Effírië

> "Death awaits the enemy of the wielder" - Translation inscription on the sword.
>
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**Effírië** (*Quenya: Death*) is a sword wielded by Lord Aerendyl of Gondor. It was crafted in Gondolin by the finest smiths Arda has ever known.

### **History of the blade**

The blade was forged together with it's brother, **Lhûgrist** in the 236th year of the First Age by 2 elven brother smiths, **Ascal and Alen**. Ascal forging Effírië and Alen forging Lhûgrist. Effírië and Lhûgrist were wielded by one of the most skilled warriors of Gondolin, named **Faelar** and **Vírion**, Faelar wielded the sword Effírië and Vírion wielded the sword Lhûgrist.

It is said that when the 2 swords were together, they'd glow blue. Ascal and Alen made this by accident, they believe it was a blessing because of their impenetrable brothership.

#### **Vírion**

Lhûgrist fell in the hands of Vírion. He used the weapon to kill one of the dragons attacking Gondolin. Naming it immediately Lhûgrist in the 510th year of the First Age. *(Elvish: Dragon's Bane)* Though other dragons saw this happen and Vírion was all alone. He accepted his fate and kneeled. He threw Lhûgrist to the ground as other Dragons went for him.

#### **Faelar**

The weapons were supposed to be held until retirement. Effírië fell in the hands of Faelar, who is one of the most skilled warriors the Gondolindrim ever knew and it was him who named it. The sword had claimed many lives of Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, Wargs and any other creature Faelar encountered. From the 26th of june, in the year 385 of the First Age, Faelar named it Effírië and immediately gets to the maker of the weapon, Ascal. He requested to make an inscription on the blade itself. Ascal accepted and he made an inscription on Effírië: "*Death awaits the enemy of the wielder"*

#### **Vaelen**

Faelar used the weapon for his entire life, until the fall of Gondolin. This is where Faelar fell while fighting Gothmog, Captain of Angband. It is said that **Vaelen** picked up both Effírië and Lhûgrist when he saw the deaths of both Faelar and Vírion. He took both weapons with him until he, Tuor and Idril gathered as many of the gondolindrim, so they could to escape the city through a secret passage. That is when **Maeglin** awaited them and he charged at Tuor. Maeglin and Tuor fought, Tuor won the battle and killed Maeglin by casting him down from the passageway using the legendary battleaxe Dramborleg.

Eventually, they succeeded escaping the city and surrounding areas. When they got out, Vaelen moved to Númenor alongside the Edain. During this trip, Vaelen fell in love with the Human woman named Manwendel and soon after young Vaendel was born on the 5th year of the Second Age. 19 years later, his father gifted him with Effírië. Vaelen then stored Lhûgrist and started using a different Númenorean blade for over 658 years. He had a succesful but very busy life as one of the Captains of Númenor, since he was almost constantly tutoring soldiers and his sons to become strong and valiant. At the 517th year of the Second Age, **Ithranial** was born as second son of Vaelen.

    He trained Vaendel and Ithranial into great soldiers on a very young age, when Vaendel was old enough he was accepted in Vaelen's group whom he trained, though Vaelen wasn't going easy on his son. He was even tougher towards him compared to the other soldiers of Númenor. It was tough to watch but eventually the results were showing. Eventually Vaendel became on of the Elite amongst the Elite in the armies of Númenor. Vaelen then continued to train hard with Ithranial. He wanted his 2 sons to be one of the strongest soldiers, ready for anything that crosses their paths.

Ithranial had a hard time during the trainings. He wasn't as strong as Vaendel, but he never gave up and trained every day. When Vaelen thought he was ready, he'd gave Lhûgrist to Ithranial. Ithranial was 85 when he received Lhûgrist and short after he became 86, Vaelen died. Ithranial was in pain, but he'll never forget the last words his father said to him: *"Fight, train and never give up. Not even after my passing."*

#### **Vaendel**

After Vaendel received Effírië on the age of 19, Vaelen died heroically saving his family from a horde of orcs. To honor his father, he gave everything he got to be the best. He was obsessed with training and perfection, during every training when he lost to a certain oponnent he would say the words "*I will beat you, not now, not tomorrow, but one day, I will beat you.*" And he did, each time when he said that after a loss, he avenged his loss. Vaendel couldn't handle defeat. But it didn't drive in mad. On the contrary, he learned from his mistakes and focused to perfect the mistakes he made.

He slowly but surely crawled his way up and on the age of 28 he became Captain of Númenor. The youngest captain Númenor ever had. During his times as a Captain, Vaendel was known to be harsh, hard-handed and a perfectionist. But he was also known to be the best Captain Númenor had, because for the couple of years as a captain, each pupil he trained became a skilled and great warrior. For this reason, he became a High-Captain of Númenor at the age of 32 of **Andustar** *(province of Númenor)*.

During his time as High-Captain, Vaendel directed each Captain to do what's best and he enjoyed doing so in Andustar. He told every Captain of Númenor to train every day just like Vaendel himself did. Vaendel was often sent onto specific and important missions, but there was one mission what was the most important of them all; **Sailing to Middle-Earth.** In the 600th year of the Second Age, the Númenoreans sailed for the first time to Middle-Earth,

Once Vaendel visited Middle-Earth he went on specific expeditions to explore Middle-Earth. Though he had to be careful not to get near the borders of mordor, but every orc he came across, he slew within seconds. It is said Vaendel used to live as an explorer with no home, he loved exploring and experience new locations of Arda.

After some years of exploring, Vaendel had to return to Númenor to train various soldiers and had the task to train 2 unknown lords of Adúnië. Years have passed and many kings and queens of Númenor have died. Vaendel always remained loyal to Númenor and wanted the best for the kingdom. In the year of 3254 of the Second Age, Vaendel had an expedition to the north of Arda. He travelled through lands what are now called as *"Gondor"* and *"Rohan"* and eventually came to the lands of Lothlórien, where he saw a horde of orcs raiding some Elves of Lórien. They were in trouble and Vaendel gave the command to attack and kill all orcs.

Vaendel slew orc after orc, he saw a very injured woman who was unconscious. He immediately took her to **Caras Galadhon** where **Lady Galadriel** awaited them. She, of course, already sensed that they arrived and carried a wounded elf with him. Galadriel immediately tries to heal the elf. Vaendel stays with the injured elf. At some point however, he falls asleep and the elf awakes, her head hurts and she has a hard time breathing.

Time has passed and the elf who he rescued, **Cíthrel**, became Vaendel's wife and together they had a son, **Aerendyl**.

Though Vaendel never has seen the son, right before they were going into labour he had to go back to Númenor urgently for there were mass hordes of Orcs and Trolls spotted near his homeland and the Nobels of Númenor summoned him and his troops to get back. Vaendel, however, left the sword Effírië with his wife and son. The last things he said to his wife were "*Give him this sword once he is ready. He will grow up as a true warrior, one they fear and admire the most.*" then Vaendel bend over to the big belly of Cíthrel. "*Goodbye Aerendyl, my son, daddy is going to be home soon.*"

Once Vaendel arrived at his homeland in Númenor, they haven't spotted a single orc nor troll. The last thing Vaendel saw was a huge wave coming at him. He kneeled for Elu Iluvatar and prayed saying the following words "*Oh, Elu-Iluvatar, let Cíthrel have a wonderful life and make Aerendyl one of the greatest warriors Middle-Earth ever knew."*

That is the day Vaendel had passed, but also the day little Aerendyl was born.

#### **Aerendyl**

Aerendyl Númerión, born in Lothlórien on the day his father died. He was trained as a warrior and trained every day for at least 10 to 12 hours. He became one of the best of Lórien at the age of 80, which in fact, is the youngest warrior Lórien ever had who was amongst the elite.

He got to challenge the well known Captain of Lórien, **Haldir**, at the age of 82. He did lose the friendly challenge, Haldir did witness a full potential in the boy. This is also the day his mother, Cíthrel, gave the weapon Effírië to his son because she had the feeling he was ready.

At the age of 89, Aerendyl became the best warrior of Lórien. Celeborn then suggested him to go to Mirkwood, for he can learn much more from the current king of the Woodland Realm, Oropher. Aerendyl travelled to the Woodland Realm with the legendary sword Effírië where he wasn't welcomed by fellow elves. They thought he "*was an outsider*" "*Not one of them*" but Prince **Thranduil** and King **Oropher** thought otherwise and welcomed him like he was their brother.

Aerendyl trained there for over 50 years, the trainings were highly complex and as Thranduil stated "*Few of us are able to make it, some even have fallen.*" but Aerendyl never gave up. He trained like no other, every day for at least 14 to 16 hours. But it was all worth it, after 50 years he became a high-captain of the Woodland Realm. However, after those 50 years he, together with his nephew Mithidris who he found badly wounded in Mirkwood, thought it was time to go to the kingdom of Gondor. They decided this after Mithidris told Aerendyl about their ancestry in Númenor.

Aerendyl is well known for using the sword, he was extremely skilled and some even called him "*Master of the sword, Unmatchable, Unbreakable.*" Aerendyl claimed it was partly because of his sword, he believed his ancestors were watching over him. During his journey to Gondor he encountered multiple orcs, many of those fled in terror. The orcs in these lands came to know the sword Effírië and the wielder, one they are no match against. And Aerendyl is still the current owner and wielder of the legendary blade.

Not only was Aerendyl known to the orcs and other creatures of Middle-Earth, but also to Gondorians, Elves and even some Dwarves in Middle-Earth. Wherever he came, he lectured about the use of a sword and even the bow. Many underestimated Aerendyl and challenged him with sword-challenges and bow-challenges. Out of hundreds, if not thousands contenders who faced Aerendyl, few came close to defeat Aerendyl in one of those two battles, but still none succeeded.

After those challenges, Aerendyl always lectured about the use of a sword or a bow. He was not only a warrior, Lord or father, but also became a teacher to most and even an example to some. And that is all thanks to the Legendary sword of Gondolin; **Effírië**.