Elrond

Elrond (b. F.A. 532) was the half-elven son of Eärendil and Elwing, the father of Arwen, and the Lord of Rivendell who consistently fought against Sauron throughout the Second and Third Ages.

## Appearances

### Appears in

The Lord of the Ring (prequel TV series), An Unexpected Journey, The Battle of the Five Armies, The Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers, The Return of the King

### Debut

The Lord of the Rings (prequel TV series): pilot

Having been born in Beleriand towards the end of the First Age, Elrond ever opposed Sauron and strove against him throughout the Second Age helping to bring about Sauron's defeat in the War of the Last Alliance as Gil-galad's herald. Elrond inherited Gil-galad's Elven ring Vilya, and during the Third Age he fought against the Witch-king of Angmar and, as a member of the White Council, expelled the Necromancer from Dol Guldur (who was Sauron in another guise). Towards the end of the Third Age, he was the foster-father to Aragorn as he had been to Arathorn before him. Aragorn went on to marry Elrond's daughter Arwen. After the destruction of the One Ring, Elrond sailed west with Gandalf, Bilbo, Frodo, Galadriel and Celeborn; their passing marked the end of the Third Age and the beginning of the Fourth.

## History

### First Age

Elrond was born at the Havens of Sirion late in the First Age. His parents were Eärendil and Elwing and he had a twin brother, Elros, who later became the first king of Númenor. Following the War of Wrath, because of his Half-elven heritage, the Valar gave Elrond and his brother a choice whether to be counted among the kindred of Elves or of Men. Elrond chose to belong to the Firstborn, while Elros chose to become mortal. It was Elros who voyaged over sea to Númenor following the star of Eärendil; whereas Elrond remained among the Elves and carried on the lineage of King Elwë. Elrond subsequently remained in Lindon with Gil-galad, where he became known as a healer and lore-master.

### Second Age

A fair being calling himself Annatar, emissary of the Valar, came seeking entrance to Lindon during the Second Age. Elrond and Gil-galad sensed that he was not what he seemed, and denied him. They were correct, as proven in the later War of the Elves and Sauron.

In S.A. 1695 Gil-galad sent Elrond to aid Eregion. Elrond's forces came too late and proved too small to defend Eregion. While Sauron sent most of his army west to attack Lindon, he left a strong detachment behind to contain Elrond. In two years, Eregion was lade waste and Elrond, along with the Noldor survivors, fled far north. There, he established the stronghold of Imladris.

Many more refugees joined Elrond's host as Sauron ravaged Eriador during the course of the war. By S.A. 1700, Imladris, despite being besieged, was the only part of Eriador not under Sauron's control. It was liberated by Gil-galad's and Tar-Minastir's forces. After Sauron's defeat, a Council was held at that time, establishing that Imladris should be maintained as an Elvish stronghold, and appointing Elrond as Gil-galad's vice-regent in Eriador, passing the Ring Vilya to him.

Elrond marched with Gil-galad and Elendil during the War of the Last Alliance, serving as Gil-galad’s herald. He was present during the last battle of that war, witnessing the deaths of Gil-galad and Elendil. When Isildur cut the One Ring from Sauron’s hand at the conclusion of the battle, he advised Isildur to destroy the Ring, but Isildur refused his counsel. Elrond subsequently returned to Rivendell, which prospered in the coming years with the aid of the Ring of Air, Vilya, that Elrond had received from Gil-galad.

It has been argued that, following Gil-galad’s death, Elrond had the right to become High King of the Noldor, but he never claimed the title. Indeed, after the Second Age ended, there were very few Noldor left in Middle-earth for there to be a king over them.

Following Isildur's death, Elrond received the shards of Narsil, which he preserved for many years. He began his long tradition of fostering the heirs of Isildur by helping to raise Isildur's son Valandil, who had been left in Rivendell during the War of the Last Alliance.

### Third Age

In TA 109, Elrond married Celebrían, the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. Their first children, the twins Elladan and Elrohir, were born in 130, and their daughter Arwen in 241.

During the late reign of Arveleg I, Rivendell was besieged by Angmar. After an incursion by Angmar into Eriador in T.A. 1409, the Elvenfolk of Rivendell joined those of Lindon in subduing the power of the Witch-king for many years.

Centuries later, when the Northern Kingdom fell, Elrond took the other heirlooms of Arnor (the Sceptre of Annúminas and the Ring of Barahir) into his keeping, holding them for the one who would eventually be able to reclaim the throne of Arnor.

Elrond along with others of the Wise were joined by the Wizard Gandalf who was sent by the Valar from the West. In T.A. 2463, the Wise formed the White Council with the Wizard Saruman as its head.

Elrond was later separated from his wife when she was taken by Orcs. Their sons rescued her, but Elrond was unable to heal her mentally, and she decided to leave for the West in 2510.

In TA 2918, Elrond took Aragorn as his foster-son in Rivendell, and had Arwen live in Lothlórien with her grandmother. Elrond named Aragorn *Estel* ("Hope") and concealed his heritage from him until he came of age. When Aragorn became an adult, Elrond gave him the Ring of Barahir and the shards of Narsil, foreseeing that Aragorn might be the one to claim the thrones of Gondor and Arnor. When Aragorn fell in love with Arwen, Elrond revealed to him that Arwen shared the choice of the Half-elven, and that one or the other of them would ultimately be parted from her forever. Elrond insisted that Arwen could not marry Aragorn

In T.A. 2941, Elrond welcomed Thorin and Company into his home, the Last Homely House before the wild. Learning of their approach earlier by Gandalf, he informed Saruman who summoned a meeting of the White Council. As the company entered Rhudaur chased by Yazneg's Warg riders, Elrond led a sortie of Elven riders who slew most of the Orcs. Elrond remained unperturbed, but was nonetheless suspicion of the company's goals, although he was courtious enough to invite them for dinner (if only out of respect for Gandalf) and identify their newfound swords as Glamdring and Orcrist, the swords of Turgon and Ecthelion of Gondolin. He sought to keep the Dwarves entertained until the council was to convene, as the company used his furniture for fire wood, bathed in his sacred fountains and put an enormous strain on his kitchens. Nevertheless, he was intrigued and hospitable to Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit. Understanding that Bilbo was feeling alienated in the group and enchanted by Rivendell, he offered him his permanent hospitality.

Elrond later read the Moon Runes on Thror's map (after Thorin reluctantly let him have it) and so learnt the true nature of their quest, which troubled him. He later chided Gandalf for risking waking the dragon and disturbing the status quo before they went into the White Council. Elrond was skeptical of Gandalf's ill omens, expressing confidence in the continuation of the Watchful Peace, until Gandalf brandished the Morgul Blade found by Radagast. At the conclusion of the Council, Lindir informed Elrond that the Dwarves snuck out of Rivendell.

In November of that year, word came from Galadriel through Radagast that Gandalf had a strong suspicion that the Necromancer is Sauron and that he went into Dol Guldur to uncover the truth. Eventually, Elrond came with Saruman to assist Galadriel in rescuing the wizard, and fought of the Nazgul and even facing down Sauron's spectre briefly. After Galadriel banished the Dark Lord, Elrond insisted that he is to be hunted down and that word should be sent to Gondor to prevent his return. Saruman urged him to take Galadriel back to her own realm, and leave Sauron to his own care.

In TA 3000, while investigating the history of the One Ring, Gandalf kept Elrond informed. Elrond called for a council of all the people of Middle Earth, and sent his daughter Arwen to find Aragorn and the four Hobbits who were being menaced en route to Rivendell by the Nazgul. When the Council convened, he made it clear the Ring must be destroyed, and that it could only be done by taking it to Mount Doom. He approved the nine members of the Fellowship and even tried to convince Aragorn to have Narsil reforged for him, which the ranger refused. Before setting out, Elrond convinced Aragorn to let Arwen go so that she could retain her immortality, which Aragorn feigned to do. Elrond later told Arwen of her fate should she choose to remain mortal, leaving out the part of her begetting children. Arwen later returned to confront him on this matter, her power weakening int he process. This galvanized Elrond into reforging Narsil and riding off to Dunharrow to give it to Aragorn and sending him to use it in recruiting the Dead Men of Dunharrow.

Elrond came to Aragorn's coronation with Arwen, who became the Queen of Gondor. Later, he left with Galadriel, Celeborn, Bilbo, Frodo and Gandalf the Grey Ship.