#eglarest

back to middle-earth month 3/18/26 | 2019: music of the waters | seagulls at sunset | the falathrim

When many years had passed, Ulmo hearkened to the prayers of the Noldor and of Finwë their king, who grieved at their long sundering from the Teleri, and besought him to bring them to Aman, if they would come. And most of them proved now willing indeed; but great was the grief of Ossë when Ulmo returned to the coasts of Beleriand, to bear them away to Valinor; for his care was for the seas of Middle-earth and the shores of the Hither Lands, and he was ill-pleased that the voices of the Teleri should be heard no more in his domain. Some he persuaded to remain; and those were the Falathrim, the Elves of the Falas, who in after days had dwellings at the havens of Brithombar and Eglarest, the first mariners in Middle-earth and the first makers of ships. Círdan the Shipwright was their lord.

'Let us pray for the foxes sleeping in your knees. May you always know when to run.’ -Caitlyn Siehl, 'A Prayer’

They call me the shipwright, and my hands have indeed shaped wood into many vessels that sail the seas. But they have also shaped these cities, raised them up in wood and stone, created a place for all the Eldar to take refuge, for I do not believe in vengeance, even vengeance by inaction.

Now my cities burn. Great clouds of smoke rise from the walls, and the armies of Morgoth are battering at our doors, breaking like waves against the levees. Every man, woman, and child who can wield a weapon is fighting in defense of our home, but they fall by the hundreds, slain by the sword or the smoke or the orcs' poisoned arrows.

My people are dying, and I have only one way to save them.

"Fall back! Fall back to the ships! We make for Balar!"

Trying my hand at some landscape sketches. Here’s Eglarest and Lammoth, from the Silmarillion.

  Upon the cape west of Eglarest Finrod raised the tower of Barad Nimras to watch the western sea, though needlessly, as it proved; for at no time ever did Morgoth essay to build ships or to make war by sea. Water all his servants shunned, and to the sea none would willingly go nigh, save in dire need.