Turgon

One of the mightest kings of Noldor. Second son of Fingolfin, brother to Fingon, Aredhel and Argon and cousin to Finrod Felagund. Lord of Nevrast and later ruler of the city of Gondolin.

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## Lore

Turgon was born in the Year of the Trees 1300, the same as his cousin Finrod. At some point, he married Elenwë of the Vanyar, and they had a child: Idril. After the Darkening of Valinor, Fëanor gave his famous speech in Tirion and proclaimed his Oath. Turgon and his father Fingolfin spoke against Fëanor, and the Fëanorians almost unsheathed their swords, but Finarfin intervened and invited the Noldor to ponder the matter. Turgon and his friend Finrod were together against the departure of the Noldor from Aman, but the Noldorin assembly chose Exile. So Turgon did set out on the journey, and although he was originally against it, he did not come back after the Doom of Mandos because "Fingon and Turgon were bold and fiery of heart, and loath to abandon any task to which they had put their hands until the bitter end, if bitter it must be". After Fëanor and his sons departed using the only ships, he took his people across the dangerous Helcaraxë alongside his father Fingolfin. Elenwë was lost in the crossing, as she and her daughter Idril fell into the bitter waters. Turgon risked his life to save them, but he only could save Idril. Therefore, Turgon was thereafter always hostile to the House of Fëanor. Once they arrived in Middle-earth, Turgon and his followers settled at Vinyamar in Nevrast. In F.A. 50, he and Finrod journeyed together along Sirion, and while they slept near the Aelin-uial, Ulmo sent both of them a dream to look for a hidden place where they could be safe from the power of Morgoth. Then in the following year Ulmo appeared directly to Turgon and guided him to the vale of Tumladen in the Encircling Mountains. Initially, Turgon left Tumladen and returned to Vinyamar, keeping his discovery a secret for many years and planning the construction of a city. After the Dagor Aglareb, Turgon began once again to feel the restlessness set in his heart by Ulmo, and his thought turned to Tumladen. He secretly moved many of the most skilled Noldor to the valley, and had them build Gondolin. When it was completed in F.A. 116, he abandoned Vinyamar with all his people and led them to Tumladen in secret, hidden by the power of Ulmo. Before leaving, however, and following Ulmo's prophecy, he left in Vinyamar a sword, mail and helm for one who would come in the hour of direst need of the Noldor and deliver hope. In his Hidden City, Turgon was King of the Gondolindrim, and all kept working on embellishing Gondolin. He even personally created the two tress Glingal and Belthil in the image of the Two Trees. In F.A. 400, after the unfortunate events concerning his sister Aredhel, Turgon welcomed his nephew Maeglin, who became a close counsellor. In F.A. 458 Turgon took in Húrin and Huor, who were saved by the Eagles. They forged a good friendship, but after a year he allowed them to leave the city although it was against his law. Turgon and the two brothers met again in the the Nirnaeth Arnoediad: in the middle of the battle, they rejoiced in their meeting. When Fingon was killed and the battle seemed lost, Huor urged Turgon to leave, prophesying that from both of them a new star would rise. Thanks to the men of the House of Hador in the Fen of Serech, the Gondolindrim could escape, but Huor was killed and Húrin captured. Although the battle was still lost, Turgon's unexpected intervention prevented the rout from completely destroying the armies of the Noldor and their allies. With the death of his brother Fingon, Turgon became the new High King of the Noldor, and he was the most feared of the enemies of Morgoth, as he remained hidden. In those times, Círdan settled down in the Mouths of Sirion, and with his help, Turgon sent seven boats to the West to ask help to the Valar, but all of them were wrecked. *Turgon, Idril, and Maeglin together* by Catherine Karina Chmiel In F.A. 495, Voronwë, the only survivor of the shipwrecks, brought into the Hidden City a man: Tuor, son of Huor. The King received him in the Tower of the King, and when Tuor spoke, his cloak fell, revealing the arms Turgon had left in Vinyamar following Ulmo's orders nearly 400 years earlier. Tuor gave him Ulmo's warning: the Doom of the Noldor was approaching, so the Gondolindrim had to leave their fair city and go down Sirion to the sea. But the King had became proud and loved his kingdom, so he rejected the council of the Vala. However, he ordered the blocking up of the Seven Gates, so nobody could enter now the city and the only news that came in was that brought by Thorondor. Some years later, Húrin was released by Morgoth, and in his wanderings he approached the Echoriad with the hope of returning to Gondolin. Thorondor informed Turgon, but he distrusted Húrin and did not help him. He later regretted it, but it was too late. Thus it was known to Morgoth the location of the Hidden City. Seven years after his coming, Tuor married Idril. Turgon blessed their union, as he held Tuor in great esteem and he had not forgotten the words of Huor in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Morgoth attacked the city in F.A. 510, "and mighty was its fall and the fall of Turgon in its ruin". A group of Exiles survived the Fall of Gondolin and reached the Mouths of Sirion. There Ereinion Gil-galad was named the next High King of the Noldor. Turgon's grandson Eärendil the Blessed would later bring salvation to Middle-earth, fulfilling Morgoth's fears about him.

## Bounds

### Glamdring

Sword used by the King of the hidden city of Gondolin, known as the Foe-hammer.