Haldir was the son of Halmir, and the fifth Chieftain of the Haladin. When he was twenty-two years of age, a great feast was held between his people and the House of Hador where both he and his younger sister Hareth wed the children of Lord Hador. Hareth married Hador’s heir Galdor, and Haldir took to wife Hador’s daughter Glóredhel, a golden-haired woman with the beauty of an elf.
     Glóredhel passed her golden hair to Haldir’s son Handir, who grew into a man of noble heart and great prowess in battle. Handir followed his father into the Fifth Battle, marching under the banner of High King Fingon, and when Haldir was slain covering an attempted retreat across the Anfauglith, Handir took command of the surviving Haladin and led them in a flight from the battlefield. Upon learning of her husband’s death, Glóredhel’s heart broke and she died of grief.
     The wife of Handir was Beldis, daughter of Bregil of the House of Bëor and Arachon of the Noldor. Though her father and brother were slain amid the Sudden Flame, Beldis and her aging mother had fled to Brethil with Emeldir the Man-hearted, and though she was many years older than Handir she was yet fair and youthful thanks to her elven blood. Handir admired Beldis for her kindness and quiet strength and knew from his youth that he wanted to marry her; Beldis, who had assumed her heritage would complicate any chance she had at love, was quickly won over by his eager attempts at courting.
     Beldis bore Handir one son, whom she named Brandir after her fallen brother. Brandir was a wayward and inquisitive child, prone to wandering off into the woods and driving his parents mad with worry. On one such misadventure, Brandir fell into the River Taeglin and badly broke his leg; he would have been swept downriver to his death had not Beldis discovered him and leapt into the waters to save him. Though Beldis managed to get her son to shore, she herself succumbed to the deadly waters of the Taeglin, leaving Brandir shivering and alone on its banks for hours. When at last Handir tracked him down, it was too late for proper healing to set in, and Brandir was left lame and motherless thereafter.
     Due to his injury and his gentle mood, Brandir was never a man of war and instead took delight in all things that grew in the earth, becoming a healer so he might aid those who suffered similar mishaps to himself. But when his father was slain by orcs in the north of Brethil, Brandir became the Chieftain of the Haladin despite never wishing for such a responsibility. His cousin Hardang attempted to usurp his leadership, claiming he was unfit to rule, but seeing that his people needed his wisdom more than Hardang’s brashness, Brandir took charge despite his earlier hesitation. In order to protect his people, Brandir sought silence and secrecy, closing the borders of Brethil and retreating from the remaining realms of Beleriand.
     But despite his efforts, the Haladin would not remain isolated from the Shadow. When Nargothrond fell, the woodmen of Brethil attempted to rescue the elven prisoners of the retreating orcs, but failed to save Princess Finduilas, whom they buried in the mound of Haudh-en-Elleth. In the spring of the next year, the marchwardens encountered a strange man carrying a black sword who fell into a swoon upon discovering the death of Finduilas. He was carried to Amon Obel upon a bier and taken to the Chieftain, but when Brandir saw him a shadow darkened his heart.
     Still, Brandir resolved to heal the stranger, and tended to him until he woke and cast off his darkness. Alone of the Haladin, Brandir learned that this was Túrin son of Húrin, his kinsman and a man under the Curse of Morgoth. Túrin determined to renounce his past, taking the name Turambar to symbolize his new life, but soon he began to ignore Brandir’s orders to remain in stealth and led the woodmen of Brethil in hunting orcs.
     On one such hunt, Turambar discovered a feverish young woman lying upon the Haudh-en-Elleth and carried her to Brandir for healing. Turambar gave her the name NĂniel, but it was Brandir who cared for her, and soon both men had fallen in love with her. NĂniel’s heart was given to Turambar, and when he asked for her hand, Brandir urged her to postpone her decision and revealed the truth of TĂşrin’s lineage. NĂniel did consider Brandir’s words, for he was a dear friend to her if not her beloved, but in the end she did marry Turambar at Midsummer the following year, and soon was expecting his child.
     Turambar grew ever bolder until Brandir had lost the respect of his people. When Turambar’s deeds of valour drew the attention of Glaurung, Turambar asked for volunteers to accompany him on a quest to slay the dragon, and only Dorlas stepped forth. Seeing the others hold back, Dorlas scorned them and demanded to know if none would take the place of Brandir the Lame so that the House of Haleth would not be put to shame. Though his kinsman Hunthor took up the task and upbraided Dorlas for his cruelty, Brandir, who had long been unheeded, was now subjected to the derision of his people and became bitter at heart.
     Not long after her husband’s departure, NĂniel declared that she must follow her husband and ignored Brandir’s counsel to wait for their return. In despair, Brandir renounced his lordship and his people, but resolved to hobble after the woman he loved. He did not catch up to her until it was too late and the malice of Glaurung had revealed that she was in truth NiĂ«nor daughter of HĂşrin and the brother of her husband. Choked on horror and dread, NiĂ«nor NĂniel ran to the waters of Cabed-en-Aras and cast herself into the Teiglin as Brandir called after her in vain, watching another woman he loved be devoured by the river.
     Utterly defeated, Brandir limped away and soon encountered Dorlas, who had quailed from the fight and fled. Blaming his cowardice in part for NĂniel’s demise, Brandir struck Dorlas down and continued on to give the awful tidings to those who had once been his people. But as he told the dreadful story, TĂşrin Turambar appeared though he was thought to have perished, and in his wrath at Brandir’s “lies,” TĂşrin slandered his name and slew him.
     Yet soon after Mablung the Hunter arrived confirming Brandir’s words, for he had been tracking Niënor and had arrived too late. Túrin, now full of guilt and remorse, fled from the scene and killed himself upon his black sword in penance for the blood of Beleg, killed by accident, and Brandir, killed unjustly.
