#bay of Cuiviénen

[dfwbwfbbwfbwf]

The Noldor needed to return to Middle Earth.

This is a long one, so I put it under a Read More thing.

I was looking into the Doom of the Noldor, and why the Valar weren't interested in going after Morgoth after he murdered a guy, and I came across the rather reasonable argument that the Valar could only defeat Morgoth after he put a great deal of his influence into Arda, kind of like a giant One Ring, which would weaken him. Which is all fine and good, I guess.

(Not sure why they couldn't just do what they did in the War of the Powers and evacuate everyone out of Beleriand before sending Tulkas in, as that would be far more responsible than what they actually ended up doing, but I digress.)

So that's it then. The Valar plan to just sit around Valinor, chilling, while Morgoth essentially runs around Beleriand with a can of gasoline and a match. And, based off what I've read, it sounds like they were really just kind of doing nothing until Eärendil and Elwing showed up to buy protection. Or it does take three years to sail from southwest Beleriand to the Bay of Eldamar. (It took Eärendil eight total, and four of them were after Elwing showed up, and it is a long journey; there's a reason the Noldor went as far north as they could in Aman before attempting to sail.)

Here's a map for reference. Credit to Karen Wynn Fonstadt. The Helcaraxë is so tiny!

Anyway, I'm going to give those who stayed in Valinor the benefit of the doubt and assume they spent 5 and a half centuries preparing for war.

(Even though the Noldor were plenty ready for it when they left, considering they annihilated Morgoth's army. Yeah, Fëanor died, but who could expect fire demons of nightmares to show up randomly?)

Sorry. I keep getting into tangents. The Valinorians prepare, get a signal from ... something, and sail across Belaegar to destroy Morgoth and save the Men, Elves, and Dwarves. Happy ever after, and the Flight of the Noldor was completely useless and pointless.

Except it wasn't.

Sure, most of that plan would've still worked as intended, except for the "save Men, Elves, and Dwarves" part. Beleriand would have been an utter wasteland by the time they got there without the Noldor's intervention. Morgoth might have conquered even more. Imagine if he got to Cuiviénen, the far south of Harad, even Hildórien.

"That's impossible, dfwbwfbbwfbwf. Even Morgoth couldn't have mustered up the strength to do that."

But is it impossible? Who would have been there to stop him?

Círdan's Falathrim were nearly exterminated, saved only due to Fëanor's intervention. Denethor died because Fëanor was too late. (By how much, it's unclear, but it happened the same Valerian Year, so maybe a few Sun Years. If Olwë had helped, and Uinen not slowed the Noldor, and Ulmo provided a way across, perhaps Denethor would have lived. But I suppose we'll never know.) Melian guarded Doriath with her Girdle, but Þingollo never sent anyone out to engage with Morgoth; he couldn't, because Doriath didn't stand a snowball's chance in Mordor. What Sindar and Nandor were trapped outside the Girdle were certainly no match for Morgoth's forces. I wouldn't be surprised if Morgoth conquered the entire continent (again, save Doriath, but Doriath is about as concerning to him as a mosquito bite) before Iþil rose for the first time. After all, it took him about 19-20 years to take over half the land, and he had about 27 to take the other half.

I don't imagine Morgoth would go after the Khazad, and I don't see the Khazad going after Morgoth. They'd close their doors to all, and Morgoth wouldn't have to worry about them.

Morgoth would still venture east and corrupt the newly awoken Men, and I think some would repent and travel west to become the Edain, but they would either remain in Middle Earth, or be destroyed and/or corrupted upon reaching Beleriand. There would be no Finrod to greet them, no Dorthonion or Brethil or Dor-Lómin for them to settle and thrive in. There would be no Beren, Dior, Elwing. There would be no Hador, Galdor, Huor, Tuor, Eärendil. No Elrond or Elros.

Morgoth would continue south and east. The Nandor and Avari would likely fall - I think the Silvans would be destroyed or subjugated first, as they probably have a smaller population. And with each civilization Morgoth conquers, he has more potential orcs.

I do think Morgoth would still develop his dragons. He's a reptile dad imo.

By the time the Valinorians arrive in this timeline, there's nothing TO save. Even if they manage to defeat Morgoth, it would take longer. More lives lost. More land sunk.

Do I think the Noldor were the only reason this didn't happen? No, but they were a very big one. Their first attack in the Dagor-nuin-Giliath decimated Morgoth's army, something that took him four and a half centuries to build up enough to fight with again. They guarded Beleriand against the northern menace. They made the continent a safe place for Elf, Man, and Dwarf to thrive, something the "King of Beleriand" couldn't accomplish, and the "King of Elves" Ingwë and "King of Arda" Manwë refused to try.

Do I think the original argument of the Valar waging a war of attrition against Morgoth makes sense? Yes. Do I think their plan would have worked? Depends how you define "worked" - they would have defeated Morgoth, but the cost would be too great. This is why Fëanáro was born: to save Beleriand. And even though he was only on the continent for a short time, he did just that. The Valar should have helped him, but they were, at best, foolish, at worst cowards.

Remember to thank a Fëanárion for your existence today.

... No one is going to read this, and if you did, you're insane. But I guess I'm insane for writing it. Have a cookie and milk. 🍪🥛

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Silmarillion Daily - Of the Battle of the Powers and the Summons of the Valar

Time to catch up on this!

Manwë sat long in thought upon Taniquetil, and he sought the counsel of Ilúvatar. And coming then down to Valmar he summoned the Valar to the Ring of Doom, and thither came even Ulmo from the Outer Sea.

Then Manwë said to the Valar: “This is the counsel of Ilúvatar in my heart: that we should take up again the mastery of Arda, at whatsoever cost, and deliver the Quendi from the shadow of Melkor.”

Somehow, I’ve got a gut-level sense that Iluvatar’s answer to this was less “Yes” and more “YES! What have you been waiting for?!?” The point of the Valar being in Arda is almost certainly not for them to sit around in Valinor while Melkor is turning elves into orcs!

At the same time, the Valar’s reluctance isn’t about personal safety or comfort, but about fear of how much damage they could do to Arda, and it’s not an unfounded fear. As with the battles with Melkor in the early days of Arda, and as with the destruction of Almaren, the Battle of the Powers reshapes whole continents. If you look at the part in purple, Beleriand as we know it during the main events of the Silm didn’t exist until the Battle of the Powers. Hithlum, Dorthonion, and the River Sirion were made by the fighting between the Valar and Melkor in the Battle of the Powers.

Melkor met the onset of the Valar in the North-west of Middle-earth, and all that region was much broken. But the first victory of the hosts of the West was swift, and the servants of Melkor fled before them to Utumno. Then the Valar passed over Middle-earth, and they set a guard over Cuiviénen; and thereafter the Quendi knew nothing of the great Battle of the Powers, save that the Earth shook and groaned beneath them, and the waters were moved, and in the north there were lights as of many fires.

Long and grievous was the siege of Utumno, and many battles were fought before its gates of which naught but the rumour is known to the Elves. In that time the shape of Middle-earth was changed, and the Great Sea that sundered it from Aman grew wide and deep; and it broke it upon the coasts and made a deep gulf to the southward. Many lesser bays were made between the Great Gulf and Helcaraxë far in the north, where Middle-earth and Aman came nigh together. Of these the Bay of Balar was the chief; and into it the mighty river Sirion flowed down from the new-raised highlands northwards: Dorthonion, and the mountains about Hithlum. The lands of the far north were all made desolate in those days; for there Utumno was delved exceeding deep, and its pits were filled with fires and with great hosts of the servants of Melkor.

Even after the Valar capture Melkor, they don’t find all of his strongholds and pits, and they don’t find Angband.

And then we come to the next mistake the Valar make: calling the Elves to Valinor. It’s understandable - Valinor is beautiful and blissful, and Middle-earth is still unsafe even with Melkor gone, and on top that, the Valar like the Elves and want to spend time with them.

Then again the Valar were gathered in council, and they were divided in debate. For some, and of those Ulmo was the chief, held that the Quendi should be left free to walk as they would in Middle-earth, and with their gifts of skill to order all the lands and heal their hurts. But the most part feared for the Quendi in the dangerous world amid the deceits of the starlit dusk; and they were filled moreover with the love of the beauty of the Elves and desired their fellowship. At the last, therefore, the Valar summoned the Quendi to Valinor, there to be gathered at the knees of the Powers in the light of the Trees for ever; and Mandos broke his silence, saying: “So it is doomed.” From this summons came many woes that afterwards befell.

Basically every single time Ulmo disagrees with the other Valar, he’s right. And here’s he’s touched on something crucial that the rest of the Valar miss: the Elves aren’t just there to be protected and happy, they have something to contribute that is lost if they’re removed from Middle-earth. They can use their gifts to heal some of the damage done to Arda by Melkor, to make the world better. They’re intended to be co-creators with the Valar, not to be babysat by them. And there’s no reason the rest of the Valar couldn’t, like Oromë, leave Valinor sometimes to spend time with the elves and teach and befriend them. But the Valar, as is probably their key besetting weakness, opt for what feels like the lower-risk option. (Part of me wonders if this was supposed to be Melkor’s role, if he hadn’t fallen to evil - to be Initiative Guy, to be the risk-taker, to spur the others to get out of their comfort zone - and if that’s an element that’s consequently been lacking due to his fall.)

To give a rough overview of what’s upcoming for Silm Daily: the Valar first finding the Elves was on January 31, and the rest of February is going to cover the Great Journey and the early years of the Elves in Valinor, up to the birth of Fëanor.

[ladysternchen]

It took me ages and ages to do it (big apology for that), but here goes: Ereinion sat with his arms wrapped tightly around his legs as he watched Círdan craft little ships, tiny enough to fit into his hand, yet worked out in so much detail that they looked just like real vessels. Each of them would start out the same, and then Círdan would change little details here and there, some noticeable at once, others so subtle it needed the shipwright’s explanation to see. Ereinion had watched his foster father for a while now, but not been able to bring himself to ask what he was doing- so many of his thoughts were still on his old home, on his father, his mother who was now dead. It seemed almost like a betrayal to them to concern his mind with something  so mundane as these toy-ships. An alarming thought came to his mind- did Círdan craft those boats for him? To get his mind off things? He did not want to be distracted only to have his despair come crashing back over him by nightfall. Ereinion was so immersed in his thoughts that he did not notice the young elf approaching until he came to sit next to him, a harp on his lap. The elf smiled apologetically at him, saying:  “I hope I do not disturb you, young lord, but I tried out a new way to tune my harp and I want to see if it goes as well with the rushing of the waves as I thought it would.” Ereinion blinked. It would never have occurred to him that anyone would tune their instrument in accordance to the sea, but he supposed it made sense, as the constant ebb and flow was as omnipresent in the Falas as the mournful cries of the gulls. “Not at all.” he managed to say at last, remembering that he was likely meant to answer. The elf smiled again and started to play softly, and Ereinion was caught by the music almost against his will. It spoke of a longing of the heart, both sweet and bitter at the same time. Círdan seemed to have noticed, too, as he looked up from his boats to smile at the elf.“That is a fair tune your playing!” he called, and Ereinion saw the young elf blush.“Thank you, my lord.” They all lapsed back into their own preoccupation after that, but as the elf stopped playing at last, Ereinion could not keep his curiosity at bay any longer.“Do you know what he’s doing?” he asked bluntly, and his companion looked up in surprise.“Lord Círdan? Why, crafting models for his ships, I suppose. His quest for building a ship that will reach Aman is ever on his mind, and great a toil it is, too. But the ways of shipwrights and mariners must seem strange to you, of course.”Ereinion nodded.“Quite. I never knew anything about ships afore I was sent here. Why do they all look like seabirds?”The elf smiled gently.“Swans, young lord. There is an ancient legend concerning that. Do you want me to tell you?”Against his earlier resolution not to be distracted from his misery, Ereinion was intrigued, and so nodded eagerly.“It is said that when Lord Círdan was a young child, in ancient days, when the elves still dwelled by the starlit shores of their first awakening, years uncounted before the making of sun and moon,  he and his cousin would craft little boats together, that they would set afloat upon the waters of Cuiviénen for their amusement. One day, a current took their ships, and loathe as the boys were to give their toys up, they followed them, finally catching them way out on the waters, where large round boulders formed little islands and a causeway far into the lake. There they sat, resting after the chase and rejoicing in the retrieving of the boats, when a storm gathered about the lake. Soon the waters were in an uproar, and waves washing over the boulder upon which they sat, and the young lords were in gravest peril. Then, suddenly, they noticed that their boats were gone and in their place sat two great swans, their eyes shining with light, and their necks adorned with bracelets of silver and gold. They allowed the children to mount their backs, and carried them safely ashore, near to the dwellings of their parents. Thus Lord Círdan and King Olwë were saved. But as they turned to thank their mounts, they found only two little toy ships, much changed to what they themselves had crafted. They now had the form of swans, with little pearls for eyes. Ever since, the ships -I hear on both sides of the sea- of the Teleri are shaped like swans.”The elf fell silent, and Ereinion sat lost in thought. The swanships of Alqualondë… how often had he heard the term, spoken in hushed voices, a synonym for their doom. He knew the story behind it, remembered the self-loathing and regret in his father’s voice as he told the tale of the kinslaying. It strangely moved Ereinion now to think that once upon a time, the idea of the design of those ships had come from the playful crafting of two innocent boys. He was so deep in thought that he did not notice the elf biding him farewell and leaving, nor that his place was taken by none other that Círdan himself.“Your mind is bothered, my son.” said Círdan gently, tearing Ereinion from his thoughts. He nodded, lost for what to say. Círdan seemed not to mind, as he clapped him on the shoulder, saying: “If you have no other plans, I shall need your opinion on my new ships.”Ereinion looked up to see his foster-father’s eyes twinkle with the mirth of mischief long gone by and wondered if he had heard what the young elf had told Ereinion before.“I am no mariner, lord!”Círdan chuckled.“All the better. I do need unbiased eyes.”Ereinion followed him, and when he crouched down again next to Círdan and his assembly of little ships, he could have sworn one of them had winked.

17: myths & Falas

Challenge accepted ;-) Give me a little time, and I'll see what I can do. :D

[polutrope]

HEARKEN STILL UNSATED

for @tolkienrsb.

“And it is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance else that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen.”

- The Ainulindalë

written by @polutrope (AO3)

illustrations by @melestasflight (AO3)

Fic Rating: M | Art Rating: T | No warnings

Words: 15.5k

Relationships: Daeron/Maglor, Daeron & Melian

Characters: Daeron, Maglor, Melian, brief appearances by other canon characters

Tags: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Non-Explicit Sex, Music, Nature, Soul Bond, Songs of Power, Doriath, Cuiviénen, First Battle of Beleriand, Mereth Aderthad, Oath of Fëanor, Elvish Beliefs and Worldviews, Fate and Free Will, Connection to Land, Power of Words, Visions, Symbolism

Summary:

“For how many years," he asks, "have we two listened for the echoes of the Music of Creation in the oceans and lakes and rivers? And yet we will never be sated. Like the water in which they say it lives, the Song does not rest but ever moves and changes. It may pool in a great lake for an age and then pour down into the Sea in another. It fills whatever spaces it can and flows by whatever paths most easily open before it.”

When the Noldor return to Middle-earth to make war on Morgoth, only rumours reach Menegroth of their reasons for coming, but Doriath's minstrel experiences their loss and longing through his connection to Music and the gift of his Queen. Years later, he is sent to the Feast of Reuniting and meets the Elf whose grief he felt. A story about the Eldar returning home, their connection to the land and to each other, and their relationship to Music and fate, love and free will. 

READ HERE

Snippet below the cut...

The night sky is darker here and the stars shine brighter against its deep indigo. 

The bay of a vast lake is cradled in the arms of the mountains and a dense forest slouches towards its glassy-blue waters. In the canopy, a nightingale trills. On its last note, the elf hesitating on the shore springs off a sloping rock. He breaks through the surface noiselessly and emerges moments later with silver hair clinging to the sharp angles and smooth lines of his face, star-lit droplets scattered across his skin. 

“You look like a painting,” says a dark-haired elf, gliding through the water towards him. Weightless arms circle his waist and only the film of water separates skin from skin as hands ghost over his bare back. “A painting,” he kisses him, “a dance,” and again, “a song.”

Each time their damp lips brush against each other, the water contracts into a ring around their bodies and spreads out in perfect waves. To the beating of their legs below the surface, a lilting melody rises up from the lake bottom. 

“We are home,” says the silver-haired elf.

But this is only a vision. It dissolves back into the Song, as it always has. 

[lukhdel]

whenever racist morons try to pull the “historically accurate” card as a justification for why they refuse to include POC in their fanworks or entertain the idea of POC in middle earth at all, i pull out this gem

All elves awoke in the far east of middle earth in the bay of Cuiviénen, and Men woke even further east and slightly to the south

Therefore, all Elves are east asian and all men are south asian or pacific islanders. problem solved.

feel free to steal this

[fiction-quotes]

In the changes of the world the shapes of lands and of seas have been broken and remade; rivers have not kept their courses, neither have mountains remained steadfast; and to Cuiviénen there is no returning. But it is said among the Elves that it lay far off in the east of Middle-earth, and northward, and it was a bay in the Inland Sea of Helcar; and that sea stood where aforetime the roots of the mountain of Illuin had been before Melkor overthrew it. Many waters flowed down thither from heights in the east, and the first sound that was heard by the Elves was the sound of water flowing, and the sound of water falling over stone.

  —  Quenta Silmarillion (J.R.R. Tolkien)

[elvish-sky]

Could you check my lore really quickly? If I’m right, an actual question will follow (also anonymously because I have anxiety), but it won’t be relevant if I’m wrong.

The elves were said to have “woke up” right? They weren’t born, they woke up as fully grown adults at... the place that I believe starts with a C but I can’t remember the actual name of?

If I’m right, and bearing in mind they weren’t born... did they have belly buttons? I’ve been thinking about this for two days

Hey anon! Of course! I just checked my copy of the Silmarillion and it does say that the elves were simply “awakened” by Eru Ilúvatar. It was near the bay of Cuiviénen.

WAIT ID NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT! Do elves have belly buttons? Cause like all the elves except for the “first ones” were born, so it would stand to reason that they would, but like I don’t know about the ones that were originally created? Now I’m very very curious!!!

Can you tell if an elf is one of the first if they don’t have a bellybutton? Was that a game that elf-children would play?

[absynthe--minded]

If Supernatural Can Get Fifteen Seasons, The Silmarillion Can Get Fifteen Seasons: An Overview

I’m going to be going into much more detail in individual season-specific posts, but for the moment, here is the extremely condensed look at what each of these seasons would entail plotwise. I’ve included a cut for length; I hope this translates to mobile well. I’ve followed chronology more or less as closely as I can, adding additional time in places where I thought it made sense or moving events closer together for thematic resonance, and I’ve included Russingon because I’m me and of course I did.

The idea is that this is a 2D animated series rated TV-MA (comparable to R for feature films in the US, or any of HBO’s shows) with fifteen seasons, 26 hourlong episodes each.

Season 1: Valinor, and the unrest between the houses of the Noldor, interwoven with stories about the beginning of the universe/the Great Journey from Cuiviénen/etc. Establishes our core Valinorean cast, and hints at Thingol being a presence later. Main storyline involves Finwëan Family Drama, with bonus Melkor Fucking Shit Up. We meet Maglor's secret wife Aeriel, Curufin's known wife Annamírë + his son Celebrimbor, and become aware of Fingon and Maedhros's love affair. The Sword Incident and Fëanor's banishment to Formenos are featured. The audience knows Melkor is plotting something but doesn't know what. Series finale is the Darkening of Valinor - like, the last thing the audience sees before the series ends is the elves' festival in Tirion and then everything goes dark. Roll credits.

Season 2: Cold open on Maedhros and Maglor and Celegorm finding Finwë's body + realizing the Silmarils are gone. Flashback to Melkor's plans, and we see the Darkening from his perspective. He flees across the ocean and Ungoliant vanishes. Cover the drama between Fingolfin and Fëanor over the crown, Lalwen and Findis and Finarfin rallying around their brother, etc. Maedhros and Fingon marry. Fëanor convinces nearly all of of his loyalists to leave specifically to avenge his personal losses, Fingolfin has a larger amount of people who want to go East to fight Morgoth. Set up a conflict between Fingolfin and Fëanor here - Fingolfin does actually want to defend the elves still living in Arda proper and the soon-to-come Men from Morgoth's influence, while Fëanor is raving about how I Will Not Be Replaced. (This is not strictly canonical, but it is a good contrast of their leadership styles, and it widens the gap between them/adds another reason why Fëanor would perceive Fingolfin as a threat.) Kinslaying at Alqualondë, Finarfin and his people noping out, Fëanor seeming to forgive/make nice with Fingolfin after his people joined in the fight for the ships. He offers to sail East first, with the justification that if there is danger there he'll be the first to encounter it. Maedhros is reluctantly parted from Fingon. Maglor reveals to Amrod that he was married, and his wife died in the battle. They arrive at Losgar, empty out the boats, and make camp for the night. Amrod goes back onboard the ship to sleep. Maedhros wakes up early, finds his father awake, and asks if he can take the boats back West to pick up Fingon et al. Fëanor loses his shit and starts rousing everyone for the shipburning. Maedhros asks him not to, and reveals his marriage, and Fëanor's response is to throw the first torch. Amrod dies, and none of his brothers can get to him. Fingolfin's host sees the flames from across the ocean, and turn towards the north and the Ice. End season.

Season 3: The host moves inland to Mithrim and begins to set up camp. They've met some Sindar by now, and they carry word back to Doriath that Finwë's son and grandchildren have come back to Arda. Thingol tells Lúthien, who is just past her majority into adulthood, a part of his life story that she hasn't heard yet: that Finwë was his best friend, and that he'd been on his way to see Finwë when he was sidetracked by Melian. He decides to let Fëanor and his host stay in Mithrim in memory of that friendship. Dagor-nin-Giliath happens, Fëanor dies at the end of the second episode. Episode 3 deals with Maedhros being hastily crowned, and receiving word from Morgoth that he'll parlay for a Silmaril, and him riding out despite his brothers' suspicions. He's taken captive, end episode. Episode 4 is after a 58-solar-year timeskip, revealing the fate of Fingolfin's host on the Ice. We open on a dream of Elenwë drowning by Turgon; he wakes to reassure himself that Idril is all right and then everyone continues on. The whole episode is taken up by the Ice and the Battle of the Lammoth, ending with Argon's death and the rising of the Sun. Next episode starts with the elves but cuts over to humanity, newly awakened in Hildórien - this is a hint of what’s to come. Fingolfin's host challenges Morgoth and goes unanswered, and then return to Mithrim and settle on the opposite side of the lake from the Fëanorians, who are doing SUBSTANTIALLY better bc they stole a lot from their fellow Noldor and they also don't treat the land they're living on like Thingol's, vs Fingolfin who refuses to do anything except the bare minimum his people need to survive until they get Permission. Basically the rest of this season is some of the events of Blessed Hands, with Maedhros's rescue and recovery and ensuing family drama. Five solar years pass, and the season ends with him and Fingon riding up to the outskirts of the Fëanorian encampment.

Season 4: Season opens with Maedhros being reunited with his brothers and opening formal negotiations for an apology to Fingolfin. Thingol opens formal negotiations with Maedhros and Fingolfin, but neither one reveal to him why they've come to Beleriand/the circumstances surrounding their departure. Fingolfin wants to speak to Thingol personally, and Maedhros defers to him. Permission is granted for the Noldor to settle in the north of Beleriand. A council meeting is held to settle the matter of the High Kingship; Fingolfin is elected and Maedhros votes for him, angering his brothers. He offers to take up residence in the northeastern mountains near Angband, and Fingolfin grants him and his House lordship of that region. The Fëanorian host begins to depart, but postpones their journey for the Mereth Aderthad. Beleg, Daeron, Mablung, and a few other Sindarin elves attend the feast. Orodreth meets his future wife. Last half of the season covers 40 years - Turgon and Finrod have their visions, the Noldor begin to construct multiple settlements, and attack Morgoth with renewed strength. Season ends with the triumph of the Dagor Aglareb and the departure of Turgon from Nevrast with his host.

Season 5: Season opens in Doriath, with Galadriel having taken up residence there. Brief summation of the beginning of the Siege of Angband. Angrod pisses off Thingol and causes the Ban on Quenya, and news of this is carried to Himring, Nargothrond, and Gondolin, giving us a sense of their status/construction. Caranthir meets the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains and strikes up a friendship/partnership with them. Fingon visits Himring once it's finished. Gondolin and Nargothrond are completed. Orcs attack Hithlum by coming up the Lammoth but are turned back. Maedhros, Caranthir, Maglor, and Celegorm go to Barad Eithel for the bicentennial of the Mereth Aderthad. Tension here is primarily political/slice-of-life - it's peaceful, even if it's a watchful peace, and it seems like Morgoth is pretty effectively held at bay. The only exception is Aredhel, who grows dissatisfied with Gondolin and finally leaves after a massive fight with Turgon about everything from his family loyalty to his politics to his taste in clothing. Young Glaurung is turned back easily by Fingon and a few other soldiers. Season ends with Finrod getting separated from the sons of Fëanor while on a hunt and encountering Men in the woods, changing everything.

Season 6: Speedrun Part Two! This is the Season of Men and Politics, covering 145 years. We see the Edain choose to integrate into Noldorin society, with all the lumps and bumps this causes, and how they respond to the elves around them. Bëor, Marach, Haldad, Haleth, Haldar, Malach, Zimrahin, Hador, Adanel, Bereg, Amlach, and Andreth all become important characters. The Green-elves can't stand Men bc they're insufferable vegans, the Sindar are isolationist and suspicious save for a few of their Marchwardens/soldiers, and the Noldor are eager to make new friends. Focus is given to the tensions between the different Edainic groups and philosophies, and how different Houses and clans interact with elves and dwarves. There's not a lot of certainty that the decision to stay was the right one, and different voices have different opinions. All this tension culminates in two things: the council meeting that ends with Bereg leaving Beleriand along with a thousand followers, and the Haladin being trapped behind the Gelion-Ascar Stockade and saved by Caranthir and his forces before going to Brethil. The resolution of this season-long arc is the Edain essentially deciding that if they're going to stay, they'll stay on their own terms, and each House decides what that means. Andreth and Aegnor meet and fall in love. The Athrabeth gets an entire episode. Elvish character drama that isn't about interacting with Men is kept to a minimum except for Aredhel's arc - this is the season where she loses her guards, gets stuck in Nan Elmoth, and encounters Eöl. He's dark and creepy and mysterious and she's at once afraid of him and kind of enamored by his difference from everything she's known, but he quickly turns awful. Huor, Morwen, Rían, Emeldir, Barahir, and Húrin are introduced. Maeglin is born, and grows up, and he and Aredhel escape Nan Elmoth and make a run for Gondolin with Eöl following. The Bragollach and Aredhel's death make up the season finale.

Season 7: Season opens with Fingon's coronation, Maedhros crashing said coronation, baby Gil-galad being sent to Fingon to be his ward and then sent away to Círdan on the coast, and the revelation that Sauron has taken Tol Sirion and Dorthonion has fallen. Flashbacks to various parts of the Bragollach: Celegorm, Curufin, and Celebrimbor saving Orodreth from Sauron's forces and fleeing to Nargothrond/Emeldir fleeing over the mountains to Brethil with the Bëorian civilians while Barahir and Beren and what's left of the fighters remain/Huor and Húrin being taken to Gondolin. Maedhros begins plans for Revenge, Fingon starts leveling austerity measures against the nobility to finance refugee relief, Gondolin mourns Aredhel and doesn't know what to do with Maeglin, and Nargothrond adjusts to having C&C around. Barahir tells Beren about Finrod's oath to always help their family. Sauron tricks Gorlim and slaughters everyone but Beren, who tries and fails to defend Dorthonion and finally flees south and gets lost in the woods of Neldoreth. He meets Lúthien, falls in love with her, and runs afoul of Thingol, who decides to use him to cause infighting in Finwë's descendants. Quest for the Silmaril, with all that entails, meanwhile Fingon struggles with High Kingship and Maedhros makes alliances with the Easterlings and the Dwarves of Belegost. Plenty of time is given to Beren and Lúthien and the Hunt for Carcharoth, with the season finale being their marriage after they return to life.

Season 8: Season opens with Huor and Húrin leaving Gondolin and returning home just in time for battle plans to really start ramping up. If everyone's attacking Angband, no one's attacking Doriath, and if Morgoth is defeated, maybe two Silmarils are really all we need, or so we hope. This is an entire season dedicated to loose ends - Thingol's refusal to join the Union, Orodreth assuming lordship of Nargothrond, Gondolin drama, etc. Morwen and Húrin marry and have Túrin and Urwen. Huor and Rían court and fall in love and marry, and Rían gets pregnant. Beren and Lúthien sneak away from Ossiriand with an infant Dior to visit Beren's family and are present for the wedding. There are little skirmishes, and some suspicions of treachery among the Easterlings that get shut down both by Bór's steadfastness and Fingon insisting that everyone's allied here and due complete respect. A plague hits Estolad, with Urwen dying, and Húrin trying to convince Morwen to send Túrin to Doriath since he's now blood kindred to the King. Morwen refuses, and discovers she's pregnant again as Húrin marches off to war. The Nirnaeth is a three-part season finale, with Tuor's birth juxtaposed against Huor's death.

Season 9: The Children of Húrin/Fall of Gondolin Extravaganza, Part One. Túrin is sent away to Doriath, grows up there, spends time on the marches, falls in love with Beleg and marries him in elvish fashion, and then finally snaps because he can't deal with Menegroth's racist bullshit anymore. Tuor, raised by elves, is finally captured and enslaved. Saeros dies. Túrin leaves Doriath to become an outlaw. Tuor survives as a thrall for years. Morwen and Nienor flee to Doriath, Gwindor escapes Angband and makes his way south towards Nargothrond, Beleg is killed by Túrin, and Tuor finally escapes thralldom. Tuor arrives at Nevrast and Túrin arrives at Nargothrond in the same episode. Ulmo appears to Tuor, and Túrin discovers from Gwindor that Húrin and his entire line have been cursed by Morgoth. Contrast Túrin's desire for action now with Tuor's somewhat careless wandering. Tuor meets Voronwë and they make for Gondolin. Glaurung attacks Nargothrond, and it falls. Túrin escapes into the wilderness and crosses paths with his cousin. Nienor loses her memory and is found by the men of Brethil in the same episode that Tuor comes to Gondolin. End season.

Season 10: CoH/TFOG, Part Two. Túrin goes home and finds his mother and sister gone and makes a mess of things but manages to escape. Tuor tries to tell Turgon to leave and can't convince him, and decides to remain in Gondolin. Tuor and Idril/Túrin and Nienor/Dior and Nimloth meet and fall in love, with this arc culminating in them all marrying in the same episode with the last scene cutting between the three ceremonies. Glaurung returns. Túrin kills him, Nienor gets her memory back, they die. Eluréd and Elurín born. Wanderings of Húrin, including the curse on Gondolin for not letting him in. The Nauglamir comes to Doriath, and with it the first echoes of doom. Season ends with Húrin and Morwen reuniting and their deaths.

Season 11: TFOG Part Three. Thingol gets nerfed by dwarves. Mablung dies. Battle of the Thousand Caves, Battle of Sarn Gebir, where Beren takes the Silmaril back from the dwarves and sends it to Doriath again. Melian departs for Valinor. Dior crowned King of Doriath. Elwing born. The Fëanorians attack Doriath in the Second Kinslaying but Elwing escapes with the Silmaril and makes it to the Havens of Sirion. Maeglin caught by Morgoth and tortured. Maedhros learns Elwing has the Silmaril but forswears the Oath. The actual Fall of Gondolin is a six-part season finale.

Season 12: Season opens with Maedhros futilely sending letters to Elwing pleading for her to relinquish the Silmaril. She refuses, being in her mid-teens now. Most of this season, the Fëanorians are a distant threat; the majority of the story is Eärendil and Elwing falling in love and assuming leadership of the Havens. Gil-galad becomes High King of the Noldor. Círdan starts advocating for asking for help from the West. Celebrimbor escaped Nargothrond's fall and is living as a civilian in Sirion. Idril and Tuor sail for Valinor, their fates unknown. Years pass. Eärendil and Elwing marry, and Eärendil resolves to try to go for help once more. An absolutely kickass ship gets built. Elrond and Elros are born. Eärendil sails West. The Fëanorians are unable to stave off the Oath any longer and attack the Havens, destroying everything. Elwing, convinced her sons are already murdered and having flashbacks to the disappearance of her brothers, jumps from the cliff with the Silmaril and flies for Eärendil's ship. Elrond and Elros are 'adopted' by Maedhros and Maglor. Season ends with a new star appearing in the sky, and Maedhros and Maglor recognizing it as a Silmaril and wondering what that means.

Season 13: Season opens with Gil-galad and Círdan and what Mannish and Dwarvish refugees they've encountered beginning to consider trying to fight back against Morgoth again, as he's been attacking their last remaining refuges. It's been seven years since Sirion was sacked, and no one's seen Elrond and Elros since their disappearance. A pair of twenty-year-old-by-human-standards twins who look neither elven nor human show up on Gil-galad's doorstep, and Círdan recognizes them as the missing boys. They won't talk about their childhood at all, but they say they're here to help in whatever way they can. Hostilities escalate quickly. Halfway through the season the Vanyar and several reembodied Noldor and Teleri arrive in Beleriand, led by Ingwion and Eönwë and Finarfin. The War of Wrath begins.

Season 14: Just. An entire season of the War of Wrath. It's decades of war there's a lot of shit to do here. The biggest thing is that Elros meets Men for the first time and feels like he's come home, starting at the bottom of their ranks and rising through them meritocracy-style. He meets a woman named Elwen who's essentially a pirate and falls in love with her.

Season 15: The first half of the season is the last bit of the WoW, ending with Eärendil killing Ancalagon and breaking open Thangorodrim. Sauron escapes, Morgoth is cast into the Void. Elrond and Elros make their Choice. Celebrían is born, with her naming witnessed by all the reembodied Arafinwëans. The elves who wish to return to Valinor do so, with some - Gil-galad and Galadriel and Celebrimbor, namely - electing to stay. The Valar reward the Men involved in the war with Númenor, though not all of them choose to go. Those that do elect Elros as their King after the Valar have departed. Loose ends are tied up, the beginnings of Middle-Earth are established, and the series ends on a shot of the setting sun from the point of view of Elros's palace.

More specific examinations of each season are coming. But this is a basic idea of what I’m looking for, this would be my Ultimate Dream Adaptation. I could probably cut it down to eight seasons? Probably. But then I’d lose that precious pacing.

[reflectingchaos]

now that I’ve got my headcanons for Glorfindel organized,  I’m realizing how few I’ve posted.  so this is going to be one concerning his existence as an Unbegotten.  he was formed by the hands of Eru,  laid down fully grown to awaken at the bay of Cuiviénen,  Glorfindel was among the elves that would come to be known as the Vanyar,  and was awoken by Imin.  immediately,  he awoke his wife.  at this point,  he did not know words,  and it’s possible they had no speech for a long time,  but they sang with their voices to the sound of the stream and marveled at the beauty of starlight.  together,  they created a language that they all shared ‘til Oromë’s arrival.

[squirrelwrangler]

Insta-drabbles

Off the SWG discord feed, here’s all the random drabbles I wrote (usually within two to three minutes) from today’s four word prompts. Many are slight spoilers or connected to stories that I’m working on. None are more than 100 words, some are much shorter.

strong, borne, forest, fled

At the trill of birdsong that entered strong and bright into the clearing, the lingering lethargy of sleep fled from Beren’s limbs. His eager feet borne him from the shadows of the trees where he had slept in a soft bower of moss. Leaping into the sunlight, he sang his own wordless song of welcome and joy. Lúthien had returned to the forest, and she called to him as the songbirds did in spring, returning to the nest with love tokens to build a new life together. “You have leaves in your hair,” she teased, plucking them from his head.

...

“When we fled to the sea, it was strange, for we had shunned it for so long. Partly for love of the forests, but partly in anger. Strong anger that you -that Uncle Olu and our family- had been borne away by the island, and that I could see that remnant across the bay, like it was mocking me. We, Eglath, thought you had forgotten us.”

Elwing’s distant uncle, named in honor of her Great-grandfather same as her older brothers, embraced her. “Oh, never, my brave niece. My father never forgot either of his brothers, or any of his kin.”

fragrant, bustle, refused, hastened

The elf bustled around the parlor room with arms full of fragrant myrtle branches, harried in expression and locomotion of her limbs. She hastened to the door, realized her false alarm before she touched the latch, and backed away from the door. She refused to succumb to panic. Laughing, her companion unfolded the gossamer thin cotton that made the robes worn by patients in the Gardens of Lorien. As the healer bustled around in anticipation of the approaching reunion, her companion snorted. “I know your concern is not that they have forgotten you, and this is naught but nerves.”

...

The bustle of the training field could not be compared in poetic terms to a beehive or whatever metaphor most pleased the departed Noldor. The fragrant scent of sweating men refused to be softened either by pretty words or breezes. The movements were repetitive and small, the tedious and unglamourous work of real soldiers, not the grand flashy movements of warriors. The recruits hastened to line up in wobbly orders, their sticks held aloft as they practiced the single step forward and thrust. An embryonic pikeline was slowly forming, one that would defeat what all the had cavalry failed to.

Heart stroke encounter fire

“The heart of the matter is that we cannot stay by the shores of Cuiviénen, even without this great opportunity. The safety, light, bounty of a new land- all would be reasons alone to rejoice and accept this offer. Our encounter with Arâmê saved all the Speakers, and the Chieftains are fools to ignore this!” Finwë shouted, waving his arms in front of the fire.

“They don’t ignore,” Elwë corrected, “but they lose too much if they concede our truth.” He stroked the kindling and added another handful of dried sticks to the fire. “Have you spoken yet to Kwendê?”

...

Fân added one more stroke of pale green to the edge of the leaf that he was painting above the fire brazier of Bân’s living quarters. Pulling back, he inspected his work. The bright oranges and pinks of tropical flowers flashed like brassy cymbal notes in a song of interlacing greens, disguising plain stonework as the jungle foliage that Bân kept in his heart. The other elf spoke of birthplace during their first encounter as if not homesick, but Fân could see the silent yearning for a least a touch of memory. And flowers were a cure for that ache.

rough, clash, wind, dim

He sketched rough design for the patterns of flowers and vines, adding more of the giant leaves with their curling points as directed by his friend. Bân, pressed close as they huddled in the hollow of an uprooted yew bush sheltered on the far side of the hill from the wind, offered corrections in the dim evening light. He tapped the parchment with the stick of charcoal, his sword hilt awkwardly peering over his shoulder. “The colors won’t clash.”

Bleak snow scurry breath.

Bledda stared at the snow-covered visa before him with the bleak flat-eyed gaze of dead sea creatures, the black thoughtless look of creatures that would scurry across the sea floor. The scion of the People of Bor glanced to his commanding officer for reassurance. He knew it would be too much to pray for a denial. The commander of his Vanyar troop was adamant that they cross into the no-man’s land of the north. This would be an ordeal.

...

“The flower crown looks...bleak and unfinished,” Beril said as she forcefully shoved another sprig of snow-white maiden’s breath into gaps between the braided flowers, “and don’t scurry away and say this is Wise Women’s Secrets, Sister-mine.”

Andreth sighed.

star, martyr, box, sunset

“Oh, sad martyr. You shall starve - but proclaim your brave sacrifice for all to hear and lament in heart-wrenchingly lovely song, for your king has forsaken you. The stars shine upon your noble torment.”

“Father...are you addressing your cat?” Ingwion entered the monastery with a box of tax receipts bound in a wide array of colors, blues and teals for Valmar and sunset oranges for the farmlands to the south, with white ribbons around the scrolls for schools and other royal properties allotted to public works.

Guiltily, the High King of All Elves looked up from the floor.

binomial chocolate world tree

The book was an accounting ledger, one of many nearly identical volumes shelved in the room adjacent to the steward’s offices. In this utilitarian wing of Nargothrond, no beech trees carven into stone decorated the walls. This was the orderly world of the bookkeepers and inventory talliers. The unadorned leather was a rich chocolate brown, and on the pages were neat binomial pairs of numbers and lists, for Edrahil believed in redundancies and indexes. The blank space at the bottom of the tooth-white page accused them. How dare you think yourselves worthy to replace Tacholdir, the abandoned open book snarled.

river, book, scar, hollow

It was a hollow feeling, to stand on the riverbank right before the river flowed through the gateway of the walls around Alqualondë. The wall had not always been so tall as to hide the scars of the city. Once it had been just an ornamental embellishment. Now chains bridged the current. To book passage down the river to the docks of the bay was no longer the seamless journey that it had once been. Nowadays the locks of the canals were watched and guarded. The city’s innocence was long destroyed, like a spiderweb against the might of a storm.

...

The last wound would scar, if the king did not allow his healers to attend to him soon. But King Thingol’s healers were on the other side of the River Aros, far from the carnage that ringed the Amon Ereb. That was what the book would call this place, the Lonely Hill, location of Denethor’s last breaths. Hollow promises of aid and eternal friendship, mockery made of the bond of kings delighted as co-rulers of Beleriand. No matter the multitude that he sent to the Halls of the Judge, no death would miraculously bring Denethor back to him. Thingol wept.

[ohmyarda]

I happened upon a very rare pleasure of commissioning @em-niwa, whose art is not only gorgeous but they are themselves. 

Such is the Awakening of the Elves by Eru Ilúvatar near the Bay of Cuiviénen and the meeting of Oromë. It features a personal character of my own regard who is personal to my creative muse.

[sylvanprincess]

@growingingreenwood

For anyone who isn’t familiar, there is a theory that Daeron became Thranduil. And it does make sense, because only Daeron would have had the lore and the power to command the respect of the fleeing Sindar to become their king and to protect them. His association with the dwarves may have accounted for Thranduil's legendary love for jewels, or for his suspicion of them (remember the dwarves of Nogrod and what they did).

This theory would also account for Legolas' reverence for any descendant of Lúthien.

In the past several people pointed out that the physical descriptions of Elvenking Thranduil and that of the minstrel and Loremaster Daeron in the Lay of Leithian is just too similar for it to be a coincidence, as Daeron is regularly mentioned to wear a crown from ferns, much like how Thranduil is described to wear crowns made from leaves and flowers. Aside from Tom Bombadil, the only characters to ever be described as wearing a crown of leaves or flowers is Thingol (briefly called Tinwelint in HOME), Daeron and Thranduil.

To continue, people have stated, that in the Silmarillion Daeron is mentioned to have passed over the mountains and came came into the East of Middle-earth, where for many ages he made lament beside dark waters for Luthien. Anyone familiar with Arda’s geography knows that Greenwood the Great lies within Rhovanion, in the eastern region of Arda, and that the only other reference to ‘dark waters’ is made in the Hobbit when Thorin and co reach the borders of Thranduil’s kingdom.

AskMiddleEarth mentioned that they believe that it’s possible that when Daeron travelled east, he was possibly trying to return to Cuiviénen, but Cuiviénen was pretty much destroyed during the War of Wrath, when the Sea of Helcar dries up. So what happened to him after that is unknown. The only other clue is that he was by “beside dark waters”, and “woods and forests of the south” which could be nearly anywhere. As again, anyone familiar with Arda’s geography would know that the path from Beleriand to Cuiviénen takes you right through Greenwood, which was also considered south of Beleriand.

This of course brings us to what we actually know about Thranduil: the first time Thranduil himself is mentioned is in 750 S.A., when kingdoms were established by the Telerin remnants and the chief of these was Thranduil, who ruled in Greenwood. We know that Thranduil knew Thingol as it’s stated that Thranduil was following Thingol’s example and modelled his own palace on Menegroth. We later learn that his father Oropher was slain during the Last Alliance. And aside from the events in the Hobbit, and Legolas, we know nothing else about Thranduil. We are given very little information, and yet Thranduil appears in the legendarium as though he was already an important figure.

Speculators note that Thranduil is referred to as the Elves greatest king according to The Hobbit, and yet, he is nowhere to be found in The Silmarillion; they note that his description as "the greatest king" could, of course, have referred only to the Silvan Elves, not to the Eldar or the High Elves of the West. However, his realm was more long-lived than any realm established by the Noldor, in fact his realm is referred to as being the chief of the realms established in the east, and much larger in scope than the refuges of Rivendell and Lothlorien. Thranduil and his people, according to "Of The Rings Of Power And The Third Age" kept at bay the evil in Mirkwood, and he certainly did not have any Ring of Power to help him, having to rely upon his own knowledge, wisdom and magic. Someone as notable as him should have been mentioned more; someone as old as him (I mean, he lived in Beleriand, too), but he isn't. He suddenly appears out of history as someone already great.

Theorisers speculate that it’s possible that Thranduil did appear in the Silm, but just under a different name. Name changes among the elves are not uncommon, Finrod to Felagund, Elwë to Thingol, Turin to Mormegil, Artanis to Galadriel etc. It’s believed that Thranduil might actually be an epessë, as aside from meaning “vigorous spring”, the name Thranduil also means “one who crossed all rivers", “one who dwells in the hall of the star shadow/dark star”, and “one who dwells in forest caves/forest hall”.

—————-

In my headcanons, Thranduil is indeed Daeron, but the Ñoldor loremasters recording the story got it slightly wrong, there were two “Daerons” in the Kingdom of Doriath, a father and son pair. Daeron was the name that Thranduil had used to refer to himself and his father when telling the loremasters about Lúthien’s life in Doriath.

Oropher was the ‘Daeron’ who created the Círth writing system, whereas Thranduil was Lúthien’s beloved minstrel.

In my universe, Thranduil was Lúthien’s first cousin twice removed (he was the great-grandson of Olwë), and he was her closest friend and companion.

Beren was Thranduil’s first encounter with humans, and due to this, Thranduil feared for his kinswoman’s safety, and so he alerted his Uncle. When Lúthien escaped Nan Elmoth to help Beren with his quest, Thranduil tried to accompany her, but became lost. When Lúthien faded from grief after Beren’s death, Thranduil spent years wondering across Arda, fighting against Melkor and Sauron’s agents, until the year 500 FA, when he returned to Menegroth. After Lúthien’s final death, Thranduil was noticeably changed, shunning himself against music and cutting the strings that brought him joy.

Every disaster that occurred due to the Silmaril, Thranduil fully blamed himself for, believing that if he hadn’t opened his mouth, none of this would have happened.

It was ultimately Lord Elrond, Lúthien’s descendant, who helped Thranduil move out of his grief. Nothing had made Elrond more happy than to come to understand why elves stated that ‘Daeron’ of Doriath was superior in skill to even Maglor when Thranduil once again took playing music and singing.

Have you ever read the theory that the figure of Daeron (the guy who innocently told Elwë about L/B’s relationship), is actually Thranduil. Because it’s really interesting and actually has enough solid ground that I’m almost headcanoning it.

I've definitely heard of it!!! And did a bit of research, but dont remeber all the detaial. But honestly that 100% sounds like my boy Thranduil 😂😂😂

I could just seem him being SO AWKWARD knowing Luithen is running around with a human that not even he can hide it from Thingol or Oropher. He didnt stand a chance.

[problem-slooth]

melkor keeps melking because thats what he does

But of those unhappy ones who were ensnared by Melkor little is known of a certainty. For who of the living has descended into the pits of Utumno, or has explored the darkness of the counsels of Melkor? Yet this is held true by the wise of Eressëa, that all those of the Quendi who came into the hands of Melkor, ere Utumno was broken, were put there in prison, and by slow arts of cruelty were corrupted and enslaved; and thus did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes.

That’s nasty. Also, what’s Eressea?

For the Orcs had life and multiplied after the manner of the Children of Ilúvatar; and naught that had life of its own, nor the semblance of life, could ever Melkor make since his rebellion in the Ainulindalë before the Beginning: so say the wise. And deep in their dark hearts the Orcs loathed the Master whom they served in fear, the maker only of their misery. This it may be was the vilest deed of Melkor, and the most hateful to Ilúvatar.

Oh god that’s ghastly. I guess we’re allowed to feel bad for the orcs now.

Then Manwë said to the Valar: 'This is the counsel of Ilúvatar in my heart: that we should take up again the mastery of Arda, at whatsoever cost, and deliver the Quendi from the shadow of Melkor.'

Ha. Finally. Maybe they can even...stay a while? Yanno, keep the world in shape?

Never did Melkor forget that this war was made for the sake of the Elves, and that they were the cause of his downfall. Yet they had no part in those deeds, and they know little of the riding of the might of the West against the North in the beginning of their days....Melkor met the onset of the Valar in the North-west of Middle-earth, and all that region was much broken. But the first victory of the hosts of the West was swift, and the servants of Melkor fled before them to Utumno. Then the Valar passed over Middle-earth, and they set a guard over Cuiviénen; and thereafter the Quendi knew nothing of the great Battle of the Powers, save that the Earth shook and groaned beneath them, and the waters were moved, and in the north there were lights as of mighty fires.

So uh. That happened. That happened, and nobody knew what happened.

In that time the shape of Middle-earth was changed, and the Great Sea that sundered it from Aman grew wide and deep; and it broke in upon the coasts and made a deep gulf to the southward. Many lesser bays were made between the Great Gulf and Helcaraxë far in the north, where Middle-earth and Aman came nigh together. Of these the Bay of Balar was the chief; and into it the mighty river Sirion flowed down from the new-raised highlands northwards: Dorthonion, and the mountains about Hithlum.

Explains why Middle Earth doesn’t have any contact with the other realms, I guess? We got here some geography, which is harder than names. I’ll do my best, though. Helcaraxe is in the north, with the bay of Balar being fed by river Sirion. Dorthonion and Hithlum are mountainous places up in the north.

But at the last the gates of Utumno were broken and the halls unroofed, and Melkor took refuge in the uttermost pit. Then Tulkas stood forth as champion of the Valar and wrestled with him, and cast him upon his face; and he was bound with the chain Angainor that Aulë had wrought, and led captive; and the world had peace for a long age.

Yay!

Nonetheless the Valar did not discover all the mighty vaults and caverns hidden with deceit far under the fortresses of Angband and Utumno. Many evil things still lingered there, and others were dispersed and fled into the dark and roamed in the waste places of the world, awaiting a more evil hour; and Sauron they did not find.

..Aw.