#aratan

@tolkiengenweek

Words: 1,004

Thanks once again to @eomerofrohan for beta'ing this!! ^^

          Isildur was the elder son of Elendil. He and his brother Anárion were born and raised among the Faithful in Númenor shortly before its fall. Though they were heirs of the House of Andúnië, neither ever saw their ancestral homeland, as their people had been forcibly removed to Rómenna. While still in his youth, Isildur fell in love with the farmer Cemniel. Their first child, Elendur, was born shortly after their wedding; the couple would wait many years before having another child.           As the shadow over Númenor began to darken, Ar-Pharazôn purposed to cut down the White Tree of Gondor. When Elendil heard of this, he turned to his own father Amandil in his distress, but unbeknownst to them both Isildur overheard this and resolved to steal one of Nimloth’s fruits to preserve its line. He was grievously wounded by the king’s guards, but managed to escape, and when the sapling that grew from the fruit’s seed produced its first leaf, he was healed.           When the Downfall occurred and Númenor began to be swallowed up by the sea, Elendil and his sons were prepared. In nine ships, they fled with their people to Middle-earth. With them they took heirlooms: seven Seeing Stones, the Sceptre of Annúminas, the Ring of Barahir, the sword Narsil, and the seedling of Nimloth.           Isildur and Anárion were separated from their father during the tumultuous voyage to the mainland. They landed in the south, by the mouths of Anduin, and there established the kingdom of Gondor while their father founded the kingdom of Arnor in the north. At length, their family was reunited, and though their kingdoms were far apart they kept in contact through the Seeing Stones.           Gondor was ruled jointly by the brothers, who held court in Osgiliath. Anárion settled in Minas Anor and Isildur in Minas Ithil, where he and Cemniel judged it safe to have two more sons: Aratan and Círyon.           When Sauron, diminished from the fair and glorious form he had taken in Númenor, returned to the east as a shadow, he settled in Mordor and rebuilt his strength before attacking Gondor and forcing Isildur from Minas Ithil. While Anárion held Osgiliath, Isildur and his family moved north to Arnor, and aided Elendil in forming an alliance with Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor.           In the very year of the birth of Valandil, Isildur’s final son, the Last Alliance of Elves and Men marched to war. Isildur left Cemniel and Valandil in Imladris as he continued on to the Dagorlad, where the siege on Mordor lasted seven years. His eldest son Elendur fought at his side, though Aratan and Círyon remained in the reclaimed city of Minas Ithil to serve as a guard should the battle go ill.           At last Elendil and Gil-galad faced down Sauron, and though he was cast down both High Kings perished in the effort. It was then that Isildur took the hilt of his father’s broken sword, Narsil, and cut the One Ring from Sauron’s finger and defeating him utterly. Isildur ignored the advice of Elrond and Círdan to destroy the Ring, instead claiming it as a weregild for the deaths of his father and brother and an heirloom for his house.           Isildur returned to Gondor and proclaimed himself High King of the Dúnedain, though he would rule in Arnor, leaving his nephew Meneldil regent of Gondor. He planted the seedling of Nimloth in Minas Anor in memory of his brother and buried his father in the tomb of Amon Anwar before traveling north with his three elder sons to reunite with Cemniel and young Valandil.           Alas, before their company reached Imladris, Isildur’s retinue was attacked by a massive company of orcs. He sent his esquire Ohtar away with the shards of Narsil before the orcs closed in. One by one, Isildur’s sons died about him, and he heeded Elendur’s dying wish for him to use the One Ring to escape. But even invisible and swimming across the river, the orcs could still smell him, and he was shot, falling back into the water. No trace of him was found by elves or men, and the Ring itself was lost for millennia.

Some doodles from today’s stream (13th Jan). Mostly just lines and colours practice. Trying to decide whether I should go for that rough inked look. It’s very defined, compared to just pencil, but I do wonder if my backgrounds will be too soft by contrast. Oh well, I had some fun anyway. ft. @theongoingplague‘s warforged gladiator character Trauma. (top left) Go and follow them if you don’t already. :)

The Sons of Isildur 💔

The Life of Isildur 4/10

Words: 30,122