Glorfindel of the Golden Flower

**Motive**: Specify the motive

"*The name Vegen means Sweeping in Dutch, it has nothing to do with Vegans." -Vegen 2019*

## Coat of Arms

House of the Golden Flower (Credits go to Sindavar)

## Early History

Glorfindel was born in Valinor sometime during the Years of the Trees. He was of the host of Turgon. Glorfindel himself was reluctant; only for his allegiance and kinship with Turgon did he go, and had no part in the Kinslaying of Alqualondë.

## Gondolin

After the Exile of the Noldor Glorfindel’s history is obscure. As a great follower of Turgon he was appointed chief of the House of the Golden Flower, one of the Twelve Houses of Gondolin. He was dearly loved by all the Gondolindrim, and went about in a mantle embroidered in threads of gold, diapered with celandine "as a field in spring". His vambraces were damascened with "cunning gold".

## Aredhel's Escort

Two hundred years after Gondolin was wrought, Glorfindel, Ecthelion, and Egalmoth, along with the White Lady of the Ñoldor left the Hidden City due to Aredhel's yearning for the freedom she once had in Valinor. Their orders were to lead her towards Hithlum, where she would meet her elder brother Fingon. When coming upon the Ford of Brithiach, Aredhel ordered them to turn South, for she desired to see the Sons of Fëanor. Thus Ecthelion and his companions sought admittance to Doriath, but the wardens refused them entrance inside the Girdle of Melian. Having no other choice, they took the dangerous road between the haunted valleys of Ered Gorgoroth. Near Nan Dungortheb, the Valley of Dreadful Death, the riders were caught in a mesh of shadows and they were lost from Aredhel. In vain they sought her afterwards, but the fell offsprings of Ungoliant that dwelt in that place pursued them. Barely escaping alive, the three lords returned to Gondolin without the princess, where they were received in sorrow.

He followed Turgon who surprisingly came to fight in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. When the war turned against the alliance, Turgon's and Fingon's forces retreated to the Pass of Sirion and Glorfindel with Ecthelion guarded their flanks.

## Fall of Gondolin

Glorfindel witnessed the coming of Tuor and later the Fall of Gondolin. During the ensuing battle in the streets, Glorfindel chose (or was ordered) to hold the Great Market from the advancing orcs. He attempted to flank them, taking the enemy by surprise, but was himself ambushed and surrounded. Cut off, the House of the Golden Flower fought on fiercely for hours, until a fire-breathing dragon came and levelled their ranks. Glorfindel, with some of the strongest of his followers, cut his way out, but the survivors of that battle were very few. Even then they were pursued and might have all been killed, but the House of the Harp arrived in time, after rebelling from their treacherous leader Salgant, ambushing their pursuers. The Golden Flower arrived at the Square of the King, one of the last of the Houses to be driven in.

As many of the lords had fallen, Ecthelion was wounded, Galdor was engaged, and Egalmoth had not yet arrived, Glorfindel joined Tuor in leading the defense of the King’s Square. When Egalmoth arrived, bringing with him many women and children, he took over Glorfindel’s job in going from place to place, strengthening the defences. Glorfindel presumably threw himself once more into the thick of the fight. But even he could not prevent a dragon from coming down from the Alley of Roses, breaking through their lines. The dragon was accompanied by orcs and balrogs, among them Gothmog. Even Tuor was thrown down, but Ecthelion sacrificed himself to kill Gothmog and buy the Gondolindrim a little more time. When the Gondolindrim fled southward, and King Turgon was slain, Glorfindel held the rear manfully, losing many more of his House in the process. After they had escaped Gondolin via Idril's secret way, and passed through the Cirith Thoronath, Glorfindel again held the rear with the largest number of the unwounded.

## Glorfindel fighting a Balrog above Gondolin

#### *Balrog encounter*

It was at that time that a balrog and a contingent of orcs ambushed their company. Glorfindel there accomplished his greatest deed, for he saved the lives of Tuor, Idril, and all the company when he defied the balrog. They fought long. According to *The Fall of Gondolin*, Glorfindel stabbed it in the belly, but as the balrog fell it reached out and grabbed his long golden hair, pulling him back down over the edge of the cliff. He perished in the fall, but his body was borne up by Thorondor, and buried him with a mound of stones in the pass. On that mound grew yellow flowers (possibly celandine), despite its remote location.

## Re-embodiment and Return

Glorfindel’s spirit passed to the Halls of Mandos, where he waited with the spirits of the other Noldor who had died during their war against Morgoth. But because of Glorfindel’s noble actions in life, his reluctance at the Exile, and his furthering of the purposes of the Valar by saving Tuor and Idril, he was re-embodied after only a short time. He had redeemed himself, and was purged of any guilt. Not only did his sacrifice get him an early pardon, it earned him great powers, so that he was almost an equal to the Maiar.[1]

Eventually, Manwë sent him across the sea to Middle-earth, possibly as early as Second Age 1200, but more likely in 1600 with the Blue Wizards. If the latter date, he arrived just after the One Ring had been forged, Barad-dûr built, and Celebrimbor dead or soon to be so. While the Blue Wizards were sent to the east, Glorfindel’s mission was to aid Gil-galad and Elrond in the struggle against Sauron. He played a prominent behind-the-scenes role in the war in Eriador and the other struggles of the Second Age and Third Age. His part, though great, was mostly overlooked by the histories, because his immense, angelic power was not usually displayed openly.

## Third Age

Glorfindel spent several hundred years in Valinor and for an unknown reason, near T.A. 1000, he landed with Olórin, who was on a similar mission of his own. Over time, as the few remaining great Elves of Middle-earth took ship to Aman or fell one by one, only Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond, and Círdan were left of the Wise. Glorfindel took a more active role, leading the Elven forces in the Battle of Fornost. Upon the humiliation of Eärnur before the Witch-king, Glorfindel bade him not pursue, and prophesied that the wraith would not fall by the hand of man. Not much can be said about his deeds and role in the events and struggles of the Westlands before the War of the Ring.

During the War, he was one of the elves dispatched from Rivendell by Elrond to search for the Ring-bearer. Elrond had chosen him partially because Glorfindel did not fear the Ringwraiths, as he had great presence in both the Seen and Unseen worlds. While on his perilous mission the Ringwraiths avoided him; he met five of them, and they fled at his presence. It was Glorfindel indeed who accomplished his mission and found the Ringbearer, Frodo Baggins, and his friend Aragorn with him. Glorfindel put Frodo on his horse, Asfaloth, and upon the approach of the Ringwraiths ordered him to go on. The white horse bore Frodo to safety across the Ford of Bruinen, but Frodo, in a rash act of attempted heroism, turned around at the other side and defied the Nine. Glorfindel, expecting the flood that protected Rivendell to come down and smite the riders, revealed his power to the Riders, and drove them (willingly or not) into the River, where they were swept away by the ensuing waters.

After this adventure, he helped bear Frodo to Rivendell, where the wounded Ringbearer was tended to. Glorfindel attended the Council of Elrond, playing an active role in the conversation, speaking prophetically of Tom Bombadil and other matters with authority. Glorfindel stood beside Elrond and Gandalf as the backbone of the Council, laying out clearly their options. At first Glorfindel suggested that the Ring would be safe in the depths of the Sea, but the far-sighted Gandalf noted the change of landscapes, and the unforeseen possibilities that could bring the Ring forth once more in a hundred or even a thousand years in the future. He was briefly considered as a member of the Fellowship of the Ring, but as his friend Gandalf said, Glorfindel's power would be of little use against the might of Mordor, on a mission of secrecy.

During the War of the Ring nothing is said of Glorfindel. Whatever his role, he survived and joined Elrond's company to the Wedding of Elessar. After that no more is said of him. Like Olórin, his task in Middle-earth was done, and the age of the Elves was over.

## Fourth Age

Glorfindel was still in Rivendell at this time (~400 F.O.), Elrond was long gone to Aman so he was here with Dalinar of the Fëanoreans, the war for the ring was still ongoing, Rivendell at the time was at war with Gundabad fighting off the Orcs from the Misty Mountains, at this battlefield Glorfindel faced the Nazgûl Adunaphel on an open field, this field stretched very var you could barely make up the treelines where the actual battle was happening, the Nazgûl was wielding Anguirel at the time and knowing that the sword meant a lot to Elves the Nazgûl used it to strike fear into Glorfindel, altough Glorfindel did have hesitation, he and Aragorn shared one trait, which who are unafraid and unwaivering in their own strength of **love**, they are able to withstand and repel the **Nazgûl,** thus injuring the Nazgûl making it drop the weapon and flee off into the distance.

Upon seeing the sword laying on the grass, Glorfindel took it and as a throphy took it in as his personal weapon. Without noticing anything during the fight Beleg was watching from a distance while hiding behind a rock, Beleg slowly going to Glorfindel to see who he was, but Glorfindel took notice of something moving behind him and with one stroke with Anguirel slashed behind him, luckily for Beleg Glorfindel saw that it was an Elf and not a orc thus halting his movement immediately.

Upon meeting the Elf he noticed that he wasn't a Noldorin Elf but resembled that of an Sindarin, his posture reminded him of someone who died before himself, but due to him being re-awakened his memory didn't have any memory on Beleg, learning his name also brought familiarity, again because his memory wasn't up to par he didn't know who he actually was, after a few seconds Glorfindel fainted and lost strength in his right leg, Beleg saw a big cut on Glorfindel's leg, this was done by a Morgul blade.

Beleg knew that Glorfindel wouldn't make it unless they went back to Rivendell, but Rivendell was way too far from where they were, they were at the east side of the Misty Mountains. Beleg decided that he would gamble on the Galadhrims having medicine for the wound, the Galadhrims re-assured Beleg that everything would be fine after the arrival in Lothlorien.

In the meantime in Rivendell, Dalinar got unexpected visit from Cirdan the shipwright, after the arrival of Cirdan Dalinar asked what a Shipwright was doing so far in the lands of Middle Earth, Cirdan asked about the 2 elves that were residing in Rivendell, Dalinar hadn't seen their return since after the battle near the Misty Mountains, Dalinar said he would send out messengers to the other settlements, High King Dalinar welcomed Cirdan to his realm and asked if he needed a place to stay, but Dalinar noticed someone that came with him, a strong Elf with darkhair, Cirdan announced it to Dalinar that he has just met the slayer of Gothmog, Ecthelion of the Fountain.

The messengers all returned and notified Cirdan and Dalinar of their locations, after hearing their locations Dalinar got relieved.

Dalinar sent out 2 messengers, one went straight to Ost-in-Edhil and the other one to Lothlorien where Glorfindel was getting healing from the Elves there after the fight against Adunaphel, he had healed and was exploring the Golden woods of Lothrórien, the messenger arrived but Glorfindel was already out exploring.

Glorfindel went off track and went into the soil of Lothlorien, there he was enjoying the fresh air, while looking up in the sky he saw the stars throught the leaves, one star was shining bright, as if Eärendil himself was giving him a sign, but he just saw it as a normal star, Glorfindel took one of the leafs on his palm and blew on it to make it float in the air, as the leaf was nearing the ground a strong breeze came through and blew the leaf towards an old ruined house, Glorfindel didn't see it when he came there and now the house caught his attention, he decided to see what was to see there.

Upon entering the house there was this bright shining thing on the floor, he couldn't make out of what it was, he decided to take a closer look, the light grew stronger as he came closer as if it resonated with the courage of Glorfindel, he grabbed the light and felt glass, the light started to dim, he phial inot his pouch and decided to take it as a trinket of luck.

Glorfindel went back to Cerin Amroth, there he was awaited by the messenger who told him about Cirdans arrival at Rivendell with an urgent message, Glorfindel set out on his steed and returned to Rivendell as soon as he could.

## Message from the Valars

412 years after the war of the Ring, after the succesfull attacks of Sauron and his army, Dalinar got notice from Cirdan the Shipwright, asking him about the 2 elves that were in his lands; Beleg Cuthalion and Glorfindel of the Golden Flower.

Glorfindel and Beleg eventually arrived at Rivendell where they both got greeted by Cirdan, Glorfindel noticed Echtelion immediatly, and he remembered him, Glorfindel got tears and had to confirm if it was Ecthelion, and asked for his house, Ecthelion then replied: *"I am Ecthelion of the Fountain, and how have you been my old friend"*, after hearing this Glorfindel got tears of joy, but Cirdan interupted them both for he has something important to tell, he got a message from the Valars.

He got sent to Rivendell for a reason, Cirdan announced the plans in secrecy to the 2 elves including Echtelion, Glorfindel understood everything but was still in shock about Ecthelions return, he then proceeded by taking out his pouch where he stored the shining trinket, he mumbled to himself: *"It was you who brought luck wasn't it?"*, Dalinar noticed the thing in Glorfindels hand immediately, he asked Glorfindel where and how he got it from, Glorfindel explained it. Dalinar told him about the "trinket" he was holding the Phial of Galadriel, it containted the light of the 2 trees.

## Coronation in Rivendell

While Glorfindel was rebuilding Gondolin the High King of Rivendell asked him to come at once and so he did, after arriving in Rivendell the High King gestured to come to the throne, it was very quiet, nothing was said and they just walked.

Upon arriving at the throne Glorfindel saw Gandalf, he was worried because Gandalf had no reason to be lingering around in Rivendell. However he also noticed many nobles standing near the sides, it seemed like a big event.

Gandalf gestured him to kneel, after kneeling he took the crown of Dalinar and coronated Glorfindel as the Aran of Rivendell.

## Attributes

Glorfindel was an elf of great beauty, power, wisdom, and moral courage. He was clearly loved by the people of Gondolin, who mourned his passing greatly. He acted most courageously during the Fall, his House being among those that suffered the greatest losses, and eventually giving his own life for the safety of Tuor and Idril, accomplishing the designs of the Valar, though it was said that he "*would have defended them even had they been fugitives of any rank*". He was repentant of the rebellion of the Noldor, and took no part in the Kinslaying. His acts in the Third Age also show great presence and authority, as does the very fact that he was sent as an emissary of the Valar.