Rivendell

**Rivendell** or **Imladris** was the mansion of Elrond, and home to most of the High-Elves who still lived in Middle-earth by the Third Age (namely, Elrond's family of Celebrian, their daughter Arwen and sons Eladan and Elrohir), earning it the nickname "The last homely house east of the Sea."

Located in a valley at the foothills of the Misty Mountains, Rivendell was a protected settlement which withstood several sieges. While it was Elrond's personal mansion, it was large enough to function as a town housing many Elves, visiting Rangers and guests such as Thorin and Company. It had kitchens, an observatory, Elrond's personal study where many historical artefacts were held, including Narsil; sacred fountains and the chamber for the White Council.

## Location

The peaceful, sheltered town of Rivendell was located at the edge of a narrow gorge of the river Bruinen (one of the main approaches to Rivendell comes from the nearby Ford of Bruinen), but well hidden in the moorlands and foothills of the Misty Mountains.

## History

### Founding

During the War of the Elves and Sauron, and as Sauron was moving against Eriador, Elrond led an army of Elves of Lindon to the region. They arrived late but were joined by a detachment out of Eregion led by Celeborn. Despite this, Sauron's armies overwhelmed the Elves, and Elrond was unable to reach Eregion. Forced northward toward the headwaters of Bruinen, Elrond established a stronghold.

This became a refuge for those seeking shelter from Sauron's onslaught in Eriador, and Elrond's and Celeborn's Elves were soon joined by many fleeing the Sack of Eregion. More came as Sauron ravaged Eriador on his march toward Lindon. By SA 1700, Sauron had overrun all of Eriador and Imladris was besieged. The siege ended when Gil-galad's forces, strengthened by the armament sent by Tar-Minastir, routed Sauron's armies and drove him out of Eriador.

A Council held at that time made Elrond Gil-galad's vice-regent in Eriador, and Imladris his seat. Gil-galad bestowed Vilya upon Elrond in secret. Aided by the power of the Elven ring, Elrond made Imladris one of the chief seats of Elvish strength in the west in the latter part of the Second Age. Imladris remained an Elvish stronghold in Eriador to the end of the Second Age and into the Third.

At the end of the Second Age, Elendil and Gil-galad formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men to challenge Sauron, and their host halted for a while at Imladris in SA 3431 and they stayed there for 3 years, gathered their forces before crossing the Misty Mountains. Isildur's wife and his youngest son, Valandil, were in Imladris at that time, and Isildur was journeying back to them after Sauron's defeat when he was ambushed at the Gladden Fields. After receiving the shards of Narsil, Valandil took up his role as King of Arnor and left Imladris for Annúminas.

### The Third Age

After the fall of Gil-galad, Elrond remained in Imladris. He could have ruled under the title of "High-king of the Noldor", but since most of the High-Elves were already with him in Rivendell, there was little point to the title which he never took up.

During the Third Age, Rivendell was a refuge and sanctuary; many Elves gathered there, and it was the chief dwelling of the High Elves in Eriador, except the Elves of Lindon, but also wise and powerful people of all the races. The heirs of Isildur were also harboured there due to their kinship with Elrond, as descendants of his brother Elros. Rivendell maintained this relationship with the North Kingdom throughout the Third Age, and Elrond and his people remained steadfast allies to the heirs of Isildur. Situated on the western slopes of the Misty Mountains, Imladris was near Arnor's eastern province of Rhudaur, which became independent during the disintegration of the North Kingdom in TA 861.

Danger came to Eriador around TA 1300 when the witch-kingdom of Angmar was established in the north-east beyond the Ettenmoors. It was late in the reign of Arveleg I that Rivendell was besieged by Angmar, but it proved impregnable for the remainder of the Third Age. After an incursion by Angmar into Eriador in T.A. 1409, the Elves of Rivendell joined those of Lindon and the Galadhrim whom Elrond brought over the Mountains, in subduing the power of the Witch-king for many years.

After the end of the North-kingdom in TA 1975 Aranarth, the first Chieftain of the Dúnedain, had his son fostered in Rivendell, as were all subsequent sons of the chieftains. The heirlooms and treasures of the house of Isildur, including the shards of Narsil, were also kept there after Arvedui's death. Among these were also some of the few remaining documents containing the history of Númenor. Subsequently, Rivendell was also home of Aragorn, raised as Elrond's foster-son, and of his mother Gilraen. After her death, a monument was erected for her in Rivendell.

There was traffic across the Misty Mountains in the Third Age between Imladris and Lothlórien, for Elrond's wife was Celebrían, daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. At one such voyage, Celebrian was captured by Orcs near the Redhorn pass and tortured to the point that even after her rescue she could no longer stay in Middle Earth. Arwen would then spend much of her time in Lorien, until Elrond sent for her when the roads were becoming dangerous.

The War of the Ring

In the Quest of Erebor, Gandalf intended to pass through Rivendell and ask Elrond for advice, particularly in deciphering Thror's Map, and sent word to Elrond in advance. Thorin, having developed a hatred of all Elves following the Elven-king's betrayal, objected to this at least twice, but Gandalf used the threat of a Warg attack to lead the company towards the Hidden Valley, where Elrond and a company of Riders intercepted the Warg riders.

With the Dwarves' suspicion and disrespect of the Elves, they nearly came to blows with Elrond's company, and later consumed all the foods in Rivendell's kitchens, bathed naked in their sacred fountains, stole some of Elrond's silverware (which then fell into the hands of the Goblins in Goblin-town) and used his furnite as fuel for campfires. Elrond, for his part, was hospitible but suspicious of the Dwarves' endeavour, as was Saruman who convened the White Council at the time. Bilbo, unlike the Dwarves, found Rivendell so enchanting that he almost defected to remain there, and would later return to it on his way back from the Quest, and again when he left the Shire following his 11th birthday.

Unknown to Elrond at the time, Sauron had secretly returned and sought to destroy Rivendell (as well as Lorien) by re-establishing Angmar. In order to do so, he forged an alliance with Smaug who would hold the Iron-Hill Dwarves and the Men and Elves of Rhovanion at bay to secure Angmar's flank. This was thwarted by the Quest of Erebor, in which Smaug was slain, the subsequent Battle of the Five Armies, in which the Orc Armies meant to remake Angmar were decimated; and the attack of the White Council, in which Sauron and his Nazgul were banished from the North.

Years later, Frodo Baggins and his companions journeyed to Rivendell, where they met Bilbo. Several other Elves, Dwarves and Men were summoned at Rivendell; at the Council of Elrond they learned that all of their errands were related to the fate of the One Ring, and they had to decide what to do about it. In the end, the Hobbits influenced the decision.

Following the destruction of the One Ring at the end of the Third Age, Elrond's ring lost its power, and Elrond, with many of his household, left Rivendell to sail for Valinor from the Grey Havens; this marked the start of the Fourth Age. It is not known when Rivendell was finally abandoned, but shortly after Aragorn died in Fo.A. 120, Arwen returned to the valley to find naught but "fading trees".

## Description

In Imladris, there was a large hall with a dais and several tables for feasting. Another hall, the Hall of Fire, had a fire in it year-round with carven pillars on either side of the hearth; it was used for singing and storytelling on high days, but stood empty otherwise, and people would come there alone to think and ponder. The eastern side of the house had a porch at which Frodo Baggins found his friends once he had awakened, and was where the Council of Elrond was held.

Rivendell was protected from attack (mainly by the River Bruinen, Elrond, and Elven magic), but Elrond himself said that Rivendell was a place of peace and learning, not a stronghold of battle.

## Geography

Pine-trees grew on the top of the valley, and there was a "steep zig-zag path" to the valley bottom. The vegetation in the valley bottom was mostly oak and beech.

## Inhabitants

* Celebrían (formerly)
* Aragorn (formerly)
* Arwen Undómiel (formerly)
* Elladon
* Elrohir
* Elrond (formerly)
* Figwit
* Lindir
* Bilbo Baggins (Formerly)
* Elves

## Visitors

* Aragorn
* Balin
* Bifur
* Bilbo Baggins
* Bofur
* Bombur
* Boromir
* Dori
* Dwalin
* Dwarves
* Elves of Mirkwood
* Fíli
* Frodo Baggins
* Galadriel
* Gandalf
* Gimli
* Glóin
* Kíli
* Legolas
* Men of Gondor
* Merry Brandybuck
* Nori
* Óin
* Ori
* Pippin Took
* Sam Gamgee
* Saruman
* Thorin Oakenshield