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'''Of the Return of the Noldor''' is the thirteenth chapter of the ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' section within ''[[The Silmarillion]]''.
'''Of the Return of the Noldor''' is the thirteenth chapter of the ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' section within ''[[The Silmarillion]]''.

Revision as of 23:40, 5 May 2021

The Silmarillion chapters
  1. Ainulindalë
  2. Valaquenta
  3. Quenta Silmarillion
    1. Of the Beginning of Days
    2. Of Aulë and Yavanna
    3. Of the Coming of the Elves
    4. Of Thingol and Melian
    5. Of Eldamar
    6. Of Fëanor
    7. Of the Silmarils
    8. Of the Darkening of Valinor
    9. Of the Flight of the Noldor
    10. Of the Sindar
    11. Of the Sun and Moon
    12. Of Men
    13. Of the Return of the Noldor
    14. Of Beleriand and its Realms
    15. Of the Noldor in Beleriand
    16. Of Maeglin
    17. Of the Coming of Men
    18. Of the Ruin of Beleriand
    19. Of Beren and Lúthien
    20. Of the Fifth Battle
    21. Of Túrin Turambar
    22. Of the Ruin of Doriath
    23. Of the Fall of Gondolin
    24. Of the Voyage of Eärendil
  4. Akallabêth
  5. Of the Rings of Power

Of the Return of the Noldor is the thirteenth chapter of the Quenta Silmarillion section within The Silmarillion.

Synopsis

Maedhros's rescue from Thangorodrim by Ted Nasmith

Fëanor and the exiled Noldor landed on the beaches of Lammoth and set fire to the ships of the Teleri. This burning was seen not only by Fingolfin but also by the Orcs of Morgoth. Ignorant of any danger, Fëanor and his followers proceeded up the Firth of Drengist and ended up in Hithlum. It was here that the they were intercepted by the armies of Morgoth who sought to drive them back into the ocean.


But the Noldor were able to hold back the Orcs even though they were ambushed. The Noldor were fiercer warriors than the Orcs had reckoned at first, and soon the ambush turned into a rout. The Noldor would soon advance into Beleriand, and a force led by Celegorm assisted the besieged Círdan, further weakening the forces of Morgoth. Soon, almost all of the armies of the Orcs had been destroyed, and only a few returned to Angband. The battle would be remembered as Dagor-nuin-Giliath, the Battle Under Stars.


Yet Fëanor did not stop and kept chasing the Orcs, soon getting close even to Angband. In his fury, he hoped to even challenge Morgoth then and there and take back his Silmarils. Yet Orcs were not the only servants of Morgoth. Balrogs issued forth from Angband and waylaid him, and in time they wounded Fëanor. Yet he fought on still, until at last Gothmog struck him down. Yet he was not dead, and the Balrogs left when his sons came forwards.



Fëanor's sons carried him away, but after a while he had them stop, for he knew that his death was near. In his dying moments, he saw that the Noldor could never defeat Morgoth. Yet this did not deter him, and he commanded his sons to fulfill the fell oath they had all taken together. Then, he died, and his body was consumed by his fiery spirit, and it is said that he still remains in the halls of Mandos...


At this time, the Noldor first encountered the Sindar who remained behind in Beleriand. They told the Noldor of Doriath, and were themselves enamored with the power of the Noldor, who they believed to be messengers from the Valar. But the meeting did not last long, as a messenger from Morgoth came, offering terms of peace to the Noldor. The sons of Fëanor were suspicious of this offer. Yet Maedhros, the eldest son, persuaded his brothers to pretend to negotiate with Morgoth. Yet when they went to the meeting place, the Orcs ambushed the Noldor and captured Maedhros. Morgoth said he would not release Maedhros until the Noldor left, but the brothers were held by their oath, so they did not leave. Morgoth hung Maedhros from a pinnacle of Thangorodrim by a bond of steel.


At this time, Fingolfin's people came out of the Grinding Ice and soon came to Hithlum. The Noldor who had followed the sons of Fëanor were glad, but they were also ashamed for leaving them in Valinor. The people of Fingolfin were enraged at them, so the whole host of the Noldor was divided.

Yet Fingon, son of Fingolfin and friend of Maedhros, sought to end the division between the two branches of the Noldor. So he alone went to Thangorodrim, and climbing its heights, he at last found Maedhros near the pinnacle. He was unable to free Maedhros from the steel bond, and despairing at last, readied an arrow on his bow, crying out to the Valar to have mercy just this once on the exiles.


His plea was not in vain, for Manwë had pity on the exiles, and sent his Eagles to aid them. Just as Fingon bent his bow, Thorondor, lord of Eagles, swooped down from the sky and bore Fingon up to Maedhros. Even then, he still could not free Maedhros from the chain, so he instead cut off Maedhros' right hand which had been fastened to the rock and freed him that way. Ever after, Maedhros would be left-handed.


The deed healed the feud between the sons of Fëanor and Fingolfin. Maedhros begged Fingolfin for forgiveness, and surrendered to him the high kingship of the Noldor. Thus, part of the Doom of Mandos was fulfilled, for the house of Fëanor would never hold the kingship and would be dispossessed of it.


Now the Noldor were able to lay siege to Angband and surround it from the west, south, and east. And they sent out messengers to the various people in Beleriand to form alliances. Thingol did not trust them fully, being suspicious of the leaders of the Noldor. He did not open Doriath to them. Angrod of the Noldor came as a messenger to Thingol, and did not tell him of the Kinslaying. Thingol was pleased with Angrod, and gave the Noldor his permission to settle east of Doriath.


However, the Noldor were not pleased with this message from Thingol. Caranthir in particular was enraged, and spoke against both Thingol and the sons of Finarfin. Maedhros restrained him, but his words remained in the hearts of the Noldor, stirring up fear and divsion.


Thus at last the division of Beleriand among the Noldor began. Maedhros went to the north between the rest of the Noldor and Angband, ruling what soon became known as the March of Maedhros. Caranthir led his people to the Ered Luin, and there met the Naugrim, or Dwarves. There was little frienship between them, but both Noldor and Naugrim learned from each other and traded with each other.


Many years would pass as the Noldor established themselves in Beleriand. They would soon make alliances with the Sindar of that realm and even with the Green-elves of Ossiriand. Thingol, however, would remain guarded in his interactions with the sons of Fëanor.


When thirty years had passed, Turgon, the other son of Fingolfin, departed his realm of Nevrast and sought out Finrod. They journed together and reached the Meres of Twilight and soon fell into a deep sleep. When they awakened, each believed Ulmo had given him a message to prepare a hidden refuge...

Later, when Finrod and his sister Galadriel were guests of Thingol, Finrod became impressed with Thingol's cavern fortress of Menegroth. Thingol told him of the hidden caves of the River Narog, and showed him the gorge wherein they were hid. He soon began delving the caves and got the help of the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains. Together, they created the fortress of Nargothrond. The Dwarves made a beautiful piece of jewelry called the Nauglamír, a carcanet of gold and many jewels whos worth was beyond price. He would gain the title of Felagund, hewer of caves. Galadriel did not go to Nargothrond, but remained behind in Doriath.

As for Turgon, he returned to Nevrast. But soon, Ulmo himself appeared to Turgon, and he led Turgon to discover Tumladen, a hidden vale in the Encircling Mountains. Turgon returned to Nevrast and began planning a hidden city.

But Morgoth was not idle, and he raised another army of Orcs. When sixty years had passed, this new army issued forth across the plain of Ard-galen, smashing through the land held by Maglor. Yet it was for naught, as Fingolfin and Maedhros were prepared. They fought back and soon destroyed the army in what was known as the Dagor Agrlaeb, or the Glorious Battle.


After this setback, Morgoth was besieged in Angband by the Noldor. Yet the NOldor were unable to capture Angband or take back the Silmarils. And they could not cut Morgoth off in the north due to the Iron Mountains. His spies thus were able to go among the Noldor and Morgoth soon learned of the various fueds between his foes.

The Siege of Angband began, with Morgoth never fully beaten, but not being able to end the seige either. He first tried to attack Fingolfin via the northern route, but his armies were destroyed by Fingon. Thus Morgoth realized that Orcs alone would not be enough to defeat the Noldor. A hundred years after, the first dragon, Glaurung, attacked the Noldor guarding Angband's perimeter. Yet he was not full grown, and the Noldor were able to beat him back, yet did not slay him.

Thus the Long Peace came, and both the Noldor and the Sindar prospered. The Noldor were mighty in arms and works of craft, but the Sindar were great in songs and words.

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