Earendil

**Eärendil** was a great Half-elven mariner who voyaged to Valinor, entreated before the Valar on behalf of the Children of Iluvatar, and carried a star across the sky at the end of the First Age. His acts had been prophesied of among the Elves centuries beforehand.

He was the father of Elros, the first King of Númenor, and of Elrond, the Lord of Rivendell and an important figure in the Second and Third Ages.

## History

Eärendil was the Half-elven son of Tuor and Princess Idril, daughter of Turgon. He was born in FA 503 and was raised in Gondolin. At the age of seven, he and his parents escaped the sack of Gondolin, living afterwards in Arvernien by the mouth of Sirion. The survivors of Gondolin and Doriath mingled at the Havens of Sirion. In FA 530, Eärendil wedded Elwing, daughter of King Dior. Two years later, Elros and Elrond were born to them, and Eärendil began his voyage in search of Tuor and Idril, who earlier had departed over the Sea. With the aid of Círdan the Shipwright, Eärendil built a ship for this purpose, Vingilótë.

At this time, Elwing had in her possession the Silmaril that Beren had once wrested from Morgoth. News of this came to the remaining Sons of Fëanor, and they attacked the people living in Arvernien, slaying most of them. Círdan and Gil-galad sent ships to their aid, but were too late. But Elwing, to avoid capture, threw herself with the Silmaril into the Sea, leaving her young sons behind.

Hearing of the tragedy of Arvernien, Eärendil then sought after Valinor, and he and Elwing found their way there at last. Eärendil thus became the first of all mortals to set foot in Valinor. Eärendil then went before the Valar, and asked them for aid for Men and Elves in Middle-earth, to fight against Morgoth; and the Valar accepted his plea.

Because Eärendil had undertaken this errand on behalf of Men and Elves, and not for his own sake, Manwë forbore to deal out the punishment of death that was due; and because both Eärendil and Elwing were descended from a union of Elves and Men, Manwë granted to them and their sons the gift to choose to which race they would be joined (a gift that was further passed to the children of Elrond, who became known as the Half-elven). Elwing chose to be one of the Elves. Eärendil would have rather been one of the Men; however, for the sake of his wife, he chose to be one of the Elves.

The Valar, having listened to Eärendil's plea, went with a mighty host to Middle-earth, and overthrew Morgoth, and bound him. Eärendil took part in the battle, riding on Vingilot beside Thorondor and the Eagles. It was his blow that slew the great dragon Ancalagon and cast it down onto Thangorodrim, the event which, along with the sheer devastation caused by the War of Wrath, led to the ruin of Beleriand. Eärendil's fate was to eternally traverse the Great Ocean with the Silmaril that Beren and Lúthien had wrested from Morgoth and guard the Sun and Moon.

## Legacy

Eärendil lived in Valinor, and the gleaming of the Silmaril upon his brow could still be seen in the skies of the distant West as the bright Evening Star. Those who remained in Middle-earth called it **Gil-Estel** (S. "Star of High Hope").

In the Second Age, the descendants of the Edain followed the Star of Eärendil to reach Elenna. When Númenor fell under the Shadow, Tar-Atanamir mentioned Eärendil's fate to argue about immortality to the Messengers of the Valar. The Messengers responded that his was a fate apart as a Half-elven, and he was bound to the sky, unable to return, whereas the Númenóreans demanded the liberties of both Elves and Men.

In the Second Prophecy of Mandos, it is told that Eärendil will return from the sky for the love of the Sun and Moon that Melkor would blot out, and fight in the Dagor Dagorath.