Race: Elves
Type: Silvan (originally Nandor and later Galadhrim)
Place: Lorien
Time Period: Third Age (possibly older)

Nimrodel is thought to mean ‘Lady of the White Grotto’.

She was a Silvan elf of Lorien, and the beloved of Amroth who was King. Amroth had loved her for years, and had taken no other wife, even though she would not marry him. She loved him very much, but she regretted the coming of the Elves from the West, who (as she said) brought wars and destroyed the peace of old.

She dwelt alone in Lórien beside the water to which she gave her name, and only spoke in the Silvan tongue, even when it was disused among all other elves. She is thought to be the first elf to live in a high flet, because she loved her streams and waterfalls, and would not be parted from them even when the darkness grew.

When the dwarves were driven out of Moria, and the orcs came in their place (the year 1981 of the Third Age) she fled to the south. Amroth followed her, and found her near the eaves of Fangorn. There the two talked for a long time, and Nimrodel agreed to marry Amroth if he brought her to a land of peace. He loved her so much that he left his people, and they started to make their way to the south. From there, they could sail from Belfalas over the sea to the ancient West, where there would be peace.

It is not told how they were separated, but when eventually Amroth came to the elf-haven, and Nimrodel was not with him. There were few elves there, with only one sea-worthy ship. They welcomed Amroth, but were reluctant to wait for Nimrodel because the winter was coming. But the grief of Amroth was so great that they delayed their sailing by many weeks.

They were living on the ship, and one night there was a great storm that broke the ship’s ties and blew it out to sea. When Amroth awoke the ship was far away from land, but he cried out “Nimrodel!” and jumped overboard. The mariners watched him until he had swum out of sight, and after that he was never seen in Middle-earth again.

Nothing certain is known about why Nimrodel did not arrive, but here is one legend: she became lost in the White Mountains, until she came to a river that reminded her of her own in Lórien. Her heart was lifted, and she sat by a pool and listened to the waterfalls, and watched the reflections of the stars. A great weariness overcame her, and she fell into a deep sleep. She slept so deep that she did not come into Belfalas until too late, when the ship had already been blown out to sea, and Amroth lost.

Research: Hathaldir
Commentary: Hathaldir
Edited By: M

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