| Contents | The First Age |
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The First Age starts with the rising of the Sun and Moon and Return of The Noldor to Beleriand. The entire Age centres around the War of The Jewels. |
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| The Sun and Moon Hiding of Valinor Awakening of Men |
Fearing for the Avari (lost Elves) and Hildor (Men), the Valar create the Sun (Anar) and Moon (Isil). The Pelori are raised higher and the Enchanted Isles bar access to Aman. The Hildor / Atani awake with the Sun in Hildorien and start travelling West. |
| Return of The Noldor | Feanor and sons return to Beleriand by ship. The rest of the Noldor rebels, led by Fingolfin, cross from Araman via the Helcaraxe. |
| 2nd Battle of Beleriand Dagor-nuin-Giliath (Battle Under The Stars) |
Fought in Mithrim and the Vale of Sirion. Feanor is mortally wounded by Gothmog, and Maedhros is captured. Fingon and Thorondor rescue Maedhros, reconciling in part the kin of Fingolfin and Feanor. |
| Nargothrond | Warned by Ulmo, Finrod builds Nargothrond. The Dwarves create the Nauglamir. |
| 3rd Battle of Beleriand Dagor Aglareb (Glorious Battle) |
Fighting in the Pass of Sirion and March of Maedhros. Morgoth's orcs are driven back to Angband. The Siege of Angband begins |
| Battles of Hithlum | Morgoth makes two attempts to overwhem Fingolfin, both foiled by Fingon. Glaurung is first seen. |
| Gondolin | Turgon builds Ondolinde/Gondolin. Nevrast and Vinyamar are deserted by the Noldor. |
| Maeglin | Maeglin arrives in Gondolin. Death of Aredhel and Eol. |
| Coming of Men | The tribes of the three Houses of Men arrive in Beleriand. |
| Thus far the Noldor have been largely unscathed. Now begins the Doom of The Noldor, 455 years into the First Age. The following events, by contrast, take place in a mere 130 years. |
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| 4th Battle of Beleriand Dagor Bragollach (Battle of Sudden Flame) Ruin of Beleriand Resistance of Barahir |
Rivers of flame sent south from Thangorodrim desolate Ard-Galen and kill many on the plain. Glaurung, Balrogs and Orcs follow the fires. Deaths of Angrod and Aegnor, Bregolas, Hador and Gundor. Fingolfin is killed by Morgoth. Morgoth's forces ravage part of Hithlum, Ladros and Dorthonion, Lothlann, Thargelion, Himlad and much of East Beleriand and Dorthonion, ending the Siege of Angband. Barahir saves Finrod. Emeldir leads the women and children of the House of Hador out of Ladros. Barahir resists in Dorthonion with Beren, Belegund and Baragund (+ Arthad, Dagnir, Dairuin, Gildor, Gorlim, Hathaldir, Radhruin, Ragnor, and Urthel). |
| Enter Sauron Siege of Doriath |
Sauron is made Morgoth's field commander. Minas Tirith / Tol Sirion are taken. Orcs encircle Doriath. Many Noldor and Sindar are captured. Barahir's resistance is broken. Swarthy Easterlings enter Beleriand. The tribe of Ulfang ally with Caranthir, and the tribe of Bor with Maedhros. |
| The Ring of Barahir Quest of The Silmaril |
Beren survives the slaughter of Barahir's band and reclaims the Ring given to Barahir by Finrod. Celegorm and Curufin oust Finrod from Nargothrond and capture Luthien. Huan rescues Luthien. Finrod is killed by Sauron at Tol-Sirion (Tol-in-Gaurhoth). Huan puts Sauron to flight. Celegorm and Curufin are expelled from Nargothrond. Beren and Luthien recover a Silmaril from Morgoth and return to Doriath. Huan kills Carcharoth, who mortally wounds Beren. |
| 5th Battle of Beleriand Nirnaeth Arnoediad (Battle of Unnumbered Tears) |
Maedhros tries to unite Elves and Men against Morgoth following Beren's success, but Nargothrond and Doriath decline significant help, due to the actions of the Feanorians. Two forces are assembled, in the east under Maedhros and west under Fingon. The Naugrim support Maedhros. Turgon joins Fingon from Gondolin. Initially Fingon's army appears successful, driving to Angband. The Battle of Unnumbered Tears begins on the 4th day of the campaign. Most of the Haladin and Men of Brethil are slain. Fingon is slain by Gothmog. Hurin and Huor save Turgon (who retreats to Gondolin) but Huor is killed and Hurin captured. Ulfang's sons, having delayed Maedhros from joining with Fingon, attack the eastern army's rear. Though slain themselves, more of their kin arrive. The tribe of Bor is wiped out. The Feanorians are saved by the Dwarves of Belegost, whose King (Azaghal) wounds Glaurung but is killed. Morgoth 'rewards' the Easterlings by giving them Hithlum. Beleriand is overrun, save Doriath, Gondolin and Nargothrond. The Noldor of Hithlum and House of Hador are wiped out. The remnants of the Haladin shelter in Brethil. The surviving Feanorian Noldor scatter and many join the Laiquendi in Ossiriand. The Falathrim are decimated. Cirdan and Gil-Galad escapes to the Isle of Balar. Turin runs riot in West Beleriand. |
| Sack of Nargothrond Battle of Tumhalad |
Turin's arrival in Nargothrond, his raids on Orcs and building of the Bridge over Nogrod reveal Nargothrond's location and fatally weaken it. Morgoth sends a force led by Glaurung, which routs the Noldor at Tumhalad. Orodreth is killed. Orcs sack Nargothrond and capture the womenfolk, who they slaughter when challenged at the Crossings of Teiglin. Glaurung makes Nargothrond his abode. Glaurung is eventually lured out and killed by Turin at Cabed-en-Aras, Teiglin. Hurin kills Mim (the last Petty-Dwarf of Amon Rudh) and takes the Nauglamir to Menegroth. |
| Sack of Menegroth Another Kinslaying Fall of Doriath |
Dwarves of Nogrod, after remaking the Nauglamir for Thingol kill him and are killed. Melian leaves Doriath and the Girdle of Melian is lifted. The Naugrim of Nogrod sack Menegroth in revenge, but are slain by Beren, leading a force of Green Elves, and the Ents of Ossiriand. The Nauglamir containing the recovered Silmaril is held by Luthien until she and Beren depart for good. Dior, Nimloth and sons return to Doriath, which is attacked by the sons of Feanor to recover the Silmaril. Three die attacking Menegroth, which finally falls in another Kinslaying. |
| Fall of Gondolin | Tuor delivers Ulmo's warning to Turgon, who won't leave. Maeglin is captured and reveals Gondolin's location. Morgoth attacks the last Noldor stronghold. Turgon dies. Tuor kills Maeglin and escapes with Idril and Earendil to Nan-Tathren, then joins the Exiles of Doriath at Sirion. Gil-Galad, on Balar, is named Noldor High-King. Tuor sails to Aman with Idril (alone among Mortals). |
| The Silmaril Another Kinslaying |
Earendil becomes Lord of Sirion. Cirdan builds Vingilot and Earendil sails a lot. Amras and Amrod die assailing Elwing at the Mouths of Sirion for the Silmaril, but kill most of the Exiles. Elros and Elrond are captured by Maglor. Elwing escapes with the Silmaril and is rescued by Ulmo. She sails with Earendil to Valinor. Earendil pleads the case of the Elves and Men. |
| The War of Wrath The Great Battle Destruction of Beleriand |
The Host of the Valar, accompanied by the Vanyar under Ingwe and Noldor under Finarfin, march against Morgoth. The Teleri supply ships, but not soldiers (recalling the Kinslaying). They are supported by the surviving Men of the Three Houses, but not the Men of Uldor and other Easterlings ... and the Elves do not forget it. Morgoth's Orcs and most of the Balrogs are swept aside. He unleashes his winged dragons, but Earendil and Thorondor lead the battle in the air. Thangorodrim and Angband are destroyed and the slaves released. The Silmarils are recaptured, then lost when Maedhros and Maglor steal them, and their Doom is sealed. Due to the violence of the Great Battle and Thangorodrim's fall, the earth is again changed. Beleriand sinks beneath the waves. Many Noldor sail West to Tol Eressea and are forgiven by the Valar and Teleri. Morgoth, enchained again, is expelled through the Door of Night into the Timeless Void beyond the Walls of the World. |
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| The First Age ends with the Destruction of Beleriand | |
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