Nix's Warden
Welcome to Hades
- Location
- United States
Inserted tally
The Silmarillion Quest
- Thread starter Telamon
- Start date
You are ignoring content by this member.
Show ignored content
[X] Durin's Folk
Lore: A Primer On Arda Marred
- Location
- Texas
It has come to my attention that many players have not read the full Silmarillion, or if they have, it has been quite a while since they did so. It's a big book, full of lots of descriptive language, and it may be easy to forget information which may be crucial to the plot. I'm obviously not going to give a full retelling of the Silmarillion, but I'll be putting here a summary of the history of the world before the First Age, and how the current factions came to be.
This is the history of Arda Marred.
Here also is a list of the Valar, their names, their powers, and their dominions:
This is the history of Arda Marred.
In the beginning, there was only Iluvatar, called by the elves Eru, or the One. He was the One before all, the First and the Only. He dwelt in the Timeless Halls for an eternity before creation came to be. In the beginning he created the Ainur, the Great Spirits, with the Flame Imperishable, from which springs life. The Ainur were many without count, and were the first and fairest of the creatures of Creation. All were born of the thought of Iluvatar, and all were created to his utmost will.
Mightiest among these spirits was Melkor, Iluvatar's finest creation in strength and spirit. It is said that Melkor sought most of all to be like his creator, and so wandered in the Void beyond the Timeless Halls, searching for the Flame Imperishable, that he too might Create. Yet he failed, for the Flame was within Eru, and could not be found or taken. And as he wandered alone, the mind of Melkor strayed down strange and terrible paths, and he began to think thoughts yet unthought in all creation.
And so it came to pass that Eru called his Ainur to him, and he taught them to Sing. And in the Timeless Halls before Creation, he led them in a Song, the First Song and the Greatest Song. It was the Music of the Ainur, the Music of Creation. The Themes of the Music were at first perfect and without flaw, and the song was pleasing to Iluvatar. They sang of hills and trees and seas and skies, of a world fair and blessed, of a Creation undimmed by shade of night.
But then Melkor began to weave his own ideas into his song, into his theme, for he wished to increase the part of it that gloried Melkor -- for in all things he sought to be like the creator. And Melkor was mighty among the Ainu, and so many followed him in his song. These strange, discordant notes twisted the Music, changing it forevermore. For Melkor sang of pain and fear and war and woe, of suffering and lamentation, of the fire that burns and the ice that cuts. This was the Discord, the Marring of the Music, and from it sprang all evil that has ever been and shall ever be.
And there was war between the themes of the Ainur -- the turbulence and sorrow of Melkor's song against the beauty and the majesty of the rest of the Ainur. And these themes shook the Timeless Halls to their very roots, and the Firmament shook, and it seemed as if the contest between them might tear the Music apart.
And then Eru stood, and the Music ended all at once, for none, even Melkor, dared sing without his leave.
Then he took his Ainur and showed them what they had sung into Creation: a mighty vision of a world of splendor, of trees and hills and mountains high, of something fair and grand and beautiful. This was the Vision of Iluvatar in the beginning -- this was Arda, and he had created the Ainur, his servants, to help him build it. He explained to them the destiny and the design of the world they had sung into being, and showed unto them all that might come to pass.
But though it had been designed, it had not yet been built. Many of the Ainur volunteered to enter into the World and create it, binding themselves to it until it's ending. The fourteen of these greatest, among whom were Melkor and his brother Manwe, entered into the world and became the Valar, the Powers of Arda. The lesser spirits who followed them became the Maiar, their servants and allies in all things.
So began Arda Marred.
Mightiest among these spirits was Melkor, Iluvatar's finest creation in strength and spirit. It is said that Melkor sought most of all to be like his creator, and so wandered in the Void beyond the Timeless Halls, searching for the Flame Imperishable, that he too might Create. Yet he failed, for the Flame was within Eru, and could not be found or taken. And as he wandered alone, the mind of Melkor strayed down strange and terrible paths, and he began to think thoughts yet unthought in all creation.
And so it came to pass that Eru called his Ainur to him, and he taught them to Sing. And in the Timeless Halls before Creation, he led them in a Song, the First Song and the Greatest Song. It was the Music of the Ainur, the Music of Creation. The Themes of the Music were at first perfect and without flaw, and the song was pleasing to Iluvatar. They sang of hills and trees and seas and skies, of a world fair and blessed, of a Creation undimmed by shade of night.
But then Melkor began to weave his own ideas into his song, into his theme, for he wished to increase the part of it that gloried Melkor -- for in all things he sought to be like the creator. And Melkor was mighty among the Ainu, and so many followed him in his song. These strange, discordant notes twisted the Music, changing it forevermore. For Melkor sang of pain and fear and war and woe, of suffering and lamentation, of the fire that burns and the ice that cuts. This was the Discord, the Marring of the Music, and from it sprang all evil that has ever been and shall ever be.
And there was war between the themes of the Ainur -- the turbulence and sorrow of Melkor's song against the beauty and the majesty of the rest of the Ainur. And these themes shook the Timeless Halls to their very roots, and the Firmament shook, and it seemed as if the contest between them might tear the Music apart.
And then Eru stood, and the Music ended all at once, for none, even Melkor, dared sing without his leave.
Then he took his Ainur and showed them what they had sung into Creation: a mighty vision of a world of splendor, of trees and hills and mountains high, of something fair and grand and beautiful. This was the Vision of Iluvatar in the beginning -- this was Arda, and he had created the Ainur, his servants, to help him build it. He explained to them the destiny and the design of the world they had sung into being, and showed unto them all that might come to pass.
But though it had been designed, it had not yet been built. Many of the Ainur volunteered to enter into the World and create it, binding themselves to it until it's ending. The fourteen of these greatest, among whom were Melkor and his brother Manwe, entered into the world and became the Valar, the Powers of Arda. The lesser spirits who followed them became the Maiar, their servants and allies in all things.
So began Arda Marred.
And so the Valar came down in Flesh into Arda and began the building of the World, that was Arda. Chief among them was Manwë, who shaped the skies and the birds. Great also among their number were mighty Ulmo, who fashioned the seas and the deep waters, and Aulë, the Smith, who made the mountains and the stone and the deeps of earth, and lit the endless fires that burn in the heart of the world. The Valar in the beginning of the world fashioned two great lamps on either end of the earth to light creation, and these were the Great Lamps, from which these days take their name.
But Melkor stood still proud and terrible, and so undid all their works even as they created them. He filled in the valleys and leveled the mountains, boiled up the seas and trampled the hills. Then the Valar came in arms against their brother, and labored against him, and despite his malice, succeeded in shaping whole Arda, though it was not as great as it might have been. And many of the Maiar who had come to Arda began to abandon their duty and follow him. Chief among these was Aule's own greatest servant, a smith called Marion, who learned well Melkor's ways. In after times he was known by mortals as Sauron, the Deceiver, and was the most terrible of the servants of the Shadow.
Then began the Second Marring, for in the Spring of the World, when Arda was clean and whole and fair, Melkor came into Middle-Earth and built a hideous fortress called Utumno in the North. He fouled the fair waters and blackened the green lands, twisting and corrupting all that the Valar had made. Last of all, Melkor the Enemy brought down toppling the titanic Lamps of Light. They fell, and in their fall split the symmetrical surface of the world, splitting it into jagged and twisted shapes. So was Arda, which had been Marred in it's spirit before it began, now Marred physically by the works of Melkor.
The Valar, in their horror, fled with the Maiar over their shattered creation to the Westernmost continent, Aman, which had been least Marred. There they built a shining realm, Valinor, which would be their dwelling ever after.
So ended the First Age of Arda Marred.
But Melkor stood still proud and terrible, and so undid all their works even as they created them. He filled in the valleys and leveled the mountains, boiled up the seas and trampled the hills. Then the Valar came in arms against their brother, and labored against him, and despite his malice, succeeded in shaping whole Arda, though it was not as great as it might have been. And many of the Maiar who had come to Arda began to abandon their duty and follow him. Chief among these was Aule's own greatest servant, a smith called Marion, who learned well Melkor's ways. In after times he was known by mortals as Sauron, the Deceiver, and was the most terrible of the servants of the Shadow.
Then began the Second Marring, for in the Spring of the World, when Arda was clean and whole and fair, Melkor came into Middle-Earth and built a hideous fortress called Utumno in the North. He fouled the fair waters and blackened the green lands, twisting and corrupting all that the Valar had made. Last of all, Melkor the Enemy brought down toppling the titanic Lamps of Light. They fell, and in their fall split the symmetrical surface of the world, splitting it into jagged and twisted shapes. So was Arda, which had been Marred in it's spirit before it began, now Marred physically by the works of Melkor.
The Valar, in their horror, fled with the Maiar over their shattered creation to the Westernmost continent, Aman, which had been least Marred. There they built a shining realm, Valinor, which would be their dwelling ever after.
So ended the First Age of Arda Marred.
So it was that Yavanna Kementari, the Earth Mother and one of the greatest of the Valar, created the Two Trees, Laurelin and Telperion. A part of her went into their making, and they were the finest and greatest of the trees of creation. Their light was brilliant and mighty, and lit all of Valinor. So began the Years of the Trees, and the Count of Time.
For long time there was something like a Peace in Arda. Melkor worked his dark deeds in Utumno, spreading slowly but surely the Shadow. It was in this time that Aule fashioned the Dwarves, and made them like unto him -- firm and strong, stout of spirit and with strength of stone, for he foresaw that they might have to dwell in a World tainted by Melkor. And unknown to him, Eru filled them with the Flame Imperishable, giving to them life. But they were not of the Children of Iluvatar, and not part of the Plan, so Eru decreed that the Dwarves, though first-created, would sleep beneath the Earth until all other races had awoken.
And after many thousands of thousands of years, Orome, the hunter of the Valar, discovered on one of his hunting trips that the Elves, the Firstborn of Iluvatar, had at long last awoken around the shores of Cuivinen in the East of the World. But Melkor had already found them, and set upon them in malice and evil, and ensnared some into the pits of the earth, where he tortured and twisted them from the fair into the terrible. These poor twisted elves were the first of the Orcs, and their vile breed would torment Arda for millennia. And it came to pass that the Valar made war on Melkor for sake of the elves, and tore down Utumno and beat Melkor to his knees, and bound him with the unbreakable chain Aginor, and so brought him in defeat to Valinor.
The Valar summoned the Elves to Valinor, there to dwell eternal with them, and from this offer there sprang the races of the Elves. Some, afraid and seduced by the lies of Melkor and Sauron, refused, and remained in the East. These forever after were called the Avari, or the Refusers, and were the least of the elves -- the Moriquendi, the elves of darkness. The rest accepted, and of these there were three great tribes: The Noldor, the Vanyar, and the Teleri. These were the High Elves, the Eldar, and are called the Calaquendi, the Elves of the Light, for they beheld the Two Trees and walked in Valinor.
For long time there was something like a Peace in Arda. Melkor worked his dark deeds in Utumno, spreading slowly but surely the Shadow. It was in this time that Aule fashioned the Dwarves, and made them like unto him -- firm and strong, stout of spirit and with strength of stone, for he foresaw that they might have to dwell in a World tainted by Melkor. And unknown to him, Eru filled them with the Flame Imperishable, giving to them life. But they were not of the Children of Iluvatar, and not part of the Plan, so Eru decreed that the Dwarves, though first-created, would sleep beneath the Earth until all other races had awoken.
And after many thousands of thousands of years, Orome, the hunter of the Valar, discovered on one of his hunting trips that the Elves, the Firstborn of Iluvatar, had at long last awoken around the shores of Cuivinen in the East of the World. But Melkor had already found them, and set upon them in malice and evil, and ensnared some into the pits of the earth, where he tortured and twisted them from the fair into the terrible. These poor twisted elves were the first of the Orcs, and their vile breed would torment Arda for millennia. And it came to pass that the Valar made war on Melkor for sake of the elves, and tore down Utumno and beat Melkor to his knees, and bound him with the unbreakable chain Aginor, and so brought him in defeat to Valinor.
The Valar summoned the Elves to Valinor, there to dwell eternal with them, and from this offer there sprang the races of the Elves. Some, afraid and seduced by the lies of Melkor and Sauron, refused, and remained in the East. These forever after were called the Avari, or the Refusers, and were the least of the elves -- the Moriquendi, the elves of darkness. The rest accepted, and of these there were three great tribes: The Noldor, the Vanyar, and the Teleri. These were the High Elves, the Eldar, and are called the Calaquendi, the Elves of the Light, for they beheld the Two Trees and walked in Valinor.
In the beginning, the Eldar did not trust Orome or the Valar, so they sent three Elves to Valinor as amassadors to report what they had seen. These ambassadors were the first elves to behold the beauty of the Undying Lands, and so became great above all others, becoming afterwards Kings of their people. Their names were Elwe, Finwe, and Ingwe, and they convinced their people to make the long trek to Valinor, there to dwell forever in the light of the Two Trees.
Most of the Eldar --the Vanyar, the Teleri, and the Noldor-- made the long journey to Valinor safely, but it is said that the Teleri, the greatest group, split in two. For it's leader, Elwe, became lost in the woods of Beleriand, the westernmost continent, and half of his people remained in Middle-Earth to search for him. Elwe's folk became in later days the Sindar, the elves of Middle-Earth, and Elwe their king found in those tangled woods the Maiar Melian, who wed him and became their Queen. And in after days he was called Elwe Singollo, the Greymantle, Elu Thingol in the tongue of the Sindar, and he was the longest-lived and wisest of the Elvenkings.
The rest of the Teleri settled on the very shores of Valinor and ever after looked eastward, awaiting their long-lost king. They became the finest seafarers among the Eldar, and were forever after beloved of Ulmo, Lord of the Waters.
Mightiest of the tribes were the Vanyar, the Golden Elves, the first to awake, who were gold of hair and tall of height, fairest among all the races of the elves. Their king was Ingwe, who dwells still in Valinor, and is called the High King of all the Elves. They did not take part in the treason of the Noldor, and remain still undying in Valinor, fair and hale for-ever until the ending of the World.
But the greatest in song and yore, and most revered and hated in Middle-Earth, are that clan called the Noldor, who of old were the mightiest warriors and smiths among the Eldar, given most to warfare, to creation, and to destruction. They were black of hair and proud of spirit, and their King was Finwe, called Noldoran by his people. Finwe dwelt in Valinor in the city of Tiron on the hill of Tuna, and had to him a wife fair among the elves, called Miriel. And of Finwe and his line, and of the woe they brought, much is told in after days.
Most of the Eldar --the Vanyar, the Teleri, and the Noldor-- made the long journey to Valinor safely, but it is said that the Teleri, the greatest group, split in two. For it's leader, Elwe, became lost in the woods of Beleriand, the westernmost continent, and half of his people remained in Middle-Earth to search for him. Elwe's folk became in later days the Sindar, the elves of Middle-Earth, and Elwe their king found in those tangled woods the Maiar Melian, who wed him and became their Queen. And in after days he was called Elwe Singollo, the Greymantle, Elu Thingol in the tongue of the Sindar, and he was the longest-lived and wisest of the Elvenkings.
The rest of the Teleri settled on the very shores of Valinor and ever after looked eastward, awaiting their long-lost king. They became the finest seafarers among the Eldar, and were forever after beloved of Ulmo, Lord of the Waters.
Mightiest of the tribes were the Vanyar, the Golden Elves, the first to awake, who were gold of hair and tall of height, fairest among all the races of the elves. Their king was Ingwe, who dwells still in Valinor, and is called the High King of all the Elves. They did not take part in the treason of the Noldor, and remain still undying in Valinor, fair and hale for-ever until the ending of the World.
But the greatest in song and yore, and most revered and hated in Middle-Earth, are that clan called the Noldor, who of old were the mightiest warriors and smiths among the Eldar, given most to warfare, to creation, and to destruction. They were black of hair and proud of spirit, and their King was Finwe, called Noldoran by his people. Finwe dwelt in Valinor in the city of Tiron on the hill of Tuna, and had to him a wife fair among the elves, called Miriel. And of Finwe and his line, and of the woe they brought, much is told in after days.
And to Miriel and Finwe there was born a son, the first of that House born in Valinor, and so great was the strength of his spirit that it broke his mother's own to give him life. He burned like a flame, and so, Miriel, even as she despaired of the world, named him in their tongue Fëanáro -- Spirit of Fire. Then she gave up life willingly, becoming the first elf to die.
Her son, Feanor, grew up to be fine of body and great of arm, wise of mind and proud of soul. He was of old the finest and the fairest and the strongest of the Noldor, and perhaps the greatest of the Elves to ever draw breath in Arda. The works of his forge were equaled only by the works of Aule himself, and he was loved by the Valar themselves as the best of the Eldar in Aman. He created Tengwar, the script of the Elves, and developed Quenya, the tongue of the Noldor, and made also many other great inventions and deeds of art, physical and not. But he was fierce and proud in his glory, and of old the only living creature that could change his mind when set upon a course was his father, Finwe.
Finwe remarried, to Feanor's great displeasure, and had two more sons: Fingolfin and Finarfin, who stood only a hair below their elder brother in grace, might, and strength. But Feanor hated them for their birth, and he imagined they desired his throne above all else. And he spurned his father-name, Curufinwe, and called himself forever after by his mother-name, Feanor, and called himself also 'Son of the Þerindë', after his mother's nickname Þerindë, or Needle-woman. And there was strife among the Noldorin.
And it came to pass that in those days Feanor worked his greatest and mightiest work of all, for he laboured long in the forges of Valinor. He poured his soul and spirit and heart into his work, and twisted and wove the living light of the Two Trees into his finest creation -- the Silmarils, the Jewels of Living Light, that are like suns to look upon. He gave of himself to make them, as his mother had given of herself to make him. They shone with an inner beauty and a radiance all their own, and even the Valar were awed to look upon their beauty, and hallowed them, that no evil hand might touch them or defile their light.
And Melkor looked upon them, and desired them.
Her son, Feanor, grew up to be fine of body and great of arm, wise of mind and proud of soul. He was of old the finest and the fairest and the strongest of the Noldor, and perhaps the greatest of the Elves to ever draw breath in Arda. The works of his forge were equaled only by the works of Aule himself, and he was loved by the Valar themselves as the best of the Eldar in Aman. He created Tengwar, the script of the Elves, and developed Quenya, the tongue of the Noldor, and made also many other great inventions and deeds of art, physical and not. But he was fierce and proud in his glory, and of old the only living creature that could change his mind when set upon a course was his father, Finwe.
Finwe remarried, to Feanor's great displeasure, and had two more sons: Fingolfin and Finarfin, who stood only a hair below their elder brother in grace, might, and strength. But Feanor hated them for their birth, and he imagined they desired his throne above all else. And he spurned his father-name, Curufinwe, and called himself forever after by his mother-name, Feanor, and called himself also 'Son of the Þerindë', after his mother's nickname Þerindë, or Needle-woman. And there was strife among the Noldorin.
And it came to pass that in those days Feanor worked his greatest and mightiest work of all, for he laboured long in the forges of Valinor. He poured his soul and spirit and heart into his work, and twisted and wove the living light of the Two Trees into his finest creation -- the Silmarils, the Jewels of Living Light, that are like suns to look upon. He gave of himself to make them, as his mother had given of herself to make him. They shone with an inner beauty and a radiance all their own, and even the Valar were awed to look upon their beauty, and hallowed them, that no evil hand might touch them or defile their light.
And Melkor looked upon them, and desired them.
Of old it was that the Valar were pure and kind and good of heart, and did not understand deceit or deception, for these were the works of the Discord, and creations of Melkor. And so it was that Melkor, long imprisoned in Valinor in the Halls of Mandos, did convince his brother Manwe of his reformation and redemption, and feigned sorrow for his past misdeeds. And his chains were undone, and he was given free run of the Blessed Land. And so began the Doom of All.
Melkor came to Feanor and inflamed his pride and his arrogance. He convinced him that his brothers conspired against him, that the Valar envied him, that all the powers of Valinor desired his Silmarils and his crown. And he sought at last to win from him the Silmarils and his allegiance. But at the last, Feanor perceived his deception, and shut the very doors of his House in Melkor's face, and belittled him as one might a child. For of old the Spirit of Fire, no matter his flaws, would be slave or thrall to no one and no thing, not even a Vala.
And Melkor in his rage made alliance with an unholy creature out of the Outer Dark, a fell monster not of Eru's making: Ungoliant, the First Spider, the Devourer of Light. With her, he assaulted Valinor from within and destroyed the Two Trees, for the second time plunging Arda into shadow. In the darkness that fell over Aman then, he came to the House of Finwe, slew Finwe the King of the Noldor, and stole from his house the Silmarils. His vile evil done, he fled across the sea to Middle-Earth, and established his base of power in black Angband. And he was called by the elves forever after Morgoth Bauglir, the Black Enemy of the World.
At first, there was chaos, but when it was revealed the Trees were dead, the Valar came to Feanor and asked him to lend them the Silmarils, that the living light might be used to restore the Trees. In his pride, he refused, but it is said that he wavered, and might yet have been convinced. But then news arrived of his father's death, and he beheld at last the terrible design of Melkor.
In a rage, he drew his blade high, and with his seven sons swore the most hideous and terrible Oath ever sworn upon the World -- to reclaim the Silmarils at any cost and at any price, to bring death upon any who stood between them and their goal, and to wage war without end against any who, finding or having a Silmaril, witheld it from Feanor and his sons. This Oath they swore on Manwe and Varda, King and Queen of the Valar, on immortal Eru the Allfather, on the Void beyond the World, and on Valinor itself. It was irrevocable, unbreakable, and binding, and tears unnumbered would be wept over it in later days.
Melkor came to Feanor and inflamed his pride and his arrogance. He convinced him that his brothers conspired against him, that the Valar envied him, that all the powers of Valinor desired his Silmarils and his crown. And he sought at last to win from him the Silmarils and his allegiance. But at the last, Feanor perceived his deception, and shut the very doors of his House in Melkor's face, and belittled him as one might a child. For of old the Spirit of Fire, no matter his flaws, would be slave or thrall to no one and no thing, not even a Vala.
And Melkor in his rage made alliance with an unholy creature out of the Outer Dark, a fell monster not of Eru's making: Ungoliant, the First Spider, the Devourer of Light. With her, he assaulted Valinor from within and destroyed the Two Trees, for the second time plunging Arda into shadow. In the darkness that fell over Aman then, he came to the House of Finwe, slew Finwe the King of the Noldor, and stole from his house the Silmarils. His vile evil done, he fled across the sea to Middle-Earth, and established his base of power in black Angband. And he was called by the elves forever after Morgoth Bauglir, the Black Enemy of the World.
At first, there was chaos, but when it was revealed the Trees were dead, the Valar came to Feanor and asked him to lend them the Silmarils, that the living light might be used to restore the Trees. In his pride, he refused, but it is said that he wavered, and might yet have been convinced. But then news arrived of his father's death, and he beheld at last the terrible design of Melkor.
In a rage, he drew his blade high, and with his seven sons swore the most hideous and terrible Oath ever sworn upon the World -- to reclaim the Silmarils at any cost and at any price, to bring death upon any who stood between them and their goal, and to wage war without end against any who, finding or having a Silmaril, witheld it from Feanor and his sons. This Oath they swore on Manwe and Varda, King and Queen of the Valar, on immortal Eru the Allfather, on the Void beyond the World, and on Valinor itself. It was irrevocable, unbreakable, and binding, and tears unnumbered would be wept over it in later days.
And so it came to pass that Feanor and his brothers led their people in a wrath to the shores of Aman, there to sail for Middle-Earth and the Silmarils. On the way, Finarfin, kindest of Finwe's sons, turned back with some of his followers and begged instead forgiveness, and are thus not counted among the Exiled. But Feanor marched to the lands of the Teleri and demanded from them their ships, that he might sail to the East. Percieving something of what had occurred, they denied him, and in a wrath, Feanor committed the first of his terrible acts: the Kinslaying. Elvish sword shed elvish blood on the shores of the Undying Lands, and the defenseless Teleri were butchered.
But Feanor, in his pride, still distrusted his brother. He and his followers took the ships they needed and sailed Eastward, torching the rest that Fingolfin might not follow him. Fingolfin and his followers, among them Finrod and Galadriel, Finarfin's children, were forced to make their own way to Middle-Earth -- by foot, through the frozen wastes to the North of the world, the Helcaraxe, or the Grinding Ice. Fingolfin led the largest part of the Noldor, and many of their number died in that terrible journey. The survivors of that terrible journey would never follow Feanor or one of his sons, and so declared Fingolfin their High King.
And as the Noldor left, Mandos, the grimmest of the Valar and the master of Fates, passed a Doom upon them, terrible and bitter:
"Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentation shall pass over the mountains. On the House of Fëanor the wrath of the Valar lieth from the West unto the uttermost East, and upon all that will follow them it shall be laid also. Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass. The Dispossessed shall they be for ever.
"Ye have spilled the blood of your kindred unrighteously and have stained the land of Aman. For blood ye shall render blood, and beyond Aman ye shall dwell in Death's shadow. For though Eru appointed to you to die not in Eä, and no sickness may assail you, yet slain ye may be, and slain ye shall be: by weapon and by torment and by grief; and your houseless spirits shall come then to Mandos. There long shall ye abide and yearn for your bodies, and find little pity though all whom ye have slain should entreat for you. And those that endure in Middle-earth and come not to Mandos shall grow weary of the world as with a great burden, and shall wane, and become as shadows of regret before the younger race that cometh after. The Valar have spoken."
It is with this Doom hanging about them, and the grim shadow of Morgoth before them, that the Noldor arrive but newly in Middle-Earth, to reclaim their stolen Silmarils and avenge their murdered King. And in far Valinor, the Valar, out of pity, fashion the last Fruit and Flower of the Two Trees into two mighty vessels steered by Maiar, and set these -- the blazing sun and the shining moon -- to rise and set in the heavens above forevermore, to light the wars and woes of Middle-Earth.
So begins the First Age of the Sun, and the Third Age of Arda Marred.
But Feanor, in his pride, still distrusted his brother. He and his followers took the ships they needed and sailed Eastward, torching the rest that Fingolfin might not follow him. Fingolfin and his followers, among them Finrod and Galadriel, Finarfin's children, were forced to make their own way to Middle-Earth -- by foot, through the frozen wastes to the North of the world, the Helcaraxe, or the Grinding Ice. Fingolfin led the largest part of the Noldor, and many of their number died in that terrible journey. The survivors of that terrible journey would never follow Feanor or one of his sons, and so declared Fingolfin their High King.
And as the Noldor left, Mandos, the grimmest of the Valar and the master of Fates, passed a Doom upon them, terrible and bitter:
"Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentation shall pass over the mountains. On the House of Fëanor the wrath of the Valar lieth from the West unto the uttermost East, and upon all that will follow them it shall be laid also. Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass. The Dispossessed shall they be for ever.
"Ye have spilled the blood of your kindred unrighteously and have stained the land of Aman. For blood ye shall render blood, and beyond Aman ye shall dwell in Death's shadow. For though Eru appointed to you to die not in Eä, and no sickness may assail you, yet slain ye may be, and slain ye shall be: by weapon and by torment and by grief; and your houseless spirits shall come then to Mandos. There long shall ye abide and yearn for your bodies, and find little pity though all whom ye have slain should entreat for you. And those that endure in Middle-earth and come not to Mandos shall grow weary of the world as with a great burden, and shall wane, and become as shadows of regret before the younger race that cometh after. The Valar have spoken."
It is with this Doom hanging about them, and the grim shadow of Morgoth before them, that the Noldor arrive but newly in Middle-Earth, to reclaim their stolen Silmarils and avenge their murdered King. And in far Valinor, the Valar, out of pity, fashion the last Fruit and Flower of the Two Trees into two mighty vessels steered by Maiar, and set these -- the blazing sun and the shining moon -- to rise and set in the heavens above forevermore, to light the wars and woes of Middle-Earth.
So begins the First Age of the Sun, and the Third Age of Arda Marred.
Here also is a list of the Valar, their names, their powers, and their dominions:
- Aulë, the Smith. Husband of Yavanna. The shaper of Earth's physical form. He created the Dwarves, and taught both them and the Elves the secrets of smithcraft. Both Sauron and Saruman were his servants of old. He is the lord of Mountain, Stone, and Fire.
- Estë, the Gentle. Irmo's wife. The healer of hurts and weariness, during days she sleeps in the Gardens, and at night tends to the wounds of hearts and flesh. She is the Lady of Healing.
- Irmo, the Master of Visions and Dreams. Brother of Námo and Nienna, husband of Estë. The people of Valinor go to the Gardens of Lórien to rest and find relief from the woes of the world. Gandalf is of his household. Called "Lórien" after his place of dwelling, he was called the lord of Dreams and Stories.
- Manwë, the Elder King. Brother of Melkor and husband of Varda, the King of the Valar and High King of Arda, second only to Eru in authority above mortals. The great Eagles are his emissaries. He is the mightiest being on Arda save for his brother, Melkor. He is the Master of the Heavens, Lord of the Eagles and King of the Winds. He is long in sight, and from his throne in Valinor, sees all that occurs upon Arda.
- Melkor, He Who Arises in Might, the Black Foe, the Betrayer and the Dark Lord. The brother of Manwë, he is longer counted among the Valar for his crimes. He is the source of all evil, the author of the Discord and the Marrer of Arda. The elves hate him above all others, and call him Morgoth, the Enemy of the World. He is the lord of all that is evil or marred in the world, the King of Woe and the Lord of Lies.
- Námo, the Doomsman of the Valar. Brother of Irmo and Nienna, husband of Vairë. He keeps the souls of fallen Elves in the Halls of Mandos, where he passes judgement upon their souls and decides when to reincarnate them into Valinor. The bleakest and most pitiless of the Valar, he spoke the Doom of Mandos upon Fëanor and his sons, that they might never fulfill their oath and recover what was lost before the Sun. Commonly known as "Mandos" after his place of dwelling, he is the speaker of Doom and Fate, and the Lord of the Dead.
- Nessa, the Dancer. Tulkas' spouse. Able to outrun arrows, she is followed forever by a flock of deer who dance with her. Once, she ran the world and danced in the light of the Trees before the fall of Melkor and the dawn of the Sun. She is the most innocent of the Valar. She is least among the Valar.
- Nienna, Lady of Mercy. The sister of Mandos and Lórien. She weeps endlessly for what has been lost and will never be regained, and mourns each and every lost soul upon Arda. She teaches mercy and compassion, and some say she weeps even for Melkor, and what he might have been. Her sphere is not just grief, but the strength and power to endure it, and emerge greater still. She walks the halls of Mandos and counsels the grieving dead.
- Oromë, the Huntsman of the Valar. Vana's husband, and the most terrible of the Valar when driven to wrath. Of old he rode Arda to hunt the beasts of Morgoth, and during one of those hunts found the newly awakened Elves. He is the messenger of the Valar and the most feared by the servants of the Shadow.
- Tulkas, the ever-Valiant. Nessa's husband. The Valar's champion who fights with bare fists and laughs even in battle, who bested Morgoth singlehandedly before the rising of the Sun. He is the Valar of War and strife, and the only one among them who might best Melkor at his height in contest of strength.
- Ulmo, the Lord of All Waters. He lives not in Valinor, but dwells alone in the deepest seas. He is stern, proud, and fearsome, but his heart is filled with compassion for the people of Middle-Earth, even when the other Valar are angered by them and their misdeeds. He is the Lord of all the Seas and Oceans, Master of the Waters of the World.
- Vairë, the Weaver. Námo's wife. She sits in her husband's hall and weaves all of history into her tapestries, spinning out Fate from wool and thread. The Halls of Mandos are filled with the story of the world she weaves, and widen forever to encompass it.
- Varda, the Queen of the Stars, and their maker, who set the Sickle of the Valar in the Years of the Trees when the world was dark, to light the lands of Middle-Earth for the newborn Elves. Manwë's wife. The Elves hold her in special esteem, and call her Elbereth Gilthoniel and Fanulios, Snow-White. She rules at Manwe's side, and hears all that happens in Arda. Together, they rule the world.
- Vána, the Ever-young. The younger sister of Yavanna and wife of Oromë. Wherever she goes birds sing and flowers bloom. She is the fairest of the Valar, and has the beauty of heaven upon her face.
- Yavanna, the Giver of Fruits. Aulë's wife and Vána's sister. The creator of all plants and animals, including the Two Trees, which lit Valinor and now light the heavens. She is mother of the Ents, and is next to Varda in esteem among the Elves, who call her Kementari, Queen of the Earth.
Last edited:
- Location
- India
[X] The House of Bëor
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yeah, that wasn't very cool.
- Location
- Spain
Well, that is an extra reason to take the Dwarves, we may prevent such an wastesful death.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
@Telamon
I hope you don't mind if I repeat the question:
I hope you don't mind if I repeat the question:
If the answer is just "you'll find out when you find out", that's cool. Just not sure if you noticed or not.
- Location
- Texas
You are (or rather may be) the Longbeards, the House of Durin, and cannot control the deeds of your western brothers in Nogrod and Belegost, the Dwarf-Realms of Beleriand.
Not yet, at least.
Events will follow canon until the beginning of the game for your faction. For Feanor, Morgoth, and Fingolfin, that's when the Noldor arrive, with Fingolfin starting later than the other two. For the Men, that's when they arrive in the West. For the Dwarves, that's when Durin wakes and walks alone.
- Location
- Alice Springs, Australia
when is it for the Sindar?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Damn. Guess there's no way to keep Feanor alive for either of the two leading votes.
And yes, I would want that, because it's cool, and for all he's easy to hate, he's also easy to find fascinating.
On the other hand, now I have more reason to seriously acquaint myself with the Silmarillion.
And yes, I would want that, because it's cool, and for all he's easy to hate, he's also easy to find fascinating.
On the other hand, now I have more reason to seriously acquaint myself with the Silmarillion.
- Location
- California
Feanor being alive would probably just lead to some things being worse. Remember, for all the fuckery his sons got up to, they were the watered down version of him. And with his one free action a turn, that is a lot of things to burn down.
Modus_Tollens
SCREAMING AT THE APOCALYPSE
- Location
- ALSO SCREAMING.
It will be interesting to see what even random chance does, honestly. A lot of the major actors are so driven by their natures that they barely could be said to have free will but even tiny changes may mean that their headlong charges go in strange directions. And this is without player interaction.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Just how bad was it in the east that men and dwarf gave thought (and action in some cases) to going closer to the Enemy's main capital doom-fortress?
Wait, if Durin starts when he wakes, how does Khazad-dum exist? Didn't he wake in Mt Gunbad and later create Khazad-dum?
Lore: The Despair of Men
- Location
- Texas
There were no elves there who had seen the light. There was no one strong or brave or free enough to oppose the Enemy. Men and Dwarves woke to a world under the power of Melkor and Sauron, were born into the Shadow, lived and died knowing only the power of Morgoth, knowing only his lies. Those who could and would fled, only to find that there existed nowhere in the world free of the Darkness.
I am reminded of a conversation Tolkien wrote between Andreth, of the House of Beor, and Finrod Felagund, a King of the Noldor.
Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth said:
They fled blindly, hoping for an escape, only to find that there was none:
So hopeless were Men, and unknowing of the truth of the World, that they thought Melkor was the god of the world, and knew not of Eru:
Last edited:
Dark Abstraction
Infrequent Participant
- Location
- United States
They didn't. Angband is in the uttermost north. It's just that the powers of good in the world were all in the west, so Morgoth's hordes streamed down in the east with little to check them.
- Location
- Texas
The arrival of Feanor.
It does not, or it would be your faction capital. If you play as Durin and wish for the Dwarrowdelf to exist, you must strike the earth and delve it yourself.
- Location
- Academy City
- Pronouns
- They
Note that this isn't entirely true:
so at least some knew of powers beyond those of Moringotto.silmarillion chapter 12 said:
There's also The Tale of Adanel, but how canon that is is obviously up for debate since it's not an authentic part of the athrabeth.
- Location
- Texas
And it is theorized that it was the 'messages' Ulmo sent that called those Men who would listen westwards. But many, such as the future Dunlendings, Rohirrim, Northmen, Haradrim, and Easterlings, or the various ancestors of these peoples, suffered long centuries in the darkness, and were forever less great than the Edain and the Numenoreans who followed after them.
Perhaps, if someone in West, with the Grace and the skill to fight the Shadow, dared look eastwards, they might be freed, and maybe even raised up to the heights of their Western cousins?
Last edited:
Rat King
Izutsumi-pilled
- Location
- Academy City
- Pronouns
- They
@Demitius @Fezzes : any chance I could get you to switch which house of the edain you're voting for? Besides Hurin, the great of lords of the house of Hador are also descendants of Beor, through Morwen Eledhwen and Rían; Turin Turambar and Tuor Eladar and Eärendil Peredhil and of course the twins, Elrond and Elros.