Vallindil Findilsa

Vallindil “Silver Locks”

               Son of Fingil and Emerwen, Vallindil received his surname “Findilsa” from his kinswoman Galadriel, Lady of Lorien because “his hair resembles the radiance of Earwen, my mother, who dwells in Tirion upon the green hill of Tuna”. Earwen, the wife of Finarfin was of the Teleri and she was renowned for the color of her hair which matched the light of Teleperion the Silver, eldest of all trees in Arda. Galadriel did not speak hastily, for she knew that Vallindil shared her own lineage, of the House of Finarfin, for Vallindil's father Fingil was of the lineage of Finwe through Angrod son of Finarfin. His grandmother was Eamone, younger sister to Orodreth who was the father of Gil-galad. This made Fingil a Noldor prince and close kinsmen of the last High King of the Noldor in exile.  

Fingil, the father of Vallindil, was a companion and kinsmen of Gil-galad, the last High King of the Noldor-in-Exile. Fingil followed his liege when he fled Beleriand after the fall of Gondolin and the death of the last High King, Turgon. Fingil was a renowned captain of elves who campaigned with the High King throughout the second age. The Second Age began after the banishment of Morgoth into the Void by the Lords of the West led by Eönwë the Herald of Manwë. It lasted for 3441 years, and ended with the downfall of Sauron, when he was defeated by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men following the drowning of Númenor. The age was characterized by the rise of Númenor", most notably chronicled in the Ákallabeth”, or 'the falling of a star,' which recounts the fall of Númenor and its kings, and also the rise of Gondor and Arnor, the rise of Sauron in Middle-earth (which saw the creation of the Ringwraiths), and the early Wars of the Rings between Sauron and Elves. Fingil shared Gil-galad’s and Cirdan’s mistrust of the stranger Annatar, soon discovered to be Sauron in disguise.

Emerwen, the wife of Fingil and mother of Vallindil was of the Nandor, Elves of Telerin descent, who left the Great Journey from Cuivienen to Valinor as the Elves reached the Hithaeglir (Misty Mountains). Her ancestors were those elves who under Denethor, son of Lenwë, crossed the Ered Luin into Ossiriand, which was after named Lindon, or Land of the singers, after these elves. They became known as the Laiquendi or Green Elves. The Silvan Elves of Eryn Galen and Lothlórien are descended from the Nandor as were the Elves which dwelt at Edhellond near Dol Amroth during the early days of Gondor. It is here in Eryn Galen that she met and fell in love with Fingil of Lindon who dwelt in Eryn Galen for a time as the ambassador of High King Gil-Galad to the court of Oropher, King of the Greenwood. At the end of his service to the High King, Fingil took Emerwen to Lindon to dwell there with him. They had many years of great joy and peace. Their greatest joy was in the birth of their son.

               Vallindil was born on the northwestern coast of Forlindon along the shores of Belegaer the great western sea, the primary refuge of the Eldar following the War of Wrath and the changing of Arda, at the end of the first age of Middle Earth. It was here that Fingil and Emerwen dwelt, in sight of the Isle of Himling, a small island that lay off the northwestern coast of Lindon. During the First Age, this had not been an island but a hill - Himring, where the eldest son of Feanor, Maedhros One-handed’s fortress had stood. When the western lands were flooded at the end of the First Age, the plains about the hill were drowned, and it was left standing as an island. Fingil loved to sail there and sit among the ancient Noldorian ruins. He would sit and gaze into the west and dream of swan boats and white sands, and comrades long gone. It was here that Fingil met Osse, a Maia (guardian of waters) whom he befriended over time.

Fingil like many great and noble elves of his day found an end to their sojourn in Middle Earth during the Last Alliance of Elves and Men against Sauron. This victorious alliance between Gil-galad of the Elves and Elendil High King of the exiles of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, marched on Mordor, besieged Barad-dûr, and defeated Sauron but not without paying a great price in the lives of men and elves. Leaving wife and newborn son behind, Vallindil’s father followed his lord into the south against Sauron. Fingil is noted in song as a brave captain who commanded a company of Noldorian and Nandorian bowmen during the seven year siege of Barad-dur. Ballads have been sung and tales have been written of Captain Fingil and the Eilia-pilindi or “Rain of Arrows”. As was true for many families who’s loved ones followed Gil-Galad and Elendil into the lands of Mordor, the lady Emerwen never saw her husband thereafter. Fingil died on the slopes of Orodruin (Mount Doom) in the shadow of the great battle where the High Kings and the Dark Lord fell.  Cirdan the Shipwright brought back Fingil’s possessions for the son who would never know his father. Among them was the Earelen “Sea Star”, a stone of deep blue said to be given as a gift to Fingil by Osse the Maia, which Fingil wore on his brow. It was said by wise that the Earelen possessed a power of the deep sea that granted discernment upon its owner.

               Emerwen, distraught by the death of her beloved husband and the fall of the High King, began to yearn for the white ships and Aman as all elves do when their spirit tires of the travails of Middle Earth. In the undying lands, her grief could be assuaged and she could be comforted by those she lost afore. Knowing that there was no return from such a plan, she decided to bring Vallindil to her kinsmen in the Greenwood where he could be raised by the last of the great Eldar in Middle Earth. She left Lindon and travelled the long road to Eryn Galen or Greenwood the Great as it was known to men; stopping only briefly in Imladris to speak with Elrond. Vallindil was a child of three years when Emerwen made her journey and he remembers their travels through only brief and fleeting memories of ancient trees, mystic songs and pleasant voices. Arriving in Lorien, Emerwen rested for a time under the care of her three brothers, Glamodúd, Cairelledh and Fairlovan, Captains of Eryn Galen. When Vallindil reached the age of twenty, Emerwen tearfully took leave of her son and took the secret paths back to Lindon and Mithlond “the Grey Haven”.  There she boarded one of Cirdan’s white ships, forever forsaking Middle Earth and its troubles.  Vallindil she left in the care of Cairelledh, her twin brother, who continued the young elf’s instruction in lore, song, and arms. He was to be prepared to serve King Thranduil and Prince Legolas and all of Eryn Galen as a border scout and hunter.

In the Greenwood, Vallindil remained through the long years of the third age. His wisdom and lore increased under the careful eyes of his uncles, and unknown to him, the keen watch of the Lady of Lorien.  For one so long in years, Vallindil still was viewed as youthful to those who had born the hardships of war and grief for ages. For the duration of the third age, the son of Fingil was protected and hidden from the real dangers that surrounded him. Vallindil was of a gentle nature, more like his Nandorian mother, than as a fiery son of Finwe. This pleased the elves, for much pain had resulted from the passion of the sons of Feanor and their Noldor kin. Vallindil spent the long years mostly in pursuit of song and stories of old. Although his uncles drove him hard in his training as a Warden, he languished most in wandering, singing and exploring under the eaves of the great oaks and beeches that grew tall and strong under the care of the elves. It was during his wanderings that Vallindil first met and befriended the children of Elrond Half-elven. Elrond’s sons Elrohir and Elladan were in Eryn Galen having escorted their sister Arwen Undomiel there to meet with King Thranduil and Prince Legolas. Many speculated that a match between the beautiful Arwen and Legolas may result. Elrond had married Celebrian, the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel. The children of Elrond visited the Greenwood many times.  Vallindil befriended these three, but his greatest joy was in the company of Arwen who many, including Vallindil, said was the reappearance in likeness of her ancestress Lúthien, fairest of all the Elves, who was called Nightingale (Tinúviel). Vallindil did not doubt this, and love of his cousin was always in his mind and heart. For they were cousins, both descended from the line of Finwe, High King of the Noldor in Valinor.

               Through this acquaintance, Vallindil also came to know the most famous of elves of the third age, Elrond Half-elven, son of Eärendil and Elwing, daughter of Dior the son of Beren and Lúthien. Earendil, the father of Elrond, was the son of the great Tuor and Idril daughter of Turgon who was High King of the Noldor in exile and Lord of Gondolin before it fell. Vallindil’s fate became tied to the children of Earendil through these friendships. Vallindil visited the house of Elrond as often as he could in the secret vale of Rivendell.

As the third age passed, the evil of Sauron grew once more until even the powerful daughter of Finwe and Lord Elrond struggled to protect or shield the elves of Lorien and those in the north. Vallindil’s life changed in 2416 TA when he received a command from King Thranduil to travel with his uncle Cairelledh and others of the borderguards and scouts to assist Elrond and his kinsmen in the protection of Edhelion in Lindon. At that time, strange events were occurring in the west that brought concern to the Eldar. Goblins and other fell creatures had infiltrated Ered Luin and were bringing death and destruction to any in their path. Vallindil was called, but he went reluctantly, for he did not desire to leave Lorien or the fair Arwen. But alas, he had no choice, so he followed his uncle into the west - back to the land of his father Fingil, back to the land of his birth.

The elves of Lorien found Edhelion besieged and the fighting was hot and deadly. Shock and dismay was also there when they discovered that dwarves led the attack on Edhelion and commanded the foul folk. The forces of Elrond successfully defended the besieged city and turned back the servants of the Dark Lord. As for fair Edhelion, in the end, it was abandoned and faded away as other elven places have since the coming of Melkor. Vallindil served faithfully, distinguishing himself before Elrond and the other Eldar. Elrond took note of the silver-haired son of Fingil seeing in him a hint of his valiant father.  Vallindil returned to Eryn Galen with Cairelledh, but his life had changed. The adventures in the west lingered in his mind and he felt some remorse for leaving Lindon, Ered Luin and the fair folk there – his kinsmen. But it was not his home and kin that had the most powerful effect on his spirit, for Vallindil had experienced for the first time the great sea and with it, the song of the gulls and the crash of the waves; and his heart was strangely stirred. On his return, Glamodúd, Cairelledh and Fairlovan noticed the change in their nephew, and they understood that for Vallindil the world would be forever different.

               For the next six hundred years, Vallindil lived among the Green Elves of Eryn Galen, but though he walked again under the towering oaks and beloved beeches, his mind wandered the coasts of fair Lindon and his heart yearned for the gulls and the foaming sea.  Many times he would journey back to Forlindon to walk the rocky beaches, and sit facing westward reflecting on the unknown that lay beyond his far-seeing eyes. There even came a time when he braved the waters and sailed alone to the Isle of Himling where his father visited long ago. He walked the ancient paths and dreamed of his family, and many were the times his hands would stray to the Earelen on his brow as he thought of them.

               Peace did not remain in the land. It was nigh sixty years ago, a great disturbance echoed through the Greenwood as the result of a troop of dwarves. One Thorin Oakenshield of the House of Durin had passed through the Greenwood on a journey to reclaim the ancient home of his clan. His quest was to slay the Dragon Smaug and retake Erebor the Lonely Mountain that lay to the west of the Woodland Realm. A great misunderstanding ensued between Thrandruil and the dwarves that pulled the elves into a conflict with the clan of Durin now ensconced in their mighty ancient fortress. Vallindil did not go to war, ordered to remain at his post in the southern woods that had progressively grown more dark and vile since the days of Oropher. A darkness had fallen on the southern woods with the coming of an evil Necromancer who dwelt in the ruins of Dol Guldur and consorted with goblins, orcs, wargs and great spiders. A constant vigil was needed to watch the borders. Vallindil did not march to war, but his uncles did. Many elves fell there including his uncle Fairlovan, but not at the hands of the dwarves. As the elves and dwarves prepared for battle, a great host of goblins and wargs fell upon them from out of the Misty Mountains, there to claim the vast wealth of the rich halls of Erebor having heard that the mighty dragon was slain. The battle was a victory for the elves and dwarves but at a great cost including Vallindil’s uncle and even the noble Thorin Oakenshield who sat upon the throne of Erebor for only a short while as King under the Mountain.

Six hundred years after the fall of Edhelion, another call came to the Greenwood from Elrond. The west was once more in need of succor from any who would take up sword, spear or bow. A great shadow had descended upon the west under which came foul creatures of darkness and hate. Elf, human, dwarf and hafling, all good folk, were at risk.  Unlike before, Vallindil did not hesitate or regret his going. The west and the sea was now firmly in his heart, and he accepted the call willingly. Taking leave of his uncles, and his King, he swiftly travelled the old paths through Eriador back to the country he had come to love most. His step was firm and his hands steady as he contemplated what lay ahead. The Earelen on his brow shone brightly as if to herald the approach of one of the great Eldar of old. A new adventure was beginning. Vallindil was determined to match the courage and deeds of his sire, a Fingil reborn to challenge the enemy and drive back the coming shadow.