#hador

[thelien-art]

Of the Three Houses of the Edain; Bëor, Haleth, and Hador

I swear! This is the last time I change Bëor´s design! I am happy with him now!

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Reading Tolkien’s annotated translation of Beowulf, and learning all kinds of things about LOTR and the Silm from it!

First:

Leave here your warlike shields [from Beowulf]

[Tolkien’s commentary; bold mine:] Note the prohibition of weapons or accoutrements of battle in the hall. To walk in with spear and shield was like walking in nowadays with your hat on. The basis of these rules was of course fear and prudence among the ever-present dangers of a heroic age, but they were made part of the ritual, of good manners. Compare the prohibition against drawing a sword in the officers’ mess. Swords of course also were dangerous; but they were evidently regarded as part of a knight’s attire, and he would not in any case be willing to lay aside his sword, a thing of great cost and often an heirloom.

This gives me some perspective around Tolkien’s probable intended tone for the moment in Meduseld in The Two Towers where Aragon strongly protests against being told to leave Andúril (a sword of very great value and ancientry, and very much an heirloom) with the door-warden. From a contemporary perspective it’s easy to read it as Aragorn being unnecessarily prideful and combative, but this passage strongly indicates that Tolkien intends it to be Théoden who is being unreasonable in that event, an indication - along with many others in the scene, prior to Gandalf dislodging Saruman’s influence - that Théoden is being discourteous and behaving in a manner unworthy of a king who is recieving heroes offering aid. (The fact of Meduseld being a ‘golden hall’ like famous Heorot in Beowulf may be deliberate to strengthen the parallel.)

Second (immediately following the above commentary):

But against this danger [from swords] very severe laws existed protecting the ‘peace’ of a king’s hall. It was death in Scandanavia to cause a brawl in the king’s hall. Among the laws of the West Saxon king Ine is found: ‘If any man fight in the king’s house, he shall forfeit all his estate, and it shall be for the king to judge whether he be put to death or not.’

This adds context to the incident in the story of Túrin in The Silmarillion where Saeros taunts Túrin in Menegroth and Túrin responds by throwing a heavy drinking-vessel at him and injuring him (it’s indicated the injury is serious, so I’d take it along the lines of him giving him a broken nose and knocking out some teeth.) It is stated in at least some versions of the story that death is the punishment for drawing weapons in the king’s hall, in line with the historical customs mentioned here. This gives a further emphasis that what actually happens - Túrin is not punished at all and Mablung strongly reprimands Saeros for provoking him - illustrates that Túrin is, Saeros’ behaviour notwithstanding, in very high favour in Menegroth. (Saeros as the king’s counsellor is also in roughly the same position as Unferth in Beowulf, who taunts the titular character - Beowulf responds heatedly but without violence. Tolkien may be setting up a deliberate contrast here.)

Third:

The word hádor is an adjective meaning ‘clear, bright’…it is almost always found in reference to the sky (or the sun or stars). But that association is in description of brightness…

This was one a lightbulb moment: oh, in the name of Hador Goldenhead (the ancestor of Húrin, Túrin, and Tuor in The Silmarillion), ‘Goldenhead’ isn’t an additional name/epessë so much as it’s a glossed translation of ‘Hador’! The guy with bright, golden hair.

Fourth: Going back to the Rohirrim - Edoras, the name of their capital city/royal court, is basically just the Old English for ‘courts’:

under was very frequently used in describing position within, or movement to within, a confined space, especially of enclosures or prisons, ‘within four walls’. Cf. in under eoderas (eoderas being the outer fences of the courts), ‘in amid the courts’….‘eoder’ means both ‘fence (protection)’ and ‘fenced enclosure, a court’.

I’m also learning a lot about Beowulf - Tolkien’s notes are clarifying a lot of tone and nuances, not to mention the political/diplomatic relationships between the different kingdoms, which were confusing me - but it’s amazing how much it reveals about ways that Tolkien’s knowledge informed his legendarium!

[whosthatsilmcharacter]

(All art used with EXPRESS permission from the artist)

[violetumbrellalover]

⚔️Three Houses of Edain⚔️

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

House of Bëor

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

House of Haleth

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

House of Hador

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

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

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

[realest-silmfacts]

Fingolfin made Hador the Lord of Dor-lomin because he's quite impressed by (and a little jealous of) his beard.

[cilil]

rare pair bingo

AN: Pairing suggested by anon (here). Thank you kindly!

⸙ Prompt: Prostate stimulation | Fingolfin x Hador ⸙ Synopsis: Hador promises to show Fingolfin a new kind of pleasure and takes good care of his lord. ⸙ Warnings: Smut, fingering ⸙ Quadruple drabble | AO3

"Are you sure about this?" 

The proud High King of the Noldor seemed almost shy in that moment, glancing over his shoulder.

Hador smiled and rubbed his lower back to encourage him to lie back down. 

"I am, my lord, and I will be gentle. But in order for you to experience this pleasure, you must relax."

"I do trust you." Fingolfin smiled as well and gracefully laid back down, resting his head on a pillow and allowing his legs to be spread. 

The Elven king, Hador thought, had never been more beautiful than in this moment, completely nude and at his mercy in a way, yet valiant even in his vulnerability. Fingolfin's hair fell down his back and shoulders like fine, dark silk and his body appeared to almost glow in the candlelight, touched by the ancient light of the Two Trees of Valinor. 

There was nothing that Hador wanted more than to show him all those wondrous pleasures he had promised. 

He uncorked a vial of oil and poured a generous amount over his fingers as well as Fingolfin's exposed backside. Gently and carefully, he spread it all around his entrance first, forcing himself to resist temptation and not push inside immediately. 

Fingolfin let out a small gasp, and Hador wondered if it was the first time he had been touched like this, though he lacked the courage to ask. Even so, it encouraged him to enter his lord with one finger, suppressing a groan when he was greeted by a tight, hot passage. 

For a brief moment Fingolfin tensed, but relaxed swiftly when his body adjusted to the sensation. Hador then pushed deeper and curled his finger, searching for the spot — until a sudden, shaky moan confirmed his success. 

"There, my lord?" he asked calmly. The triumphant smile on his lips betrayed him, but the Elven king couldn't see it in his current position. 

"Y-yes, there," Fingolfin whispered, barely audible. "I think..." 

Hador brushed against the spot again, followed by another moan from his lord. "Does it feel good?" 

"Yes," Fingolfin breathed, "please, I need..." 

If he was begging already, then he was doing something right, Hador thought to himself. He pulled back to add another finger, then began moving inside the king — a steady, rhythmic back and forth, mimicking thrusts, making sure to hit that spot again and again. 

Fingolfin's moans were music to his ears.

Thanks for reading! ♡

taglist: @elanna-elrondiel @saintstars

[melestasflight]

So great was the onslaught of Morgoth that Fingolfin and Fingon could not come to the aid of the sons of Finarfin; and the hosts of Hithlum were driven back with great loss to the fortresses of Ered Wethrin, and these they hardly defended against the Orcs. Before the walls of Eithel Sirion fell Hador the Golden-haired, defending the rearguard of his lord Fingolfin, being then sixty and six years of age, and with him fell Gundor his younger son, pierced with many arrows; and they were mourned by the Elves. Then Galdor the Tall took the lordship of his father. And because of the strength and height of the Shadowy Mountains, which withstood the torrent of fire, and by the valour of the Elves and the Men of the North, which neither Orc nor Balrog could yet overcome, Hithlum remained unconquered, a threat upon the flank of Morgoth’s attack; but Fingolfin was sundered from his kinsmen by a sea of foes.

"Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin", The Silmarillion

[elronds-library]

Treasures Most Precious

by starlightwalking (@arofili)

Part 1 of little star, little flame

Fingon, cleverest of the Noldor (if you ask him), devises a plan to bring him and Maedhros closer together in more ways than one.

Explicit, No Archive Warnings

Words: 13,032

[disorganisedautodidact]

hey so

Beor’s and Marach’s people were, like, friends, right? their leaders probably met up occasionally in Beleriand, right?

Balan Beor, showing up to the meeting with his friend and his sons, Finrod in tow: but guys, this is my emotional support elf!

Finrod: *sad puppy eyes*

Hador Lórindol, after the story has been passed down through the generations: *meets Fingolfin*

Hador: okay, I get it now. we’re keeping this one.

[sexiestfinweanpoll]

[whosthatsilmcharacter]

(All art used with EXPRESS permission from the artist)

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Silmarillion Bracket Round 12!

Current state of the bracket:

[arcaneoddity]

considering he's hearing voices that tell him to commit atrocities and he gives in to them at times Hador actually looks really gentle

[tenth-sentence]

There Turgon the King received them well, when he learned of their kin; for messages and dreams had come to him up Sirion from the sea, from Ulmo, Lord of Waters, warning him of woe to come and counselling him to deal kindly with the sons of the house of Hador, from whom help should come to him at need.

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

[melestasflight]

Throwback Thursday!

Thanks for the summons @sallysavestheday. Here's Maedhros boiling on the inside in jealousy over Fingon flirting with Hador.

Maedhros knew that Fingon had many lovers, brief and delightful affairs to fill his days with contentment while they were apart. But there was something different about this man, about the way Fingon looked at him as if seeing Tulkas himself in all his might. Finding himself at Fingolfin's council in Barad Eithel, Maedhros did not fail to notice how Hador’s lips lingered upon Fingon’s ring as he kneeled his respects, a heartbeat longer than customary. Nor did he miss how Fingon held the man’s waist as he helped him to his feet, kissing his bearded cheeks as the Finwëans only did among themselves. Hador's broad shoulders nearly reached Fingon’s as he whispered something only for the ear of the Crown Prince. Whatever he said provoked a peal of mirthful laughter, and they exchanged a look that was all too familiar. Maedhros’ throat went dry, and his fingers twitched with a feeling he refused to acknowledge. He was grateful when Fingolfin beckoned everyone to their seats to begin the council, saving Maedhros from his own thoughts.

This is part of my short dragon-helm series And He Was Loved by the King.

no pressure calling @hhimring @elfscribe @grey-gazania to give us a little throwback to an older piece if you'd like. Cheers!