A Dictionary of Tolkien

by David Day

  Fallohides

  Of the Halfling people called Hobbits there were said to be three strains: the Fallohides, the Stoors and the Harfoots.

  The Fallohides were a woodland folk and were wisest in the arts of song and poetry. By Hobbit standards they were tall, fair-haired and fair-skinned. They numbered fewer than either of the other Hobbit strains but were more adventurous and inclined to commit acts of daring. Because of this, Fallohides often became leaders of their people and were known to seek the company and advice of Elves. The Fallohide brothers, Marcho and Blanco, founded the Shire in the year 1601 of the Third Age. And those of the families of Tooks, Brandybucks and Baggins who contributed famous heroes to the great conflict of the War of the Ring, all had strong blood ties to the Fallohide strain.

  Falmari

  Of all Elves, the Third Kindred, the Teleri, lived longest on the shores of Belegaer, the Great Sea of the West. These people were wisest in the ways of the sea and so they were named the Falmari and the Sea-elves. Their knowledge of the ways of Ulmo the Ocean Lord and his minions Ossë of the Waves and Uinen of the Calms perpetually increases. In the days when the Falmari travelled to the Bay of Eldamar on the Lonely Isle, Ossë came among them and because of his teaching they were the first people to know the skills of shipbuilding. The fleets of the Teleri were made, and the Falmari came in these ships to Eldamar, where they built Alqualondë, the “haven of Swans”, and lived in mansions of pearl. In their ships the Falmari are always sailing in and out of the sea-sculpted archway of stone that is its gate on the Bay of Eldamar.

  All races later came to know the arts of building ships and sailing from the Falmari, but they only learned a little of the Falmari’s knowledge of the sea, for other peoples did not have the skill of language nor the subtlety of voice and ear to know the ways of the seas as well as the Falmari did.

  Fangorn

  Ent of Fangorn Forest. At the time of the War of the Ring, Fangorn was the oldest Ent on Middle-earth. His name in the Westron tongue of Men was “Treebeard”, and under that name his life story is told.

  Fangorn Forest

  One of the most ancient forests on Middle-earth, at the time of the War of the Ring, Fangorn Forest was on the southeastern end of the Misty Mountains. Large though the forest was, it was a mere remnant of the vast forest that once stretched northward covering all of Eriador and huge tracts of the lost lands of Beleriand. Called the Entwood by the Rohirrim because it was the last refuge of those giant forest guardians called the Ents, it was a haunted and frighteningly old forest filled with many strange and often bad-tempered spirits. The forest was named after its chief guardian, Fangorn, the oldest surviving Ent upon Middle-earth. Fangorn’s name meant “Treebeard”, and it was by this name that he was known to the Companions of the Ring.

  Angered by the wanton destruction of the forests carried out by Orcs and other servants of the evil wizard Saruman, Treebeard led an army of Ents and Huorn Tree-spirits out of Fangorn Forest and with their terrific strength they ripped down the walls of Saruman’s great fortress of Isengard with their bare hands.

  Faramir

  Dúnedain lord of Gondor. Born in the year 2983 of the Third Age. Faramir was the second son of Denethor II, the last Ruling Steward of Gondor. As the Captain of the Rangers of Ithilien, Faramir led the retreat from Osgiliath to Minas Tirith before the Siege of Gondor. After his brother Boromir had been slain, Faramir was struck down by the Witch-king. Denethor went mad and he was only narrowly prevented by Gandalf from cremating the comatose Faramir. It took the healing hands of Aragorn to bring Faramir out of the death-like sleep brought on by the “Black Breath” of the Witch-king. Once recovered, he fell in love with Éowyn, the Shieldmaiden of Rohan. After the war, the couple married and Faramir became Steward of Gondor and Prince of Ithilien until his death, in the year 82 of the Fourth Age.

  Fastitocalon

  In the fanciful lore of the Hobbits is the tale of a vast Turtle-fish that Men thought was an island in the seas. All seemed well when Men made a dwelling place on the beast’s back until they lit their fires and in alarm the beast dived deep beneath the sea, drowning the encampment.

  By Hobbits the beast was named the Fastitocalon, but whether the tale, like that of the Oliphaunt was based on fact cannot be discovered from the histories that have passed on to Men. For though the creatures of Middle-earth were many, no leviathans are mentioned in the tales of other races.

  It is likely that the story is in fact an allegory of the Downfall of the Númenóreans, as told in the “Akallabêth”. For in the Second Age of the Sun these most gifted of Men rose to the greatest power that was allowed them within the Spheres of the World, and the flame of passion and ambition overwhelmed them, and their great island, like the Fastitocalon, sank beneath the wide ocean and most of the Númenóreans perished in that terrible Downfall.

  Fëanor

  Elven prince of Eldamar. The creator of the Silmarils, Fëanor was the son of the Noldor High King Finwë and Queen Míriel. Called Curufinwe at birth, he was later named Fëanor, meaning “spirit of fire”. In Eldamar he married Nerdanel, and by her sired seven sons. Fëanor was the genius who first created Elven-gems, those magical crystals filled with starlight. He also made the Palantíri, the “seeing stone”. But Fëanor’s greatest deed was the forging of the Silmarils: the three gems filled with the living light of the Trees of the Valar. The most beautiful gems in the world, they became a curse upon Fëanor and his race. For after Melkor destroyed the Trees of Light he murdered Fëanor’s father, took the Silmarils, and fled to Middle-earth. Fëanor led the Noldor to Middle-earth in pursuit of Melkor, who he renamed Morgoth, meaning “the Dark Enemy”. When Fëanor’s Noldor entered into Beleriand, they met Morgoth’s challenge in the ten-day Battle Under the Stars, and slaughtered his huge Orkish army. However, Fëanor recklessly rode ahead of his army in pursuit of the Orcs. Separated from his bodyguard, Fëanor was surrounded by Balrogs, and was slain by their lord, Gothmog, the High Captain of Angband.

  Felaróf

  Mearas, Horse of Rohan. In the twenty-sixth century of the Third Age of the Sun, Lord Léod of the Éothéod was killed trying to tame a wild Horse called “Mansbane”. It was left to Léod’s son, Eorl the Young, to tame it, but there was no need, for the Horse surrendered in atonement for the slaying. Eorl renamed him Felaróf, meaning “father of Horses”, for from him were descended the Mearas, who were that magical, silver-grey race. The Éothéod thereafter were called the Rohirrim, the “horse lords”, and the banner of Rohan is the white image of Felaróf running on a green field. Felaróf and his heirs could not speak, but understood the speech of Men, and could be ridden without saddle or bridle. Felaróf carried Eorl victoriously into many conflicts, but in 2545, both were slain in battle with the Easterlings. They were buried together in honour beneath a mound in the Wold.

  Fíli

  Dwarf of Thorin and Company. In the year 2941 of the Third Age, Fíli joined the Quest of the Lonely Mountain which eventually resulted in the slaying of Smaug the Dragon and the reclamation of the Dwarf-kingdom under the Mountain at Erebor. Fíli was born in the year 2859, the son of Thorin Oakenshield’s sister, Dís. Fíli and his brother, Kíli, were so fiercely loyal to their uncle that both were slain while defending the dying Thorin in the Battle of the Five Armies.

  Finarfin

  Elven king of Eldamar. Finarfin was the third son of High King Finwë of the Noldor. Finarfin and his brother Fingolfin were born after Finwë’s second marriage to Queen Indis. Fëanor was their older half-brother. Finarfin married the Teleri princess Eärwen of Alqualondë, and the couple had five children: Finrod, Orodreth, Angrod, Aegnor and Galadriel. After the theft of the Silmarils and the slaying of his father by Morgoth, Finarfin joined his brothers, swearing vengeance. However, when Fëanor raided Alqualondë and slew many Teleri Elves in order to use their ships to sail to Middle-earth, Finarfin refused to continue. He returned to Tirion and ruled as High King of the Noldor who remained in Eldamar. At th
e end of the First Age of the Sun, Finarfin led the Noldor to Middle-earth with the Valarian Host in the War of Wrath. Afterward, Finarfin returned to Eldamar and continued to rule his people wisely and well.

  Finduilas

  Dúnedain princess of Dol Amroth. Finduilas was the wife of Denethor II, Ruling Steward of Gondor. Born in 2950 of the Third Age, the daughter of Prince Adrahil of Dol Amroth, Finduilas was the beautiful and devoted mother of Boromir and Faramir. However, during twelve years of marriage, she found that she was increasingly isolated from her brooding husband. Finduilas also appeared to miss her childhood home by the sea. Wasting away, she died in 2988. Finduilas of Dol Amroth was undoubtedly named after the Elven princess Finduilas of the First Age of the Sun. The earlier Finduilas loved first Gwindor, an Elven lord of Nargothrond, and then Túrin, hero of the Edain. After Gwindor’s death and the destruction of Nargothrond, in 496 of the First Age, Finduilas was captured and carried off by Orcs. Just at the point at which it appeared she may have been rescued, when the Haladin ambushed the Orc horde at the Teiglin Crossings, her evil captives slew her.

  Fingolfin

  Elven king of Beleriand. Fingolfin was the second son of Finwë, the Noldor High King of Eldamar. His brothers were Fëanor and Finarfin. Fingolfin’s children were Fingon, Turgon and Aredhel. Although initially reluctant to do so, he joined Fëanor in the pursuit of Morgoth to Middle-earth. However, when Fëanor took the Elven ships of Alqualondë, Fingolfin was forced to lead his people northward across the Helcaraxë, the “grinding-ice” bridge to Middle-earth. As Fingolfin set foot on Middle-earth, the first Moon rose and Morgoth’s hordes retreated before them. After Fëanor’s death after the Battle Under Stars, Fingolfin became the High King of the Noldor on Middle-earth. Establishing himself in Hithlum, Fingolfin kept Morgoth’s forces shut up in Angband until the devastating Battle of Sudden Flame in 455 of the First Age. Seeing destruction all about him, Fingolfin was filled with such anger and despair that he rode to the gate of Angband to challenge Morgoth. In the ensuing duel, Fingolfin managed to give Morgoth seven great wounds with his sword, Ringil, before Morgoth slew him. His body was rescued by Thorondor, the eagle, and buried in the Encircling Mountains.

  Fingon

  Elven king of Beleriand. Born in Eldamar, Fingon was the son of Fingolfin, and was among the Noldor who pursued Morgoth to Middle-earth. There, he claimed Dor-lómin in Beleriand, and fought bravely throughout the War of the Jewels. With the help of Thorondor the Eagle, Fingon rescued Fëanor’s son, Maedhros, from his chains high on the mountain of Angband. He also was the first to fight and drive off Glaurung the Dragon. After the death of his father in 455 of the First Age, Fingon became High King of Noldor. His reign, however, lasted only 18 years, for he was slain by Balrogs in the cataclysmic Battle of Unnumbered Tears in 473. He was succeeded by his brother Turgon, and finally by his son, Gil-galad.

  Finrod Felagund

  Elven king of Nargothrond. Born during the Ages of Starlight in Eldamar, Finrod was the son of the Noldor prince Finarfin, and husband of the Vanyar princess Amarië. Although initially reluctant, Finrod was among those Noldor who pursued Morgoth to Middle-earth. In Beleriand, Finrod first built an Elven tower on Tol Sirion, but later discovered a network of wonderful hidden caverns on the Narog River, and built the mansions of Nargothrond. Forever after he was called Finrod Felagund, the “master of caves”. Ruler of the largest Noldor kingdom upon Middle-earth, Finrod was the first of his race to befriend mortal Men. In the terrible Battle of Sudden Flame in 455 of the First Age, Finrod was rescued from certain death by Barahir of the Edain. Consequently, when Barahir’s son, Beren, came to Nargothrond for help in his Quest of the Silmaril in 466, Finrod felt bound to aid him. Attempting to overcome Sauron and the army of Werewolves who occupied the Elven tower Finrod himself had built on Tol Sirion, the Elf-king engaged Sauron in a sorcerer’s duel of songs of power. Tragically, he was defeated and captured. Held in the dungeons of the tower, Finrod was finally slain by a Werewolf while attempting to defend Beren.

  Finwë

  Elven king of Eldamar. Finwë was the First High King of the Noldor Elves. He was chosen by the Valar to lead his people in the Great Journey out of Middle-earth into the Undying Lands. In Eldamar, Finwë ruled as High King from the city of Tirion. Finwë was twice married. His first queen was Míriel who gave birth to Fëanor, the maker of the Silmarils. His second queen was Indis, by whom he sired Fingolfin and Finarfin. After the Darkening of Valinor, Finwë was slain by Melkor while defending the Silmarils.

  Fire-Drakes

  Of all the creatures bred by Morgoth the Dark Enemy in all the ages of his power, the evil reptiles that were called Dragons were feared most. There were many breeds of these beings; the most deadly were those that vomited leaping flames from their foul bellies. These were called Fire-drakes, and among them were numbered the mightiest of Dragons. Glaurung, Father of Dragons, was the first of the Urulokí Fire-drakes, and he had many offspring. The evil work of these Dragons on the kingdoms of Elves, Men and Dwarves in the First Age of the Sun was terrible.

  In the last days of that Age, when most of the Earth-bound brood of Glaurung had been put to death in the War of Wrath, the winged Fire-drakes appeared out of Angband. They are said to have been among the greatest terrors of the World, and Ancalagon the Black, who was of this breed, and whose name means “rushing jaws”, was said to have been the mightiest Dragon of all time.

  In later Ages, the histories of Middle-earth tell of one last mighty winged golden-red Fire-drake that was almost as fearsome as Ancalagon. This was the Dragon of Erebor, which drove the Dwarves of Durin’s Line from the kingdom under the Mountain. He was called Smaug the Golden, and in the year 2941 of the Third Age he was killed by a deadly black arrow shot by Bard the Bowman of Dale.

  Fírimar

  In the First Age of the Sun, the Elves of Middle-earth found a new race had arisen in the land of Hildórien far to the East. This was the race of Men, whom Elves named Fírimar, which is the “mortal people”. To the minds of the immortal Elves, it was a frail race with little wisdom, for Men could at best but briefly learn the least murmur of knowledge before death took them.

  First born

  As the “Ainulindalë” relates, in the Timeless Halls before the World was made, there was Music, and in it the Ordering of all things. In that Music came a theme that was made by Ilúvatar alone. This was the coming of the first race to awaken in Arda, an immortal race that was to last as long as the World itself. This is the race of Elves, who awoke in the East when only starlight shone upon Middle-earth and thereafter in honour were called the Firstborn. Many ages passed before the coming of the Sun heralded the time of the Secondborn, when that lesser race called Men arose, as had the Elves, in the eastern lands.

  Flies of Mordor

  In the Black Realm of Mordor it was said there lived only Orcs, Trolls and Men, who were thralls of Sauron the Dark Lord. The only beasts in Mordor were the evil swarms of bloodsucking flies. These were grey, brown and black insects; they were loud, hateful and hungry, and they were all marked, as Orcs of that land were marked, with a red eye-shape upon their backs. So the Dark Lord’s power had spread to the smallest evil in his land.

  Forgoil

  Among the Northmen who resided east of the Mountains of Mist in the Third Age of the Sun were the Rohirrim. These were a golden-haired people who boasted the fiercest cavalry of the Westlands. They were greatly feared and hated by their barbarous neighbours, the Dunlendings, who in their contempt called them Forgoil, which in that tongue means the “strawheads”.

  Formenos

  After the Noldor prince Fëanor created those great jewels the Silmarils, he built a fortress and treasury in the north of Valinor in the Undying Lands. This stronghold was built upon a fortified hill and was named Formenos which in the High Elven tongue means “north citadel”. Formenos was home to Fëanor’s clan during his years of exile from Tirion. After the destruction of the Trees of the Valar, Morgoth came t
o the doors of Formenos and slew Fëanor’s father, Finwë the High King of the Noldor, then broke into the treasury and stole the Silmarils.

  [a[Fornost

  From the fourth or fifth centuries of the Third Age, the first city and capital of the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor was Fornost, the “north fortress”. It was a powerful and prosperous city until the wars with the Witch-king of Angmar began to take their toll. Finally in 1974, the Witch-king’s army took and destroyed much of Fornost and its royal court. Although Fornost was taken back the following year at the Battle of Fornost, the ruined city was deserted and its people scattered. It was called Norbury in the language of Men, although it was also known as Deadman’s Dike after its destruction.

  At the time of the War of the Rings, it was primarily noteworthy as a ruin north of Bree on the Great North–South Road which, in its years of prosperity had been the great highway between the capital of Arnor and Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor.

  Forochel

  The cold land of snow and ice to the north of the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor was called Forochel. Its people were the Lossoth or Snowmen of Forochel; they were a tribal folk who built no cities and had no kings. They were said to be descended from the Forodwaith of the northern wastelands, but they became a wandering people, building their homes from snow and hunting the wild beasts of the north. Beyond the charts and maps of Middle-earth that mark the Cape and Ice Bay of Forochel, little is known of the land or its people.