Race: Elf

Long ago, the Elves welcomed the younger races of Middle-earth and allied with them when the need was great, but centuries of war, betrayal, and hardship have made them fiercely protective of their seclusion.

	Edhellond Lindon Lórien Mirkwood Rivendell Champion Guardian Hunter Lore-master Minstrel Rune-keeper Warden Agility of the Woods Improved Agility - The Grace of the Eldar is remembered in legend. Fading of the Firstborn Reduced Fate - The time of the Elves in Middle-earth is nearly at its end. Sorrow of the Firstborn Reduced Morale and Out of Combat Morale Regeneration - Elves feel things more deeply than the other races, and are more subject to sorrow. Suffer no Illness Improved resistance to Disease and Poison - Elves do not suffer illness. Eldar's Grace With the speed and grace of the Eldar, you can put up a strong parry defence. Elf Bow-damage Bonus Elf Bow Damage Bonus Elf One-handed Sword-damage Bonus Elf Sword Damage Bonus Friend Of Man Improved Fate. Power of the Eldar Adds a bonus to your fellowships power. Return to Rivendell This enables you to go home to Rivendell. Sylvan Shadows Although untrained you have the ability to move about unseen, though there is a chance enemies may detect you, especially when moving in front of them. Tactics and Conviction Bonus Tactics and Conviction Fellowship Bonus 13 Enmity of the Goblins The goblins were created by the Morgoth long ago, as captive Elves were tortured and twisted into mockeries of themselves and... 13 Enmity of the Orcs Bred by the Enemy for war over land, the Orcs are larger and tougher than their goblin cousins, but their origins remain the... 19 Enmity of the Goblins II Goblins are a mockery of life, twisted by the Enemy to serve unquestioningly as an endless supply of foot-soldiers in his... 25 Enmity of the Goblins III It is uncertain what goblins think of Elves, as they are rarely willing to speak on the matter, save from the opposite end of... 29 Enmity of the Drakes Dragons were bred long ages ago to break the power of the Elves in the North -- and in this they succeeded with their vast... 29 Enmity of the Orcs II Unlike the goblins, the Orcs have been raised with a martial outlook and form the backbone of the Enemy's armies. They are... 35 Enmity of the Drakes II Even with but a fraction of their elder kin's power, a drake is a deadly enemy indeed. Even among the Firstborn, it is a mark... 35 Enmity of the Orcs III While Orcs dislike the sun nearly as much as their lesser brethren, the goblins, they have more tolerance for it and can be...

[edit] Elves

[edit] Quick Facts

[edit] The Firstborn

		Quendi All Elves
	Eldar Those who set out for the West		Elves of the East	Orcs?
Light Elves	Noldor Deep-elves
Sea-elves of Aman	Sindar Grey-elves of Beleriand		Silvan Elves

Some of the more important divisions of the Elves

The first Elves awoke in the far east of Middle-earth, long Ages before the Rising of the Sun or Moon. Unlike Men, the Elves were not subject to illness or death, and at the end of the Third Age, there were still at least two Elves in Aman who had awoken in the first days.

[edit] Origins and Early History

The first Elves awoke under the starlight before the first rising of the Moon or Sun. The Valar at first knew nothing of their coming, but they were soon discovered by the spies of the first Dark Lord, who sent his creatures to watch them and harrass them.

How long they existed in this perilous and unprotected state is not known, but the legends of those times were preserved in Valinor by the Eldar that came there. It is known that many of the ancient Elves were captured and imprisoned - it is generally thought that these hapless beings were the origins of the race of Orcs.

The Valar discovered that the Elves had awoken when Oromë, hunting in the lands of Middle-earth, heard their singing voices. He named them Eldar, the People of the Stars, but the Elves' own name for their kind was Quendi, those who speak with voices. Because of the horrors of their first years, many of the Elves were at first suspicious of the Vala, but (after briefly returning to Valinor to tell the other Valar of his discovery) he remained with them and protected them for a time.

Concerned for the safety of the Elves in Middle-earth, the Valar left Valinor and made war against the Dark Lord: they defeated him, and he was taken as captive back to Valinor.

[edit] The Journey into the West

After the defeat of the Dark Lord, the Valar debated the fate of the Elves - whether they should be left to dwell in Middle-earth, or brought to Valinor to be kept under the direct protection of the Valar. It was decided to bring them to the land of the Valar, and Oromë was sent to summon them.

When he returned, though, he found that the Elves feared the Valar, and were reluctant to make the journey. Three ambassadors were chosen to travel to Aman with Oromë, and help the Elves decide on their course. These three were filled with awe by what they saw there, and by the light of the Two Trees, and counselled their people to follow the summons.

Most of the Elves agreed, and they set out on a great journey westwards across the wide lands of Middle-earth. Some few of the Elves were unwilling to follow the summons, and remained wandering wild in the eastern lands¹.

Of the great hosts of the Elves, many were uncertain and doubtful about their westward journey. Not a few of these people left the Journey and remained in Middle-earth². The most notable of turned away down the Vales of Anduin.

At last, the first of the Elves reached the shores of the Great Sea. The Valar brought a great island to the shores, and on it transported the first two hosts of the Elves to Aman.

The third of the hosts arrived late in Beleriand, and tarried there. Their lord, later known as King Thingol, came upon Melian in the deep woodlands beneath the stars, and was enchanted by her and lost to his people for a long while.

Many of these Elves wished to remain in Beleriand. When the time came for the third host to travel to Valinor, then, many of them chose to remain behind. These people became known in after years as the Sindar, the Grey-elves.

[edit] Three Ages of Bliss

Now came three ages of glory and bliss for the Elves, both east and west of the Great Sea. In Valinor, the Elves who travelled across the Sea dwelt with the Valar and learned from them. They dwelt in the jewelled city of Tirion, and at a great sea-carved haven on the eastern shore of Aman, and on the island of Tol Eressëa. While the Two Trees still gave light to the realm of the Valar, three ages passed, and the Elves of Valinor became the wisest and noblest of peoples to walk the World.

Meanwhile, in Beleriand, the Sindar dwelt beneath starlight. While most of Middle-earth still slept, awaiting the coming of the Sun and Moon, Melian brought life to the forests and plains of Beleriand under Thingol's rule, and Oromë would still ride at times across the darkling lands.

[edit] The Nature of the Elves

Elves and Men have much in common, but there are also great differences between the two peoples. Of these, the most significant is that Elves are 'immortal', at least while the World lasts; they do not suffer ageing³ or disease, and if they are slain or wither with grief, they are reincarnated in the Halls of Waiting in Valinor.

Although, unlike Men, the Elves must remain in the world until its ending, they are not bound to Middle-earth. They may if they wish take the straight road, and sail into the Uttermost West, a road that is barred to mortals.

Elves also have far clearer sight and perception than Men; they are naturally aware of many hidden things, but these gifts are not without limit.

[edit] Religion

The Elves never had any distinct 'religion' in the sense that Men would understand the word; indeed, the High Elves had travelled to Valinor and lived with the Valar (or 'gods') themselves for many ages before Men came into the world.

Of all the Valar, they most revered Varda. In Middle-earth, they called her Elbereth, Star-Queen, and sang to her across the wide ocean. Great respect was also given to the Vala of the Sea, especially during the First Age when he aided the Elves against Morgoth.

[edit] Footnotes