”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 left from the West unto the uttermost East, and upon all who 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.”

Thus spoke Námo, or Mandos as he is mostly known, following the Kinslaying at Alqualondë of the Teleri elves. The doom of the words, which became widely known as ‘The Doom of Mandos’, ‘The Prophecy of the North’ or ‘The Doom of the Noldor’, befell all Noldor who chose to fly with Fëanor from Aman. They became the Exiles – forever denied re-admittance to the Blessed Realm. It is that curse which ever after marked the Noldor with a darkness and a shadow so obscure that it seemed impossible to lift.

Before they could even dream of being pardoned and be allowed to return to the lonely isle of Eressëa, the Exiles had to suffer both betrayal and treachery, mistrust and enmity, all in a fight for a cause they were doomed never to win on their own. Their great cities and treasures would be lost and the world as they knew it was fated to fade away, leaving them only with bitter memories of that which had been – and of that which they had given up the second they followed Fëanor.

The prophecy of Mandos did not need much time to start working. Already a short while afterwards, Fëanor proved Mandos’ words true as he commanded the white ships of the Teleri elves to be burnt, before all of the Noldorin host had been shipped to Middle-earth. Undoubtedly the doom would have been in work even if this had not happened, but it is certain that the more deeds of evil the Noldor did – either to each other or to others – the better a grip did the doom get on them.

At least it is certain that because of Fëanor’s betrayal of his kin, the remainder of the Noldorin host was forced to cross Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice, to get to Middle-earth, as return to Valinor had been made impossible at this point already. The crossing of Helcaraxë did not help the relationship between the two Noldorin hosts, as the one under Fingolfin suffered many losses, and a dislike and mistrust of Fëanor and his house was kindled.

However this was only one consequence out of many; all the years that the Noldor spent in Middle-earth are marked by betrayal, the death and killing of kindred: Maeglin, when he reveals the location of Gondolin to Melkor; Celegorm and Curufin, who betray and backstab their cousin Finrod Felagund, when the latter asks for help for his own people, while trying to fulfil his promise to Beren. The great kingdoms of Nargothrond and Gondolin soon disappear, plundered by dragons, balrogs and orcs, and though their first kings may have died before that happened, many others remained still to face the day of these great cities’ fall. Even in latter days, after the curse is said to have been lifted, Galadriel is forced to face the fall of her own land, Lothlórien, which must have been the most beautiful of that Age, but also Eregion in the Second Age.

It is interesting indeed how Galadriel, living in the Third Age, when the Valar have long ago pardoned the rebellious Noldor, is forced as the last of the Exiles to face the true extent of Mandos’ doom. Having lived through the fall of all the great realms of Beleriand and the drowning of Beleriand itself, she also has to see her own race diminish and fade, giving place to the more dominant race of Man. She is weary of the world, as Mandos had foretold, and it has become a great burden seeing all she held dear pass away to the West or in other ways cease to exist. Whether this was ‘merely’ a later inescapable consequence of the Doom or whether some of the Noldor had in fact not been pardoned by the end of the First Age is difficult to tell, yet it is certain that there are other of Noldorin descent who suffer from the aftermath of the Curse even after it has been lifted, for instance, Celebrimbor, who had to see his most precious works being turned to evil, the beauty of his Rings being overshadowed by the immense evil they had the potential to do if placed in the wrong hands. Was not this a part of the curse of the Noldor? Or had the pardon extended so far that even a descent of Fëanor’s house was redeemed?

Killings and betrayal and the fall of nations were not the only consequences of the Noldorin Doom. Death could be achieved just as well through grief and sorrow as by the sword, as we see with Finduilas whose death, however dreadfully she was tortured by orcs after the sack of Nargothrond, may also be seen as an effect of the Curse. Moreover, most of the people with whom the Noldor got in touch were contaminated with the shadow of the Curse, as it is seen in Doriath, where even Elu Thingol cannot hold back his wish to own a Silmaril.

In fact the curse’s effects were so influential on most other people, that to a degree Melkor did not even fear his enemies so much, after having seen the curse at work for a little while – which, of course, also became his downfall, as because of this he did not always attack as soon as would have been wise, thus giving his enemies a chance to hope beyond hope.

Even when victory had been achieved over Melkor, it was by the Vanyar and not the Noldor, who had spent centuries fighting for it. They would have to wait to be pardoned, until in disgrace they returned to the West, where the Teleri forgave them the past. And despite the greatness of the Noldor, the fact that the Vanyar accomplished what they had not must have been a shame to such proud people.

In spite of this it is uncertain whether there would have been much to save of Middle-earth had not the Exiles come. They did not accomplish much whilst there, for all they did came to an ill end, yet they did do some things. Their presence may have saved quite a few of the Avari and Sindar, and though they paid for this dearly with blood and deaths, it is likely that it could not have gone otherwise. It was the debt they had to pay in order to return: making amends to the Teleri by dying for their kin in Middle-earth.

Another interesting thing about the Curse of the Noldor is the earlier mentioned fact that with each killing and betrayal and ill deed done by the Noldor upon each other, the Curse increased in effect. Is it how the Curse actually worked? If a curse had been put upon the people, it must mean that things could have gone otherwise, what was it then in the nature of the Noldor that was ‘altered’? It seems inevitable that the realms of the Noldor would have fallen even had the Curse not been there. So one could guess that it was the shame which always followed the Noldor as a shadow that was the real curse. Not so much the effect of the Curse, but why the Curse had been uttered.

Either way it seems evident that in many ways one of the things seeming to miss in some of the Noldor, particularly those who did ill deeds because of ill will, was empathy. They felt no pity with their enemies or with anyone, never showed any mercy.

by Eressëa

Art by: Ivanneth, Per Sjögren and Jenny Dolfen

How did you find CoE?
A long time ago, in a state far to the north, a young college student embarked on a perilous quest – to find every picture of Legolas ever scanned and slapped up on a website. In her travels, she came across the Council of Elrond and was amazed at the extensive gallery. However, she discovered one had to “register” in order to become a “member” who could “post” gallery comments. Though she had never joined a forum before, she persevered in her quest, giving herself the name “Ringhilwen,” though she still has no idea what it means. Ringhilwen then discovered CoE’s “forums” and all the fun she could have, and proceeded to post about 50 times on her first day as a “member” (word of advice, don’t ever do that). Now, she’ll never leave! Muahahaha.

What are your duties here at CoE?
Wait. I know this one.

I goof off, a lot. But, that’s sort of my job as the Humor Admin. I seek out new parodies and silly stories for the Humor Section, as well as go over entries for the Comics Section and Celeborn’s Karaoke Bar. Also, Oddwen and I spend time thinking up new sections for the Humor area. Boatloads of fun, I tell you! I’m also a part-time theme maker for CoE, teaming up with Veaglarwen.

What are your favourite areas of the site?
Definitely the F.A.Q. (or Frequently Asked Questions for those not in the know). How amazing! I mean, not only can you get the answers to tons of site related questions, but you can also read up on all of your favorite staff members. Like me. I also enjoy the chat, where I often go by “Haldir”. I have my own vanity there, complete with mirror and good lighting. Then there’s my Realm – the Realm of Aule the Super-Fly. And last but not least, my OWN section! I adore the Humor Section. It’s so shiny. And I love shiny things.

How often do you visit CoE?
A lot. Let’s just leave it at that.

How many times have you read the books?
Books? What books? There are books? Are they about Legolas?

Really, despite my incessant fan-girl ways, I’m actually a huge fan of the books. I’ve read LOTR multiple times all the way through, but I’ve been known to reread some of my favorite parts quite often. More than Lord of the Rings though, I adore The Silmarillion, and have read that more times than I can keep track of. I’m obsessed with the history and happenings that precede LOTR.

Who is your favourite LOTR character?
Legolas the Pansy, honestly. He’s so amusing. Close behind are Boromir (oh the angst monkeys!) and Elrond (cause he’s one oooooooooooold elf with a lot of history).

Do you have a favourite scene from the trilogy?
Oh oh! The one where that guy did that thing with those people! That was awesome.

Oh, and when Celeborn goes “Falls of Rrrrrrrrraurrrros…” Guh.

What character left out of the films do you miss most?
Luke Skywalker. I mean, he would have been great! Can you imagine him and Legolas teaming up? They’d totally end up ruling Middle-earth over that scruffy ranger fellow. What was up with him anyway? Oh, and Glorfindel. Bring on the blond elves with shiny horses! Oooh…shiny things….

Do you know any Sindarin or Quenya?
Sindarin? Quenya? Who are they – are they elves? I’m sorry, I’m afraid I don’t know anyone by those names. Seriously, Faenauliel taught me one pick-up line in Elvish, but that’s about it for my knowledge.

What did you enjoy most about the ROTK EE?
The box! I mean, come on, it’s really pretty. And it’s blue! Pretty and blue! Who doesn’t like boxes? It’s great.

Ever wanted to achieve world domination? Ever wanted to have the world do your will? If you have, then continue reading, for this is about to become your bible when corrupting people. Of course, what you can expect from this is only a short introduction, but you can’t imagine us revealing all the little secrets – take this as an inspiration, no more – every evil overlord has his/her own style…

An important ingredient when it comes to corrupting anyone is, of course, to let the person to be corrupted have a taste of how it feels to wield power – they always yearn for more afterwards! It’s a very discreet thing to do the job, as you can always say you want to let them have power, so that power is closer to the people, but in reality you keep in control and only use it to corrupt….Even goodie-goodies will fall for this, as most people desire power – or to be able to do something for which they need power, a goodie-goodie will want to help people and therefore accept the power. However, what they did not expect is that power can overshadow even the whitest of hearts…(At least if the person is influenced by other wicked powers at the same time).

A very good sign that someone is on the verge of complete corruption is denial! This state appears because the corrupted person is divided between wanting to stick with the ‘virtues’ of good and following the heart into evilness…There are different levels of denial – in the beginning, the corrupted actually do want to ‘return to the side of good,’ but later it is more because they want to follow the norms and traditions of a society….The length of the denial-period varies – only know that once the person has reached this state, there is no way back.

Yet another fantastic way to corrupt people is, of course, to bribe them, and tempt them with many fancy things: shiny jewels, fell beasts, monsters etc…That is sure to awake greed in them, make them lust for more – they grow addicted to the luxuries of evilness. Naturally, bribery is also good in other ways: if you yourself want to climb some steps up the ladder, bribery always works…

Then again there is also the ordinary way: threats etc…Scare campaigns always work and, of course, this is an essential thing to an evil rule. Still, if you want to have completely loyal underlings, you must be sure that you mix the nastiness with the other corruption-methods. Yet, I daresay most people come pretty far with this method. The only problem is that, although it makes people follow you, often enough it also has the side effect of creating enemies. These enemies can only be lulled to sleep if, for instance, they are bribed with power or fancy gifts.

There is one more method often useful when corrupting people. That is to keep your plans to yourself and keep your minions in ignorance of your true purpose. Never reveal anything you don’t need to, and even if you have to say something, remember that lies are far better. They are to know they cannot trust you and yet they cannot trust anyone but you…

Always remember that the base of all corruption is flattery. Flattery is the perfect way to have people like you and think well of you, while you are in fact planning their decapitation or something of the sort. Apart from that, to flatter in a good way, you have to practise the use of words, which will help when later doing larger acts of manipulation and persuasion.

So, now you know – the secret of any world dominator’s success begins with such simple things. And just to help you get started, here’s a dictionary with some useful words…

Dictionary of Evil Words

A
– abhorrence: a feeling of strong hatred, especially for moral reasons
B
– bribe: to give somebody money or something valuable in order to persuade them to help you, especially in doing something dishonest
C
– corruption: dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority

– cunning: the ability to achieve something by tricking or deceiving other people in a clever way
D
– darkness: the state of being dark, evil, or frightening
– deceit: dishonest behaviour that is intended to make somebody believe something that is not true
– dishonest: intending to deceive people
E
– evil: a force that causes wicked or bad things to happen
F
– fear: the bad feeling that you have when you are in danger, when something bad might happen, or when a particular thing frightens you
G
– greed: strong desire for more wealth, possessions, power etc. than a person needs
H
– hatred: a very strong feeling of dislike for somebody or something
– havoc: a situation in which there is a lot of damage, destruction or disorder
– heinous: morally very bad
I
– ignorance: a lack of knowledge or information about something
– indolent: lazy, not wanting to work
J
– jinx: something or someone who brings bad luck; to curse someone
K
– kibosh: to thwart, prevent, frustrate
– kickback: money paid illegally to someone in return for work or help
– killjoy: a person who likes to spoil other people’s enjoyment
L
– lie: a statement made by somebody knowing that it is not true
– lure: to persuade or trick somebody to go somewhere or to do something by promising them a reward
M
– malevolent: having or showing a desire to harm other people
– minion: an unimportant person in an organization who has to obey orders, a servant
N
– nefarious: wicked, not moral
O
– ominous: suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future
– omnipotent: having total power, able to do anything
– overlord: a person who has power over many other people
P
– power: the ability to control people or things, authority, influence
Q
– quash: to take action to stop something from continuing
R
– revulsion: a strong feeling of disgust or horror
– rottenness: the condition of being decayed, putrid
S
– slave: a person who is legally owned by another person and is forced to work for them
– sly: acting or done in a secret or dishonest way, often intending to trick people
– subterfuge: a secret, usually dishonest way, of behaving or doing something
– subversive: trying or likely to destroy or damage a government or political system by attacking it secretly or indirectly
T
– treason: the crime of doing something that could cause danger to your country, such as helping its enemies during a war
U – unlight: darkness, shadow (as in ‘the unlight of Ungoliant’)
V
– vice: evil or immoral behaviour
– void: a large empty space
W
– wicked: evil, mischievous, dangerous, harmful or powerful
– wreak: to do great damage or harm to somebody or something
– wrecker: a person who ruins another person’s plans, relationship etc.
X
– X-rated: all the corruption methods not mentioned here belong in this category
Y
– yield: to stop resisting something or somebody, to agree to do something that you do not want to do
Z
– zealous: showing great energy and enthusiasm for something, especially because you feel strongly about it
– zero tolerance: the policy of applying laws very strictly so that people are punished even for offences that are not very serious

Galadriel is probably one of the most prominent and interesting elves of Tolkien’s world. Through different actions and circumstances we see her character change and grow over time. Galadriel is most known for her position in the Third Age, when she aids Frodo, giving him and the Fellowship honourable gifts fitting their needs. What many don’t know is the story behind, her history – what made her who she was and how she, one of few, was able to resist the Ring, even when offered to her freely. Despite her great contribution to the safety of Middle-earth and being said to be equal to Fëanor, we hear very little about her. However, the shaping of her character is significant in the story of Middle-earth.

Galadriel grew up in the Bliss of Valinor before the Ages of the Sun began, and being the daughter of the Noldo/Vanyarin Finarfin and the Teleri princess Earwen, she had friendship with all the houses of the Eldar. However it was not long after she had grown to womanhood that the shadows of Melkor spread to the blessed lands and Galadriel was marked by it. Talented, wise and beautiful Galadriel had the potential of many things, though like many Noldor, she was proud and stubborn by nature, and not even her reverence for the Valar, nor her mild and generous nature could quell her desire to rule mighty lands in foreign areas of the world. A just wish it would seem, for among the Eldar her only equal was Fëanor whom she never thought of kindly.

In the turmoil of the killing of the Two Trees and the theft of the Silmarils that followed, Galadriel departed with the Noldor from Valinor. She had no part in the kinslaying and had left only to claim lands of her own and to hinder the work of Fëanor wherever she might. For this reason, she followed Fingolfin across the Helcaraxë rather than cross by the stolen ships of the Teleri with Fëanor. It was the Grinding Ice that first taught her of the hardships that awaited the Noldor in Middle-earth, but the exiles felt as well the first bitter taste of the Doom of Mandos.

After her arrival in Middle-earth, Galadriel went to dwell with the elves of Doriath. There she had favour with Melian and Thingol, the rulers of Doriath, who had accepted her into their realm because of her kinship with Thingol. There she learnt much and her relationship with them grew. Especially with Melian the Maia, with whom she discussed the bliss of Valinor and also shared with her the things that had passed there. However she never revealed the kinslaying or the oath of Fëanor. Melian taught Galadriel much of Middle-earth’s history and lore and Galadriel gained much wisdom from this friendship. However it is likely that the full understanding of these things came to her first as she found herself in different circumstances during the many years that followed.

While living in Doriath she became acquainted with Celeborn, a prince of the Sindar, and they fell in love. Her love for Celeborn caused her to dwell in Doriath longer than first intended and the two were wed. A problem created by this long dwelling in Doriath was that Galadriel never found a land to rule and therefore when Morgoth’s rule was finally overthrown, she was still not ready to leave Middle-earth. So, ignoring the pardon of the Valar, she went with Celeborn to dwell in the eastern parts of Middle-earth.

In the First Age we see Galadriel’s character beginning out as one of ambition, pride, spontaneity and self-confidence in her travelling to Middle-earth against the will of the Valar. However, despite an obvious wild and reckless nature during the First Age, Galadriel is also a warm-hearted person to whom people turn to confide in, as she is gentle and kind and doesn’t judge others. We see her courage as she does not back down, and also loyalty to her people, as she doesn’t betray their actions to Thingol, even though she knows they were wrong.

Looking closely, we can see her character changing ever so slightly mainly due to the influence of Melian and Galadriel’s own realisation that Middle-earth isn’t quite like she first thought. She had never experienced armies of Morgoth attacking the lands before. Melian’s influence greatly affected Galadriel as she saw a strong female ruler, this probably encouraged her all the more to rule her own land, but seeing a positive example equipped her better for the task. It’s said that Galadriel was the only female to stand with the princes on the day the Noldor left Valinor, and her mother’s name for her, Nerwen, meant man-maiden. Melian, however, taught her that a female could also rule in partnership with a male.

Not much is known of Galadriel’s doings in the Second Age, except that her friendship with Celebrimbor bloomed, to the degree that he fell in love with her and later gave her one of the Rings of Power and also took counsel with her about the fate of his other Rings. Not finding the strength to destroy the lesser Rings of Power, Galadriel advised that the Three be given to guardians and not be used; it was at that time she received Nenya, the Ring of Adamant. These Rings had the power to ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world. Also it was sometime during this Age that Celebrían was born and that Galadriel and Celeborn settled themselves east of the Misty Mountains as Guardians of the Woodland Realm Lothlórien, where Elves of the Nandorin race dwelled. By the wisdom of Galadriel, her power and the Ring she guarded, Lothlórien grew beautiful and wondrous, a place where time was not felt, for it was the desire of Galadriel to make the realm alike to that of the Vala Irmo. Galadriel also formed a relationship with the dwarves, despite Celeborn’s hatred toward the race for their part in the destruction of Doriath.

During the Second Age we see Galadriel’s character remaining fairly similar to that of the First Age, as people feel they can confide in her. The Ring of Adamant brings out a strong sea-longing in her and we see that when she finally has the chance to rule a land of her own, she chooses rather to become a guardian, leaving her options open to return to the West. She also shows wisdom in that she doesn’t despise the dwarves living nearby, but sees them as allies against Sauron.

In the Third Age, confident of her own wisdom and power, Galadriel summons the White Council to discuss Sauron and other important matters. She wishes for Gandalf to become the leader of the council, but her wish is not granted. It is as if this event has made her draw back even more from the world, to let things happen as they might – concentrating all her power on Lothlórien, which she thinks will be her last home on Earth, believing the ban of the Valar still to be on her.

This realm however she governs with much care and she is revered by her subjects and admired by many, though the land of Lothlórien has got a reputation of doing odd things to those who enter it. She lives a quiet life there, having much time to herself and her thought, and ever aware of Sauron, she battles with herself and with him about the Ring and the will to use it. Only when Frodo and the Fellowship enter her land is she once again forced to face reality. She proves herself a reliable and supportive ally and aids them wherever possible. It is at this time that she rejects the One Ring, though it was offered freely and would have given her all she had longed for in her youth.

In the Third Age we see a dramatic change of character (that no doubt has come to the surface after her many challenges). She is wise and regarded as this by many. Those around her feel comfortable talking to her and expressing their fears. She offers encouragement to many that would be considered weak by others. Finally she passes the final test of everything she has ever longed for. The Ring of Power comes within her grasp and in her wisdom she rejects it, freeing herself from the lust of power that had been evident for so long in her youth. In the Second Age she lacked the strength to destroy even the lesser of the Rings of Power, however, she grew in wisdom and offered encouragement and support to those who wished to destroy the One Ring. She is also quite selfless in this act, as her own Ring, the Ring of Adamant, will no longer have power, and the beauty of the elves will fade.

Even after Galadriel has lost all her Middle-earthly possessions and all chances of staying there, she still tries to create the best atmosphere for a positive future there, which is seen in the way she discusses the future of Middle-earth with Elrond, Gandalf and Celeborn. This is also shown in the way she encourages Aragorn to take up the throne of Men, securing a strong ruler who will oppose any darkness that may arise, as well as restore the strength of Men in Middle-earth. Selflessly, she doesn’t discourage his relationship with Arwen, but is even seen to encourage it by giving him the Elessar jewel in Lothlórien.

It is obvious from all this that Galadriel’s character goes through a great development from the First to the Third Age, starting out as ruthless and ambitious, wanting lands of her own and people to rule over. However she ends a wise lady of much power – yet of a different kind then what she had longed for in her youth. Her power helps others achieve their goals and protect Middle-earth. After this is accomplished, she has fulfilled her fate in Middle-earth and can return once more to the West.

by elvishmusician, Eressëa and aelin~uial

Art by Maura Boldi and John Howe

Where Do All Men Go After Death?

A question that has made us Tolkien fans ponder: what happens to Men, Dwarves, and other creatures when they die? Are men doomed to sit forever in the Halls of Manwë, do Dwarves’ souls vanish into thin air, and do evil spirits go somewhere that is equivalent to hell?

Who knows, but this topic deals with the passing of men, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this theory.

In his writings, Tolkien briefly explains what happens to each race after death, but it seems like the fate of man is shrouded in mystery, though there are some holes in this shroud. He does say that men go to the Halls of Manwë for a time and then are allowed to leave, but where, free-float around the universe like Aragorn suggests when he is near death in “The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen”? “Behold! We are not bound to the circles of the world forever.”

Or do they go to a nobler place for heroes, like Norse mythology’s Valhalla, where the great dine? Théoden suggests something like that when he is talking to Éowyn and breathing his last on the Pelennor Fields: “I go now to the halls of my forbearers.”

And what about wicked men? Can’t forget about them…Are they sent to Valinor and tortured by Oromë, who is an avid hunter? I’m sure he’d have fun with those guys, hunting them to teach them a lesson, but if they outwit him, he could grant them forgiveness and let them have another turn at life, though it doesn’t sound fair to the good guys. Or a final theory, could they also be sent to Manwë’s Halls, but locked in a room and be forced to listen to other victims’ innocent screams over and over, till it would drive them insane?

Who knows. Maybe we’ll never find out even if we meet Tolkien in heaven and badger him about this question.

by Myusernamerulea

Dwarves: The Adopted Children

Not much is known about the spiritual life of the Dwarves. At times, it was not clear if they really had a spirit like the Elves and Men; for example, the Noldor believed that dying, the Dwarves returned to the earth and stone of which they were made. And indeed, the custom of the Dwarves was to bury their dead only in tombs of stone; the only recorded exception was the battle of Azanulbizar, after which they burned the bodies of their fallen just because they didn’t have time to build proper graves for them.

But themselves, the Dwarves believe that Aulë, their maker, whom they call Mahal, cares for them and gathers them in their own halls in Mandos. There they can practice their crafts and learn yet deeper lore; and Ilúvatar will hallow them and give them a place among the Children in the End. After the Last Battle, they will help Aulë in the remaking of Arda.

by Morwinyoniel

Elves: the Fate of the Firstborn?

Of the Children of Ilúvatar, the Elves are known as the Firstborn, and Men the Secondborn, or the Followers, characterised by their mortality and their fragile lives. Death, according to Men of the First Age, meant the unnatural separation of the hröa (body) and the fëa (spirit) from each other; however, this occurrence did not hold the same finality or severity for the Elves as it did for Men.

The Elves are considered as immortal in that they cannot die as a result of ageing or diseases. However, they can die if slain in battle or by wasting away in grief, and it is said that some Elves, afflicted by the Shadow of Arda (the world wherein lies Middle-earth and Valinor), chose to yield their lives even if their bodies could be healed. However, what happened after death was originally speculation for many Elves before their dwelling in Valinor – some believed that their fëar were snuffed out of existence, others that fëar came under the influence of Morgoth and the Shadow present in Arda Marred. After the summons, the Calaquendi learnt from Manwë that when a fëa is separated from its hröa, Mandos summons the disembodied spirit to his Halls. To refuse the summons is considered unnatural by most Elves, and a fëa that does is doomed to wander the world; the state of the houseless spirit is comparable to our ‘ghost’. However, a disembodied fëa, if it accepts Mandos’ summons, dwells in the Halls of Mandos, and the length of its stay depends on his judgement. Fëar that are allowed back into the world do so via reembodiment, where the Valar would create a new hröa for a fëa’s ‘rehousing’, and which was resemblant to the hröa it had in its previous life. It is by this that Glorfindel can appear in the Third Age after being slain in the First, and is how ‘Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar’.

According to the Elves, their fëar and hröar are inextricably bound to Arda, and unlike Men, there is no escaping the Circles of the World. The fate of the Elves remains uncertain, as Ilúvatar has not chosen to reveal it, yet some believe that as Arda Marred ends, so will the Elves encounter a final and inescapable death. However, others contend that Men, joining in the Second Music of the Ainur, will bring into formation Arda Remade, and that the Elves will be reborn into the new world.

by Fíriel

As anybody who visits the CoE Gallery can see, Tolkien’s books have inspired several artists, both professionals and amateurs. I asked a few artists that I know about their Tolkien-related artwork.

Anke Eissmann

For Anke, everything started with the animated LotR movie by Ralph Bakshi, which she first saw in 1991. Shortly after that, she read The Lord of the Rings, which had a huge impact on her and inspired her to create artwork related to the book. By now, she has read most of Tolkien’s published works, including some of his literary essays, and is also familiar with the Professor’s own artwork.

She draws her inspiration from all of the books; though, for her, autumn, winter and spring tend to be LotR-seasons, while in late spring and summer she concentrates more on The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. Of single stories, she very much likes the “Narn i Hîn Húrin” from Unfinished Tales, and the “Lay of Leithian” from The Lays of Beleriand; also, she finds the “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth” from Morgoth’s Ring one of the most moving pieces Tolkien has written. She still always finds something new in the LotR, and as for the other books, she feels that so far, she has only scratched the surface – those stories might yield yet several paintings.

Of races and characters, hobbits are close to her heart, because of their earthiness, humour and vitality, and the fact they are so similar to the people from the area she comes from. She’s also fond of the Gondorians, and there’s hardly any doubt about her favourite single character among them: Faramir.

As for other artists’ style, she has a problem when an illustrator limits the reader’s own imagination too much by “nailing down” a scene. If the illustrator gets all the details right, and sticks close to the book with the description, this may work; but if not, the reader is faced with a dilemma: the illustration looks “real”, but the book says it should look different. Therefore, she prefers illustrations to be fairly naturalistic in style, while still retaining their artistic flavour (e.g. by elaborating the special qualities of the medium they were created in, like making the brush-strokes in an oil-painting visible, or creating a wet-in-wet, abstract background with watercolours), thus suggesting to the reader that in all their realism they are only one possible version of how the scene or the character may look, and based on the artist’s interpretation as well as the descriptions in the book.

Her preferred medium at the moment is watercolour, which she considers very appropriate for book-illustration because of its subtlety, its painterly quality and unpredictability, which enable the illustrator to suggest rather than dictate, and thus leave room for the reader’s imagination.

Some of Anke’s older paintings which still, after many years, have a special meaning for her, are “Lúthien prepares her escape from Hirilorn”, for the details of the leaves, the composition and the colouring; “Beren recovers a Silmaril”, for composition and especially lighting; and “Escaping from the Black Riders”, again for composition, and Frodo’s expression. One of her more recent paintings, “And she comforted him”, which was inspired by a scene in an online RPG, may become a similar favourite, because she’s quite happy with the way Faramir turned out in that one.

The Pyre of Denethor, by Anke Eissmann

Courtney Brady

Peter Jackson’s LotR movies made Courtney discover Tolkien. She started to read The Fellowship of the Ring right before the movie was released, and was at “A Knife in the Dark” when she watched the movie for the first time. At first she was quite at a loss: a lot of what she had just read was cut out of the movie, she had a hard time understanding some of the words that the characters used, and she was also really confused by Galadriel’s temptation. But, by the time she saw FotR a third time, she had read all the three books and now understood it perfectly. She knows of Tolkien’s various other works from reading Tolkien message boards, but the only other book she has read by him so far is The Hobbit.

She gets her inspiration from The Lord of the Rings, and her favourite characters are Frodo and the hobbits in general.

As for the best art style or medium to portray Tolkien’s world, she has no preference; she enjoys even the dreaded anime, and thinks that each artist brings something unique to the art of Middle-earth. Herself, she prefers to work on Prismacolor pencils.

Courtney’s personal favourite of her own works is “Frodo Claiming the Ring” because she likes that part of the book and thinks that she got his expression just right.

Goldberry, by Courtney Brady

atalante_star

Atalante first read The Hobbit at about the age of nine and loved it. She got hold of a copy of LotR as soon as possible, then read The Silmarillion a year or so later. By now, she is fairly familiar with Tolkien’s complete production, except for things like the Father Christmas Letters and Mr Bliss; she has read them too, though. The Silmarillion, on the other hand, she knows “back to front and inside out”.

She finds the early Silmarillion stuff the most inspiring, especially the character of Fëanor, though she tends to end up drawing Rohirric things more. Elves are her favourite race; they are everything she likes to draw – elegant, beautiful, graceful, very Art Nouveau-esque.

Of the different styles and media, she shuns too obviously digital work for Tolkien, although she knows that digital art takes just as much imagination and detail as traditional work. She just prefers traditional media for Tolkien’s traditional world, and likes seeing the obvious process of creation in pencil strokes or brush marks. She likes Tolkien’s own illustrations, and from those, especially the fairly simple, almost whimsical ones; actually, she would even say Tolkien is her favourite Tolkien artist. She simply adores Alan Lee’s watercolours, and after saying she dislikes digital work, she also loves Jenny Dolfen’s traditional-mixed-with-digital watercolours.

The Reckoning of Rivendell, by atalante_star

Her own favourite medium is pencil, though she is slowly venturing into gouache.

Of her own works, she likes especially “Reckoning of Rivendell” because she thinks it matches Tolkien’s world well, and the “Music of the Ainur” series because they put into pictures the way she sees the concept of the Music, which is so hard to put into conscious images. Her latest project – based around Middle-earth heraldry – might become a similar favourite.

Rosearialelven

Rose decided to buy The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings after seeing the first Peter Jackson film. Then she acquired The Silmarillion, and at the moment she has most of Tolkien’s works. She is most familiar with the LotR; she found The Silmarillion a bit hard going, and tends to look at the other works as references and hasn’t fully read them yet.

The LotR is her main inspiration, and she finds especially The Return of the King very enjoyable. Her favourite people are the Rohirrim, for their strength, inspiration and independence.

She can’t name any style or artist that would especially do right for Tolkien’s world; but, if she had to choose, she would have to go for Ted Nasmith, because she loves the detail and feels he captures the essence of Tolkien’s world. Her own favourite medium is watercolour.

If she had to choose a favourite of her own works, she would choose “Bill the Pony”; she hopes she caught something of his character and sadness at being sent home.

Bill the Pony, by Rosearialelven

Maija Pietikäinen

Maija’s first experience of Tolkien was the Bakshi cartoon, which she saw when she was nine. Shortly after that, she borrowed the books from the library because she wanted so badly to know how the story ended… In addition to The Lord of the Rings, she has read The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, Unfinished Tales, and parts of the History of Middle-earth series. So far, she hasn’t read Tolkien’s children’s books yet, nor any of his scientific essays, but she’s planning to read them too in time.

Of the books, the LotR has definitely inspired her the most; she thinks it’s just magical. None of the other stories has had a similar impact on her so far, although she also finds Valaquenta and Ainulindalë very inspiring, probably because of their similarity to Kalevala and other mythical texts.

Maija can’t name any single race that she would find especially inspiring; of the characters, Sam, Gollum, and Éowyn are her favourites. And, she loves the Ents. She is deeply moved by the whole tragedy of their race: disappearing of the great forests, losing the Entwives, and some of them eventually losing themselves by becoming treelike. Actually, the fading of the Ents affects her more than the fading of the Elves.

The Mirror of Galadriel, by Maija Pietikäinen

She prefers the traditional, realistic styles of art, not only for Tolkien illustrations, but also in general. Alan Lee’s watercolour illustrations are closest to her own idea of Middle-earth: very natural, not in too bright colours. One style she dislikes for portraying Tolkien’s world is anime/manga; to her, it feels utterly wrong to portray the characters from the LotR in this cartoonish and often humoristic style.

Herself, she prefers graphite pencils. She’s never really liked working with colours; she feels that she rarely manages to match them so that she’s happy with the result. On the other hand, she loves playing with shadows, and graphite is perfect for that; it also enables the artist to put in a lot of detail. Recently, she has started doing more ink drawings, because simple black-and-white art is more readily accepted in magazines for printing reasons. In a way she likes it, because with ink one can get even more dramatic shading; but, as a negative side of that medium she points out the inability to erase if something goes wrong.

Of her own Tolkien illustrations, she names “The Mirror of Galadriel” as her favourite; she had the image in her head for years, and was very happy when she finally managed to capture it on paper.

by Morwinyoniel

Despite having a very important role, Sauron’s character is very much a ‘glowering’ shadow in the movies, though he is the topic of conversation frequently. Sauron was the Dark Lord of the Second and Third Ages of Middle-earth. It was during the Second Age that he created the One Ring and at the end of that age was defeated by the Last Alliance (led by Elendil and Gil-galad).

However, the One Ring was not destroyed, giving Sauron the opportunity to return to Middle-earth. The Ring was taken by Isildur, son of Elendil, but it passed out of all knowledge upon Isildur’s death. After 2500 years or so it was found by Gollum and then in turn by Bilbo, who took it to the Shire.

Finally it is left in the care of Frodo, and then Gandalf discovers that it truly was the One Ring that had been forged by Sauron. He counsels Frodo to leave the Shire and goes himself to Isengard, where he discovers Saruman had been corrupted by Sauron and is no longer and ally to them. Sauron then discovers from Gollum the location of the Ring and sends the Nazgûl to retrieve it for him. Frodo is then pursued by the Nazgûl from the Shire, but with help from Strider (Aragorn), he manages to arrive in Rivendell. Escaping from Isengard, Gandalf also makes his way to Rivendell, where a council is held regarding the fate of the Ring. The Fellowship is formed and the Nine members begin their quest to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring.

At the end of the second movie, Sauron attacks Osgiliath, however it is not until the beginning of the third movie that we see his forces taking the River and himself setting eyes on Minas Tirith. Having summoned to him armies from surrounding lands, as well his own forces, Sauron attacks Minas Tirith. There he is held back for some time by the Men of Gondor and then Rohan, however, he has strength still and is not fully forced back from Gondor until Aragorn (Isildur’s Heir) arrives with an army that has long been cursed, traitors who seek to finally rest in peace.

After Sauron’s forces have been pushed back from Minas Tirith, Aragorn leads an army of Rohan and Gondor to the Black Gate, in a bid to give Frodo more time to reach Mount Doom and destroy the Ring. Here Sauron sends his forces against them once more and though greatly outnumbered, the Men of Gondor and Rohan fight on. Finally, when at last all seems to have failed, the Ring enters the Fires of Mount Doom and is destroyed, ruining Sauron with it. Sauron the enemy of Middle-earth is thus finally defeated.

by Elvishmusician

Sauron in the First Age

‘Among those of Morgoth’s servants that have names, the greatest was that spirit whom the Eldar call Sauron, or Gorthaur the Cruel. In his beginning he was of the Maia of Aulë and he remained mighty in the lore of that people. In all the deeds of Melkor the Morgoth upon Arda…Sauron had a part.’ (J.R.R. Tolkien, ‘Valaquenta’, The Silmarillion).

Sauron was Morgoth’s most feared servant and is said to be only less evil than his master because he, for a time, served one other than himself. The character of Sauron had a role in the first, second and third ages of Middle-earth and, being a Maia, was present from the beginning. Sauron’s name means ‘Abhorred’, however, he had many other: The Dark Lord Annatar, The Necromancer, The Sorcerer, Gorthaur (the Cruel), The Lord of Gifts and The Ring-Maker. He was the lieutenant of Morgoth and was given control of Angband, one of the two fortresses (Utumno and Angband) that Melkor built prior to the coming of the Elves. When the Valar made war on Melkor and held him in the duress of Mandos for three ages, they failed to search out all the vaults and caverns of his strongholds, and thus Sauron eluded capture.

Sauron continued to grow in sorcery and twisted whatever he ruled to evil. When Morgoth returned, Sauron resumed his role of terror and following the death of Fingolfin, he lead a force against Minas Tirith on Tol Sirion. The city had long withstood the forces of Morgoth, however Sauron took it by assault, sending before him a cloud of fear on its defenders. The city became a watchtower for Morgoth and the island of Tol Sirion became known as the Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the Isle of Werewolves.

As Morgoth’s power increased, he sent Sauron to find the dwelling of the outlaws of Dorthonion, who were led by Barahir and to destroy them. Sauron discovered that Gorlim, a companion of Barahir, would come at times to visit the house where he had once dwelt with his wife, Eilinel. Their love had been great and Gorlim returned to the house in hope that she was still alive and one day would return. Unknown to Gorlim, Eilinel was dead, but by his sorcery, Sauron created an image of Eilinel in the window of their house and captured Gorlim. Being promised to be reunited with his wife and unable to bear the torture of Sauron’s gaze, Gorlim told all he knew of the outlaws dwelling. Sauron then revealed to Gorlim his deceit and put him cruelly to death. Morgoth’s armies surrounded the remaining outlaws and destroyed the people of Barahir, save Beren son of Barahir. Beren soon grew to be a feared outlaw and Sauron was sent to eliminate him. He led a huge army against Beren, forcing him into Dungortheb, where he eventually found his way into Doriath.

Beren later set forth from Doriath and was joined by Felagund on a quest to capture one of the Silmarils and so win the hand of Lúthien, daughter of Thingol. However, the group took on the guise of Orcs and were captured by Sauron who, stripping them of their disguise, cast them into the dungeons of Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Here all save Beren were killed at the hand of Sauron’s wolves.

One of Sauron’s worst defeats followed, when Huan and Lúthien arrived to rescue Beren. One by one Sauron’s wolves were slain and, eventually taking on the form of a wolf, Sauron ventured forth from his stronghold to battle with them. However Huan proved the victor and Sauron was forced to yield the tower to them. Fleeing from Tol-in-Gaurhoth, Sauron went to dwell in Taur-nu-fuin, making it a place of terror.

Sauron in the Second Age

At the end of the First Age, a great host was led from Valinor by the Herald of Manwë, Eönwë, against Morgoth. They were victorious and Thangorodrim, the stronghold of Morgoth, was broken and Morgoth was overthrown and put into the Void. Sauron, seeing his master’s defeat, put on his fair hue again and asked pardon of Eönwë. However, he was commanded by Eönwë to return to Aman and receive the judgement of Manwë, as it was not in his authority to give pardon to one of his order. Sauron, being too full of pride to accept the thought of serving the Valar (as his power under Morgoth had been great) hid himself in Middle-earth and refused the commands of Eönwë.

Feeling the Valar had again forgotten Middle-earth, Sauron’s pride grew. He sought ever to corrupt the Eldar and travelled amongst them in the form of one wise and fair. He chose for himself the name Annatar, which means Lord of Gifts. In many places he was received gladly, however, the land of Lindon was closed to him, as Gil-galad and Elrond did not trust him. In Eregion, land of the jewel smiths, he was gladly received and having been a Maia of Aulë in the beginning, he had skill in this area and the Noldor learnt much from him. It was at this time that Celebrimbor, greatest jewel smith since Fëanor, created the three Elven Rings and he alone had a hand in their making. They had the power to ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world. Sauron, seeing these, forged the Ruling Ring to control the three, as they were withheld from him and kept by the wise. Now wishing to control the other peoples of Middle-earth, he gathered to himself the other Rings of Power (of which he had at least a part in the making) and gave seven to the Dwarves and nine to the Men. Men proved easiest to sway and the nine he gave the Rings to fell into shadow and became known as the Ringwraiths. The wise perceived the treachery of Sauron and did not use the Three while he held the Ruling Ring. Realising he had not deceived the Elves, Sauron made war on them, demanding that the Rings be surrendered to him, but the Elves fled and the three were hidden from him.

From that time the war between Sauron and the Eldar did not cease and Celebrimbor was killed and the land of Eregion was laid to waste. Sauron’s pride increased and he wished to have dominion over all Middle-earth. He took the name Sauron, Lord of the Earth, and to those opposing him, he was known as the Dark Lord or the Enemy. War continued, but Lindon which was ruled by Gil-galad remained a stronghold, and Sauron dared not attack this land. However, for a time Sauron left Middle-earth, having been taken captive by the Númenóreans and for a while his onslaught upon Middle-earth was stayed.

Now the land of Númenórë was a gift from the Valar to the three kindreds of the Edain for aiding them in the war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age. The land was named Andor, meaning Land of Gift, and it was drawn out of the oceans by Ossë and was established and enriched by Aulë and Yavanna. Elros, brother of Elrond, who was of the Half-Elven, was given the choice of which kindred he would belong to. Choosing to belong to the kindred of Men, he was appointed the first King of Númenor, as he was descendent from the Three kindreds, but also from Maia and Elf. The Númenóreans were given a life-span longer than that of normal Men and for many years they had a strong friendship with the Elves and learnt much of them, growing in splendour and power.

As the Men of Númenórë grew in might, Sauron hated them more, not only because of the deeds of their fathers and their alliance with the Elves, but also because of their allegiance to the Valar. Judging his strength not enough, he withdrew his forces from the coasts, however, among the men ensnared by the Nine rings, three were Lords of Númenor. And when the Ringwraiths arose, Sauron began to assail the strongholds of Númenor upon the coasts.

However, in these days the Men of Númenor grew to distrust the Valar and looked to Aman seeking immortality. As the Kings of Númenor rebelled, the Valar withheld counsel and protection from them and the Elves of Eressëa visited them no more. As Sauron began to attack the strongholds of Númenor on the coast and went by the name of Lord of the Earth, Ar-Pharazôn, King of Númenor set sail with a great host into the East against him. Ar-Pharazôn was a proud King and had a strong hatred for the Elendili (those who kept friendship with the Elves) and wished to compel Sauron to be his servant. Marching on Middle-earth, Ar-Pharazôn called Sauron to come forward and swear fealty. When Sauron appeared, he perceived that the Lords of the Sea were yet too powerful for him, so he put on his hue of one fair and wise and humbled himself before Ar-Pharazôn.

Ar-Pharazôn was not deceived, but brought Sauron back over the Sea to dwell in Númenor as a hostage. But Sauron saw this to his advantage and decided he would gain through wit and cunning what he could not by force. Through flattery and his deceiving appearance, Sauron hid his innermost thoughts and within three years became one of the King’s Chief Counsellors. Sauron’s influence over the King became very strong, to the point that he soon convinced him to fell the White Tree. However Isildur, having heard that this may happen, slipped into the courtyard and took a fruit from the tree. He was attacked, but escaped with the fruit, unrecognised. That sapling grew among the Faithful and was guarded by them. It was not long after this act of bravery that Sauron’s will prevailed and the King felled the White Tree. Sauron then built a great temple to Morgoth and it was there that many of the Faithful were killed, as sacrifices to Morgoth. As the days grew darker, the Men of Númenor began to kill each other and were quick to anger and ever death came to them sooner than of old and King Ar-Pharazôn became the worst tyrant since the days of Melkor. It was then that Amandil, father of Elendil and leader of the Faithful, seeing the darkness of those days, ventured to sail against the ban of the Valar, to Valinor, and speak with Manwë, as did Eärendil of old. He took with him three servants and counselled his son to have the Faithful place on ships all that was dear to them and to board those ships, in preparation for the case in which he did not return, knowing that they would be forced into exile.

Ever Sauron ruled from behind the throne, and Ar- Pharazôn, being full of pride, made ready his army and went to war on the Valar. In that hour Manwë called upon the might of Ilúvatar and a great chasm opened in the water and all the fleets of Númenor were drawn down into the abyss. Those that had set foot with Ar-Pharazôn in Aman were covered by falling hills. The lands of Aman and Eressëa were removed from the reach of Men forever and the Land of Andor was utterly destroyed. Of the Faithful that remained with Elendil and did not go forth with the forces of Ar- Pharazôn, all were spared the destruction of that day and by the grace of the Valar, a great wind was sent and carried the ships of Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anárion away, coming at last to Middle-earth. At this time Sauron also fell down into the abyss, but being of the Maiar, his spirit escaped and returned to Middle-earth, taking up again his great Ring in his fortress of Barad-dûr, along with an image of malice and hate. Few could endure the Eye of Sauron. The evil he wrought in Númenor had been great and never again could he put on his hue of one wise and fair.

Upon his return, Sauron found that the power of his enemies had grown and the lands of Gil-galad now spread widely across the north and the west. It was also then that Isildur and Anárion founded the lands of Gondor and Arnor, their chief cities being Minas Ithil and Minas Anor. Elendil arrived in the land of Lindon, where he was befriended by Gil-galad and established his realm beyond Ered Luin, with his chief city at Annúminas. Seeing these realms newly developed, Sauron came with great force and took the city of Minas Ithil, turning it into a place of dread. Isildur escaped, taking with him a seedling of the White Tree. Then he sailed up the River with his wife and sons, in search of Elendil. Gil-galad and Elendil now took counsel together and perceived that unless the free peoples of Middle-earth should unite and come against Sauron, he would overthrow them one by one. Therefore the Last Alliance was formed and Elendil and Gil-galad marched East into Middle-earth and gathered with them a great host of Men and Elves. Then they marched against the forces of Sauron and passed into Mordor, encompassing Sauron’s fortress. For seven years they laid siege on it, suffering great loss, for Sauron sent forth fire and darts upon them. At last Sauron, having sent many sorties against them, came forward himself and wrestled with Elendil and Gil-galad, slaying them both. But in this Sauron was also overthrown and Isildur cut from his hand the Ring of Power and took with him the shards of Narsil, his father’s sword which had broken under him as he fell.

Sauron in the Third Age

After the overthrow of Sauron at the end of the Second Age, Elrond and Círdan counselled Isildur to cast the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom, so that it would be unmade and the power of Sauron utterly destroyed. However Isildur did not listen and claimed he was taking it as a weregild for the death of his farther and brother. Returning to Minas Anor and giving counsel to his brother’s son, Meneldil, Isildur left the city, planning to take up his father’s realm in Eriador.

On the way, Isildur planned to go to Imladris, as this was where he had left his wife and youngest son. He also sought counsel with Elrond, as he had realised that he could not wield the Ring. Feeling his enemies were overthrown, Isildur set no guard and between Greenwood and the Great River, at the Gladden Fields, his company was attacked by a large host of Orcs. Being urged by his eldest son to save the Ring and arrive at Rivendell at all costs, Isildur put on the Ring, making himself invisible to all. Coming to the Great River he plunged in, but the Ring betrayed him and the Orcs shot him with many arrows from the banks of the River. The Ruling Ring was lost and for over 2000 years none knew where it lay.

In time a shadow began to grow in the land of Greenwood and it became known as Mirkwood. The fortress of Dol Guldur was built and its dweller became known as the Sorcerer of Dol Guldur and was feared by many, however, few realised that this ‘Sorcerer’ was Sauron returning to Middle-earth.

It was around this time that the Istari arrived and first began to meddle in the affairs of Middle-earth. Of these there were five and they were known as wizards to Men: Mithrandir (Gandalf), Curunír (Saruman), Radagast, Pallando and Alatar. It was said they were sent by the Lords of the West to combat Sauron, should he arise again.

As the Shadow in Dol Guldur increased, the line of the Kings in Gondor and Arnor broke and the Dúnedain became a wandering people. However, Elrond harboured the heirs of Isildur in Rivendell, as he foresaw that one would arise and there would once again be a King of Men.

Gandalf visited the fortress of Dol Guldur, but Sauron fled before him and the Watchful Peace began. It came to an end when Sauron returned to Dol Guldur, now with increased might. Gandalf once again visited the fortress, discovering that the Sorcerer was indeed Sauron and not one of the Nazgûl, as they had long supposed.

Following this the White Council was formed; its members included Galadriel, Elrond, Círdan and other lords of the Eldar, as well as Mithrandir (Gandalf) and Curunír (Saruman). Saruman was appointed the Head of the Council. Upon his return from Dol Guldur, Gandalf urged the Council to take swift action against Sauron. However, Saruman over-ruled him, saying that he did not think the Ring would ever be found again in Middle-earth, yet he secretly wanted the Ring for himself and his servants began to search the Gladden Fields. Sauron however had also learnt of Isildur’s death and his servants were also searching the paths of the River. Seeing this, Saruman fortified Isengard and began to delve further into the lore of the Rings and their making.

As Sauron’s power grew, Gandalf once again urged the Council to take action against him, as soon he would not need the Ring to make war again on Middle-earth. This Saruman consented to, desiring Sauron to be removed from Dol Guldur, which was near the River, so he could not search there any longer. However, Sauron had foreseen this and had sent the Nine to make ready his coming to Mordor, and the wise could not stop him re-entering Mordor.

Yet, unknown to the Wise, the Ring had been found by one of the river-folk many years before and they had taken it deep under the Misty Mountains. From there it had come into the keeping of a Hobbit and was taken to the land of the Periannath or Halflings. It was Mithrandir who first discovered its whereabouts and The Ring was brought to Rivendell by one of these folk and the wise took counsel. They decided that the Ring must be taken into Mordor and be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom. A Hobbit was appointed this task and a group of companions were sent with him, that became known as the Fellowship of the Ring. It was during that time that the War of the Ring began and Sauron attacked many places of Middle-earth, sending either his forces or using Saruman’s treachery. It was also in those days that the heir of Isildur came forward, he was Aragorn son of Arathorn, and the shards of Narsil were reforged. He was more like Elendil than all his fathers before him and he fought in many battles in the War of the Ring, before finally leading an army against the Black Gates. However, the strength of Sauron was still too great and all would have failed. But it was in that moment that the Ring was destroyed by the fires of Mount Doom, for the mission of the Fellowship had succeeded and Sauron was completely destroyed.

by Elvishmusician

References:
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Lord of the Rings

So, now you have read The Lord of the Rings, or made your way through all the twelve volumes of the History of Middle-earth, and want to discuss some theme or event in the books, or just your favourite character, with like-minded people? Or, would you like to know if anything was written about the Blue Wizards, or what was Tolkien’s final opinion about the Elvish reincarnation? Then, the Books section is the place to go.

In the Books forum, the discussions range from simple questions of everybody’s favourite places in Middle-earth to philosophical ponderings about the afterlife of the different races. Sometimes, Tolkien’s less known works are also taken up for a closer study. Or, you can state your opinion on such eternal questions as the nature of Tom Bombadil, Legolas’ hair colour, or the Balrog’s wings – those threads are topped so, they should be easy to find. Also topped you can find an announcement thread about new entries in Elrond’s Library, the encyclopaedia section of the site.

The Book Club is a study group style activity. Led by Figwit, the discussions delve deeper into the themes of the books; at the moment, the Book Club is studying the Silmarillion. Background information and ideas for the discussions are provided in atalante_star’s “Masters in Mythology” threads, which deal with some special aspects on the chapters under discussion.

In both forums, food for thought is also provided by the Quote of the Week feature, currently presented by Eressëa for the Books forum and Potbelly_Hairyfoot for the Book Club.

However huge a success the Lord of the Rings movies were, it was from Tolkien’s books that everything started. So, the forums to discuss the Professor’s works are an essential part of the Council of Elrond!

by Morwinyoniel

Do you know what being in denial is?
Elvishmusician: Not wishing to admit the truth despite increasing evidence.
Fíriel: I know of denial, yes, although I’m sure many ‘corrupted’ Weavers are personally familiar with it.

Why do you keep on deceiving yourself? Are you practising your ability to deceive?
Elvishmusician: LOL – I am not deceiving myself, I am merely letting the truth show and I find it quite remarkable how corrupted people cannot bare to see someone honestly resisting corruption, but must console themselves with the belief that that person is not resisting corruption but merely pretending to.
Fíriel: Well, to deceive oneself means there is an absolute truth which one refuses to accept, doesn’t it? I don’t think that’s the case in the Realm of Vairë.

(And I’ll have you all know that I can actually be a very good deceiver when I choose to, but that doesn’t mean that’s a ‘corrupt’ act – what would be the use of surprises otherwise?)

How does it feel to be one of the few…. errr… uncorrupted weavers remaining?
Elvishmusician: It’s quite a lot of fun, as well as a challenge to be able to ever come up with answers to questions such as these that you see. At times one might say its a bit ‘scary’ especially when your leader threatens to delete you from the realm for your lack of corruption (all in fun, of course) and the evil minions around you seem overwhelming and are ever planning for your demise. LOL – however there are other uncorrupted weavers – just not that many.
Fíriel: It feels nice. Being ‘evil’ feels like a fashion, a fad to me. Besides, I’m sure many of the Weavers are lurking purely because they’re afraid of being ‘corrupted’.

Do you think so many escape from Vairë because of their fear of evil and of being corrupted?
Elvishmusician: I think some people have a tendency to want to escape from the corruption of Vairë, but you cannot fight against it if you only run away, then again ‘he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day’. I think most of the changing between realms is because people decide they want to meet other members around the site and try something new (I really wouldn’t know why people change realms because I’ve only ever been a member of this realm *love* ).

Why do you think it is so important to stay good?
Elvishmusician: This question surprises me greatly, the answer is, of course, to annoy my realm head –only joking. As we all know, and the story of The Lord of the Rings proves it – Good does have more power than Evil (this ‘interrogation’ is also an example, have you ever seen ‘good’ members of the realm ‘interrogating’ the corrupted members?)
Fíriel: Why do others choose to be ‘evil’? Each to their own, I say. (Especially when my fellow Weavers are merely dabbling in ‘evil’.)

Do you see it as a failure that your sister has fallen to evil?
Elvishmusician: No, because I’m not certain that she has completely fallen, but rather deep down is still good. And even if she does ‘fall to evil’ I don’t believe that to be my failure, but rather her misfortune *pet*

Do you think it is ethically correct to work with evil beings?
Elvishmusician: LOL – no offence, but I don’t consider any of you truly evil, but rather those trying to appear evil for fun and profit. I’ll answer this with a question – how can evil ever turn to good if it sees it not?
Fíriel: EM said it best – they’re ‘evil for fun & profit’.

How do you think evil is different from good?
Elvishmusician: Evil defined – Morally bad or wrong; wicked. Good defined – Being positive or desirable in nature; not bad. LOL, they seem pretty different.
Fíriel: To be honest, I’m more of a ‘shades-of-grey’ person, and philosophy isn’t my thing. However, I think we’re all capable of acts of kindness and goodness, even the ‘corrupted’ Weavers. What we are doesn’t matter so much as what we do, and I haven’t seen my fellow Weavers do anything that strikes fear in my heart.

How do you manage to stay good in a realm where all are evil?
Elvishmusician: I must admit it proves a challenge at times (be it ever so slight) but not all are evil and while good remains there is hope.

Do you think it is morally right and defendable to take up a handmaiden position in an evil realm? Do you think it lessens your chances of staying uncorrupted?
Elvishmusician: Taking up a handmaiden position shows members of the realm that they too can show their ‘goodness’, as I don’t believe that corruption is nearly as evident as you’d like to believe. Some may be pretending they are corrupted, to avoid becoming truly corrupted.
Fíriel: My term’s just ended, but I think it’s justifiable – a Handmaiden leads by example, and I think EM will do an excellent job of showing others ‘the light’.

Ever heard of the expression ‘Power Corrupts’?
Elvishmusician: I have, but I’m yet to hear one that says ‘Power always corrupts’ or ‘All those with power are corrupt.’

What do you hope to gain (or have already gained) from leading a bunch of corrupted minions?
Elvishmusician: They are not all corrupted, there are a couple that are not – I wish to unite incorruptibility together.
Fíriel: That those who tread dark paths are also fearful – even our ‘Fearless Leader’ is constantly on her guard for challenges to her authority, so I suppose she’s afraid of being tainted by goodness, of being ‘corrupted’. Also, that the majority of Weavers are a fairly apathetic lot.

You hoped to start a rebellion against the evildom of Vairë, do you still have hope of it happening?
Elvishmusician: I still have hope, however, it is against the wishes of my realm head (who claims to be extremely corrupted and corruptive), so unless she changes her mind it probably won’t happen *sob* but that might change, for I think that one day she will realise that she too is only pretending to be corrupted and deep down is not as ‘evil’ as she would like us all to think.