The Tolkien Encyclopedia

Finarphir: One of the great High-elves of ancient Eldamar; the founder of the royal Eldarin House of the Finwe, whose descendants included Finrod Felagund and his sister Altariel (Galadriel). Gildor Inglorion and the Prince Glorfindel were also of this kin.

The House of Finarphir was the only family of Elves of any sort to produce golden hair in its children; as a token of this, the banner of the House was worked in gold.

Note: the name Finarphir is one of the oldest Eldarin personal names recorded in the Red Book.

Tyler, J. E. A., and J. R. R. Tolkien. The Tolkien Companion. New York, NY: St. Martin’s, 1976. Print.

Palantíri: These were eight crystal globes, through which could be seen events and places far off in time and space. In conjunction, the stones could therefore be used for communication. These seeing-stones were made by the Noldor in Aman. Like the Silmarils and the Rings, the palantíri have great symbolic power in the tales of Middle-earth. The master-stone was kept in Tol Eressëa. The seven remaining stones were brought to Middle-earth at the fall of Númenor and located at various places. One stone, in the Tower Hills west of the Shire, was guarded by the Eldar. Unlike the others, it looked only to Aman and served as a reminder to the Elves of the Undying Lands. Sauron gained posession of a palantíri when Osgiliath was captured by his forces. When both Saruman and Denethor made use of other palantíri, Sauron twisted their wills and distorted their visions gained through it. The stone from Orthanc, used by Saruman was recovered after Wormtongue threw it out of the tower. By this stone, Aragorn, its rightful user, was able to gain intelligence of the movements of Sauron's forces. In later years Aragorn used it as a king to aid his reign.

Dwimmerlaik: Middle-earth was a land that had seen many Ages of bloody war and strife. Multitudes had been laid to rest in its soil by sword, fire, and pestilence. But then too there were those who, by reason of some act of sorcery or broken oath, remained with unquiet spirits in the mortal World. Of these the “Red Book of Westmarch” speaks of the Barrow-wights, the Dead Men of Dunharrow, the Phantoms of the Dead Marshes, and the terrible Ringwraiths who in Black Speech were named Nazgûl.

In the lands of Rohan in the time of the Riders of the Mark, all such haunting spirits were named Dwimmerlaik. Such were the superstitions of these Rohirrim horsemen that even the Elves of Lothlórien and the Ents of Fangorn were named Dwimmerlaik and were thought to be similar evil spirits.

Day, David. Guide to Tolkien’s World: A Bestiary. London: Bounty, 2010. Print.

Curufin: Noldorin Elf, the fifth son of Fëanor and father of Celebrimbor. With his brothers he took the Oath of Fëanor and suffered the Doom of the Noldor.

On his return to Middle-earth Curufin guarded Aglon and Himland with his brother Celegorm, whose fortunes he shared thereafter. He was slain by Dior in Menegroth.

Of the sons of Fëanor, Curufin inherited most of his father's skill, but he was also cunning and treacherous. He was a great horseman. Curufin bore the knife Angrist until Beren took it from him.

Caranthir: Noldorin Elf, fourth son of Fëanor. With his brothers he took the Oath of Fëanor and suffered the Doom of the Noldor. In Middle-earth Caranthir settled in Thargelion, where he grew rich from trade with the Dwarves of Ered Luin. His dwelling was at Lake Helevorn, and his people fortified the mountains east of Maglor's Gap.

When Thargelion was overrun by Orcs during Daglor Bragollach, Caranthir fled south to join Amrod and Amras. Later he took the treacherous sons of Ulfang into his service. He fought with the eastern forces in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, was wounded, and later came to Ossiriand. Caranthir was slain by Dior at Menegroth when he and his brothers tried to recover the Silmaril.

Caranthir was haughty, the harshest and most quick to anger of the sons of Fëanor. He hated the sons of Finarphin. His complexion was dark.

Celegorm: Noldorin Elf, the third son of Fëanor. With his brothers he took the Oath of Fëanor and suffered the Doom of the Noldor. On his return to Middle-earth Celegorm played a major role in the victory of Dagor-nuin-Giliath and later guarded Aglon and Himlad with his brother Curufin. When their forces were overwhelmed during Dagor Bragollach, they fled to Nargothrond.

There the two brothers opposed Finrod in his desire to aid Beren in the Quest of the Silmaril, vowing anew the oath of Fëanor. They probably had designs on the throne of Finrod. Soon after, the brothers met Lúthien, and Celegorm fell in love with her, forced her to come to Nargothrond with him, and sent word to Thingol that he planned to marry her. Celegorm and Curufin were banished from Nagorthrond when their plots were exposed. On the way to seek Maedhros, the brothers tried to kill Beren but were foiled by the valor of the Adan and the integrity of Huan, who turned on his master Celegorm.

Celegorm was wounded fighting with the eastern forces in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and afterward lived in Ossiriand. He was slain by Dior at Menegroth when at his instigation he and his brothers tried to recover the Silmaril.

Like his brothers, Celegorm was overly proud; he acted more by force than by deceit. In Valinor he learned much about animals and hunting from Oromë, who gave him Huan. His complexion was fair.

Maglor: Noldorin Elf, second son of Fëanor. He swore the Oath of Fëanor and joined the revolt of the Noldor. In Middle-earth he settled in Maglor's Gap, between Himring and the Ered Luin. When the Gap was overrun during Dagor Bragollach, Maglor fled to Maedhros on Himring. For the rest of the First Age Maglor accompanied his brother in war and peace; during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad he slew Uldor the Easterling, and after the sack of the Havens of Sirion he fostered Elrond and Elros. After the Great Battle, Maglor tried to repudiate the Oath of Fëanor, but Maedhros persuaded him to steal the Silmarils. Burned by his jewel, he thew it into the Sea and wandered off, singing in pain and regret.

Maglor was apparently the most temperate of the sons of Fëanor; he was the only one to try to relinquish his claim to the Silmarils. He was (after Daeron) the greatest singer of the Eldar in Middle-earth; one of his compositions was the Noldolantë.

Nerdanel: Noldo, daughter of Mahtan. In Eldamar she married Fëanor and bore him seven sons. Firm of will but patient and discerning, for a while she curbed the passion of Fëanor's temper, but finally they were estranged. Nerdanel did not join the revolt of the Noldor.

Urulóki: The Urulóki Fire-drakes that came forth in the First Age of Sun from the Pits of Angband were part of the great race of Dragons. Of all creatures they were the most feared. These Urulóki “hot serpents” were fanged and taloned, dreadful in mind and deed, and filled with breath of flame and sulphur. The first of their kind was Glaurung, Father of Dragons, but he had many offspring, who in turn produced many broods. Of all creatures they were the greatest despair of Men and Elves, and the bane of Dwarves.

Day, David. Guide to Tolkien’s World: A Bestiary. London: Bounty, 2010. Print.

Culumalda: In the realm of Gondor was the Isle of Cair Andros, which, like an anchored ship, rested in the River Anduin. On this island grew the fairest of the trees of Ithilien. They were called Culumalda, which was “golden-red”, for such was the hue of their foliage.

Day, David. Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Macmillan, 1991. Print.

Durin's Crown: Constellation of seven stars, the modern Plough, first seen by Durin I reflected around his head in Kheled-zâram. Ever after, the reflection of Durin's Crown could be seen in the lake, even in the daytime. Durin's Crown was the emblem of the line of Durin.

Cair Andros: In The Lord of the Rings, an island in the River Anduin. It lies about fifty miles north of Minas Tirith. The island is shaped like a ship, hence its name, Sindarin Elvish meaning 'ship long-foam'. Another significant river island in middle-earth is Tol Sirion. There is a small river island on the Avon at Warwick, beside the castle, which Tolkien would have known.

Gilraen: (S.: 'wandering star') (TA 2907-3007) Dúnadan of the North, daughter of Dírhael. In 2929 she married Arathorn II, and in 2931 their only child, Aragorn, was born. Gilraen lived in Rivendell from the death of her husband in 2933 until 2954, when she returned to her family home somewhere in Eriador.

She was called Gilraen the Fair.

Harfoot: Most numerous and typical of the Hobbit strains were those who were named the Harfoot. They were the smallest of the Halflings and their skin and hair were nut-brown. The Harfoot were the first of the Hobbit people to leave the Vales of Anduin and cross over the Misty Mountains into Eriador. This migration was in the year 1050 of the Third Age. They were friendliest with Dwarves, for they loved hillsides and highlands, and hole-dwelling to them was a joy.

Day, David. Guide to Tolkien’s World: A Bestiary. London: Bounty, 2010. Print.

Oromë the Great: Few of the Valar are named in surviving Annals of the Third Age, even in those records partly derived from the lore of the High-elves, the kindred of the Eldar most concerned with such matters. Thus very little is known of any of them, even Oromë, 'who alone of the Valar came often to Middle-earth in the Eldar Days'. He was the Huntsman of the Valar, known to the High-elves as Oromë, to the Grey-elves as Araw, and to Northern Men as Béma. He could also be mighty in war, and he put forth all his warrior's strength at the Great Battle in which the Valar overthrew Morgoth the Enemy, thus bringing an end to the Eldar Days.

Tyler, J. E. A., and J. R. R. Tolkien. The Tolkien Companion. New York, NY: St. Martin’s, 1976. Print.

Cirth: (S.: 'runes') Alphabet devised by Daeron of Doriath in the third age of the Chaining of Morgoth, intended for inscriptions. Although little used by the Sindar until near the end of the First Age, the cirth were quickly adopted by the Dwarves, who spread them throughout Middle-earth.

The original cirith formed an unsystematic mode, as did all of its descendants (see: Angerthas Moria) except the Angerthas Daeron.

Called certar in Quenya and runes in Westron.