador were seminomadic or more specifically consisted of seminomadic and non-nomadic populations. I’ve talked about it most frequently with the house of Marach, and with how the semi nomadic populations traveled with their horses, and how this was a central aspect of their culture. I bring this up because I think the humans in Eastern Beleriand had a similar structure of nomadic and non nomadic populations. 

There were small settlements in the Ered Luin and in parts of Ossiriand including ones that evolved from small healing camps that were first erected to aid those in groups that became one of the three later houses, but who fell ill or were injured on the journey.

These people were primarily herders, keeping sheep, goats and donkeys*. The Ered Luin contains a wealth of natural resources in clouding, mineral and metal deposits, clay, variety of herbs, and plants and many rivers. Ceramic art, fishing with the use of nets made from reeds and willow fiber, knit wear and masonry developed as crafts that would both serve and innovate their societies, as well as playing important role in their trade.

 There were several populations in this region who engaged in trade with each other, as well as with other groups, but also maintained fairly distinctive cultures, just as the later three houses did as well. I imagine they spoke an earlier form of Taliska, more similar to the first human languages of the East, rather than the Taliska languages spoken by the Hadorians and Bëorians which were related but distinct

Governance varies among the populations; some have family led governance with inherited power, others have more practical or informal structures, or more elaborate governance like the Haladin did (see the Wanderings of Húrin!!)

*donkeys were more equipped for the mountainous terrain , and I headcanon that the house of Bëor had donkeys before that horses 

[silmarillion-dnd]

Men:

Masterlist

Bëorians: 

About: Also known as the house of Bëor and the first house of the Edain. Bëorians are said to be easier to pity than laughter and are crafty and quick in learning folk. They were known for being steadfast and serious. Their main alliance is with the people of Finarfin. They speak Sindarin (common) and Taliska, the language of the houses of Bëor and Hador.

Description: The Bëorians are described as having brown or dark hair, grey or brown eyes, and alikeness to the Noldor in look, and a broad build. Their skin was said to be pale to swarthy (light or dark).

Haladin:

About: The Haladin´s, also known as the house of Haleth, the second house of the Edain, are resident in Thargelion, and Brethil. They prefer to fight with axes, and are a strongheaded folk, known for their stubbornness.  They prefer fighting in forested areas and are known as the best group of Edain to fight in the forest, and they were said to have a custom specifically training of war in forests. They prefer not to associate with others outside of their own people and both Orcs, Edains, and elvers tend to keep away from them. Their customs and traditions seemed strange to both other Edains and elvers alike. They were known for being traditional folk who were secretive and hostile about adopting new things and costumes, and few of them were said to marry. They speak Sindarin (common) and Halethian, their own language.

Description: The Haladin is one of the small Edain clans in height, they were described as looking a bit like the Bëorians which means they probably have brown and dark hair and grey eyes.

Hadorians:

About: The Hadorians, house of Hador, is the first house of the Edain. They are the tallest clan of the Edain and are sometimes taller than the Eldar, they are also known for being quick to anger yet still generous and quick to laughter. They are the largest house of the Edain.

Description: The Hadorians are the tallest people of the three houses of the Edain, and are known for their mostly golden, few were said to have brown, hair, fair (light) skin, and blue eyes. They are said to be built for enduring cold and distances (nomadic (not sure what´s meant by this)) life. They speak Sindarin (common) and Taliska, the language of the houses of Bëor and Hador.

Beornings:

About: Beornings are the only playable changeling that can change into the shape of a bear, they can speak to animals, and prefer to live in mountains or forests up north. They enjoy the wild nature more than any city. They are descendants of the Northmen of the Edain, Éothéod, descending from the Haladin. Beorings are distrusting of everyone but their rivals are mainly orcs, but they bear a bigger distrust of Dwarves more than others, for presumed greed and the praise they give to metal. They speak Sindarin (common) and Taliska (language of the house of Bëor and Hador). Beornings are great bakers and start out with a package of honey-cakes, which they are famous for.

Description: Beornings have bearlike features and are bigger than other humans. They tend to wear raw materials, mainly wool, clothes, and fur, and keep away from any form of metal jewelry as they have seen what greed does to people.

Drúedain:

About: The Drúedain was said to be the most pure hearted of all the Edain, yet they suffered under the ignorance and persecution of others when they saw the Drúedain. They are known for their phenomenal tracking skills, knowledge about plants, and their enchanted wood and stone carvings which they used to practice their spells and charms (rune magic). They are said to be in temperament to a Hobbit but can be ruthless and grim if needed, less than Dwarves. They used caves in the mountains as storehouses which they also used for sleeping in the winter where they hibernate. These places were seen as secret and even the Haladin, who is the only known other group who communicated with them, who they were great friends, although not allowed to know their location. Otherwise, they live a nomadic lifestyle in tents and makeshift shelters of trees. The Drúedain used poisoned darts and arrows as weapons, and mainly lived off eating all kinds of fungi, which they knew how to prepare safely and passed the knowledge on to the Haladin. They, sometimes, speak Sindarin (common) and Drúadan (their own language). You get + knowledge of plants and can only play as good, you also start knowing 2 rune spells.

Description: Their appearance was said to be unlovely (according to the Eldar), and their height of 4 feet, wide faces with low deep sat eyes, heavy brows, broad flat noses, and wide mouths let people believe they were savages and beats.

Easterlings:

About: Easterlings, the largest population of Edains, are known as a headstrong folk who came from the East with different cultures and backgrounds. Some of them were early corrupted by Morgoth while others thought with the Elvers and the rest stayed in the east. They inhabit Rhún, all lands East, Rhovanion, March of Maedhros, and Hithlum. Tspeak Sindarin (common) and all the languages spoken in the east. 

Description: They are said to have dark hair and skin.

Forodwaith:

About: Almost nothing is known about the Forodwaith as they usually kept to themself, only that they lived far Noth and might have been the oldest of the Edains according to some sources. They preferred living in icy areas, some even close to Angband, and the most common land they lived on was called Forodwaith after the people. Forofwaith means people of the North in Sindarin. Nothing is said about their language but they presumably have their own and they probably speak Sindarin.

Description: They are described as being hardy people, they were said to be described by Vikings, and in some drafts and letters about Ælfwine Tolkien refers to them as Vikings, which means they presumably looked something alike to the Scandinavian people.

Pros: Huamans are not restricted to any class, although some classes make more sense when you choose your origin. They have + 1 for their Array in the first round of a fight. Humans have alliances with all the other races which means that everyone around you is less hostile and usually have a friendly approach to you, which also makes it easier for you to disguise yourself when moving on to enemy territory.

Cons: Depending on your origin others might be mistrust of you depending on where you are.