Sexy Karl just for me from my dear friend Lady Desdemona. Twice!!...LOL




Beautiful gifts from Bridgette for me. Thank you they are wonderful!



TURGON, THE ELVES & THE FALL OF GONDOLIN

Turgon was the second son of Fingolfin and the High King of the Noldor after the death of his brother Fingon. He was born in Valinor during the Years of the Trees, so he has no definite birth date. While there, he was friendly with the sons of Finarfin and was strongly against Fëanor's plan to pursue Melkor into Middle-Earth. But at last he was drawn along with the exiles and he lost his wife Elenwë in the crossing of the Helcaraxë, the cruel hills of ice.

When Turgon son of Fingolfin first arrived in Middle-earth, he settled with his followers in the northwestern region known as Nevrast. This land was already peopled with native Sindar, who accepted Turgon as their Elf lord. Soon after his arrival, Turgon discovered the valley of Tumladen hidden within the Encircling Mountains, far to the east of Nevrast, and began the secret building of a city there. In the year 51 of the First Age, Ulmo instructed Turgon to build a hidden kingdom in the valley of Tumladen. That city was Gondolin, and once it was completed, 52 years later, he led his people to that newly built city of Gondolin, which he had built in the image of Tirion. Turgon brought all his people there, Noldor and Sindar elves alike and their old home of Nevrast was left a deserted and empty land.

What little evidence we have suggests that the Elves of Gondolin lived in a somewhat stratified society. The lords of the city seem to have been primarily from the Noldorin stock, and in the royal house the ancient language of Quenya was spoken. The lower ranks in the city spoke Sindarin in their daily lives, in common with most of the Elves of Beleriand.

There he and his people remained secluded from the affairs of the outside world for over 500 years. However, the Doom of Mandos had an infinite reach.

The secrecy of the Hidden City was paramount to its survival, and written into its highest laws. Few ever left the city, or entered from outside, but there were exceptions. Turgon's wilful sister Aredhel set out to explore Beleriand, but later returned with a son, Maeglin.



After the Dagor Bragollach, the great eagle Thorondor brought the body of his father to Turgon. Almost two years after this, Thorondor again brought the gift of outsiders to Gondolin in the form of Húrin and Huor. They remained there for a year and Turgon, foreseeing his doom, allowed them to return to Dor-lómin.

In all the city's history, the Elves of Gondolin only marched to war once, when Turgon led his army to join the other Elf-lords in the immense and dreadful battle that would become known as the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. That battle turned to ultimate victory for Morgoth, but Turgon and his people were able to escape down the Vales of Sirion, and return unseen to the Hidden City. And it is said the thought of Morgoth dwelt ever upon Turgon; for Turgon had escaped him, of all his foes that one whom he most desired to take or to destroy...

After the Nirnaeth, hope seemed lost for the Elves and their allies. In desperation, Turgon chose some of the Elves of Gondolin to sail into the West and seek the pardon and aid of the Valar. None of these voyagers succeeded, but one, Voronwë, was wrecked on the coasts of Turgon's old land of Nevrast, where he discovered Tuor. Tuor bore a message from the Vala Ulmo, and Voronwë agreed to guide him back to the city of Gondolin.

Tuor came to Gondolin in the year 496 of the First Age bearing the message of Ulmo, who counseled Turgon to abandon his great kingdom and flee to the Havens of Sirion. Turgon, however, had allowed his pride to grow in the safety of his grand city, and chose to remain at Gondolin.



Ulmo's message to Turgon was a stark one: a prophecy of Gondolin's destruction, and a warning to abandon it before Morgoth could strike. Turgon refused, but permitted Tuor to remain in the Hidden City. There, he wedded Turgon's daughter Idril, and they had a son, Eärendil. Seven years after Tuor's arrival, Ulmo's prophecy came true: Now Melkor was bent on finding the Hidden Kingdom, which was the last realm in Middle-Earth controlled by the House of Finwë. Gondolin was revealed to Melkor (Morgoth) and eventually found his way into Gondolin and overrun by his creatures. Many of the Elves of Gondolin were lost in the sack, including Turgon the King who was slain defending his tower.

On the eve of Tarnin Austa, the feast of the Gates of Summer, Gondolin was attacked by orcs, balrogs, dragons and wolves. Maeglin played his treacherous part by dissuading Turgon from a sally to confront the forces of Morgoth. Maeglin, sister-son to Turgon, King of Gondolin, had previously been captured by Morgoth and betrayed the secret of finding and entering Gondolin. He had then been released to further Morgoth's plans from within the city. He also gave false messages to some, keeping reinforcements from certain parts of the City. Salgant of the Harp, who was craven, helped pursuade Turgon to this disasterous course.

Valiant parts were played by the lords and warriors of various houses: Ecthelion of the Fountain, Egalmoth of the Heavenly Arch, Glorfindel of the Golden Flower, Rog of the Hammer of Wrath, Galdor of the Tree, Legolas of the Tree, Penlod of the Pillar, and Duilin of the Swallow. Tuor led the people of the Wing, and was brave and energetic in the defense of the city.

Duilin was killed upon the north wall of the city, shot by a flaming bolt; Rog and the entire House of the Hammer of Wrath perished at the north gate; and Penlod died in an unnamed street. Maeglin was flung from the south wall by Tuor after trying to kill Eärendil; his men of the Mole were killed by those of Tuor's White Wing. Salgant cowered in his house by the Lesser Market, where he presumably died; his men of the Harp went to the aid of Glorfindel in the Great Market. Ecthelion died in the King's Square, drowned with Gothmog Lord of Balrogs, whom he killed.

Idril and Tuor led many more out through a secret way, and escaped with hardship through the Encircling Mountains. Some of the people of Gondolin, including Tuor, Idril, and Eärendil, escaped by the pass of Cirith Thoronath, or Eagle's Cleft. Here the group was attacked by a balrog, and Glorfindel fought and killed it, falling himself in the battle.

Turgon was a cautious ruler and thus, with the friendship of Ulmo, was able to extened the life of his kingdom, but eventually succomed to the pride of his kindred. This small time, however, allowed the union of Tuor and Idril, who produced Eärendil the Mariner. It was Eärendil who later sailed to Valinor and gained the mercy of the Valar, who finally defeated Melkor utterly. Turgon's sword was Glamdring, which was later wielded by Gandalf in the War of the Ring against the forces of Sauron, the second dark lord.