A Dictionary of Tolkien

by David Day

  Forodwaith

  The “Annals of the Kings and Rulers” relate how after the Fall of Angband, the fortress of Melkor, a bitter cold descended on the northern desert land of Forochel. For a long time afterwards a people named the Forodwaith lived in that land. Little is told of these people except that they endured the icy colds of the North, and from them were descended the Lossoth, who in the Third Age of the Sun, were called the Snowmen of Forochel by the Men of the West.

  Frodo Baggins

  Hobbit of the Shire and Ring-bearer. Frodo was born in 2968 of the Third Age, the son of Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck. Orphaned in childhood, he was adopted by his cousin, Bilbo Baggins of Bag End. Frodo was extremely adventurous for a Hobbit, and remarkably learned, being a song-writer and something of a scholar of Elvish lore and language. In 3001, when Bilbo mysteriously left the Shire, Frodo inherited Bag End and the One Ring. In 3018, Gandalf the Wizard reappeared and set Frodo on the Quest of the Ring to Rivendell where the Fellowship of the Ring was formed. Frodo just survived the many adventures and perils of the journey, but succeeded in delivering the One Ring to the fires of Mount Doom. Thus, Frodo brought about the end of the War of the Ring. After the war, he returned to Bag End, but the poison wounds and the mental trauma he experienced during the Quest began to tell. In 3021, Frodo embarked on the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings, and boarded an Elven ship and sailed to the Undying Lands.

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  Galadhrim

  The forest that in the Second Age of the Sun was first named Laurelindórenan, “land of the valley of singing gold”, and later Lothlórien, “land of blossoms dreaming”, and even by some Lórien, “dreamland”, was east of the Misty Mountains by the Silverlode, which flows into the Great River Anduin. It was the Golden Wood, where the tallest trees on Middle-earth grew. They were called the Mallorn trees and were the most beautiful trees in Mortal Lands. Their bark was silver and grey, their blossoms golden and their leaves green and gold.

  Within the forest was the concealed Elven kingdom of the Galadhrim, the “tree-people”, who made their homes on platforms called telain, or flets, high in the branches of the sheltering Mallorn.

  The Galadhrim did not build mighty towers of stone. Indeed, to most people, the Galadhrim lived invisibly in their forest kingdom, where they wore Grey-elven cloaks that were like a chameleon’s coat. By use of ropes and woodlore they needed no bridges or roads. Deep within the Golden Wood they did have one great city, which was named Caras Galadon, the “city of the trees”. There grew the greatest Mallorn on Middle-earth, and the king and queen resided in a great hall in that tallest of trees, on the crest of a high green hill. It was walled and gated and encircled with other great trees like towers. At the very heart of the forest there was a magical hill called Cerin Amroth where once the house of an Elven-king stood. And from this place came a power and light that were like those in the Undying Lands in the Ages of the Trees.

  The Galadhrim were mostly Silvan Elves, but their lords were Sindar and Noldor nobles. Their king was Celeborn, kinsman of Thingol (“grey-cloak”), and he was the greatest lord of the Sindar on Middle-earth. Their queen was the sister of Finrod and daughter of Finarfin, High King of the Noldor, who had remained in Eldamar after the Trees of the Valar were destroyed. By the Third Age of the Sun she was the highest noble of all the Elves in Mortal Lands. And though her Quenya name was Altárial, in Middle-earth she was called Galadriel, the “lady of light”.

  The power of the Galadhrim under such rulers was very great, for their king and queen had lived in the first kingdom of the Sindar in the days of Thingol and Melian the Maia and had learned much concerning their powers. Their queen had lived in the Undying Lands in the days of the Trees of the Valar and had visited the Valarian Garden of Lórien, the most beautiful in all Arda. Some part of these magical places came with these nobles to the Golden Wood of Lothlórien. A golden light was there, though it was but an ember of the glory of the Valarian Garden, the Golden Wood was brilliant and precious to the peoples of Middle-earth. This place was protected from evil powers by a force that was like the Girdle of Melian that once protected Doriath, the Sindarin kingdom. For Galadriel was bearer of the second of the three Elf Rings – Nenya, the Ring of Adamant and the Ring of Water – and her power held off the ravages of Time and made her aware of Sauron’s moves and caused her people to be invisible to Sauron’s eye. She commanded the Mirror of Galadriel, a silver basin that she could fill with fountain waters and by the power of her Ring could cast the image of future events on its dark, still surface.

  The kingdom of the Galadhrim had been founded in a time of peace when Sauron had been taken captive by the Númenórean king before the Change of the World, in the third millennium of the Second Age of the Sun. It was ruled first by the Sindar King Amdír, and then his son Amroth before Celeborn and Galadriel came to power. Since the first fall of Mordor, it had remained a land apart and, throughout the Third Age, the Golden Wood of Lothlórien was protected and sustained by the power of the Elf Ring Nenya. With the destruction of the One Ring, its power faded, and the queen went to the Undying Lands; the great light of Lothlórien faded as well, and Time re-found it. The Galadhrim again became a wandering folk and dwindled with their Silvan brethren of the East.

  Galadriel

  Elven queen of Lothlórien. Galadriel was a Noldor princess who was born in Eldamar during the Ages of Starlight. Galadriel and her brothers joined the Noldor who pursued Morgoth and the Silmarils to Middle-earth. Tall and beautiful, with the golden hair of her Teleri mother, Eärwen, she was called Altariel in Eldamar. This was translated as Galadriel, meaning “lady of light”, in Sindarin. During the First Age of the Sun in Beleriand, Galadriel lived with her brother Finrod, in Nargothrond, before entering the Sindar realm of Doriath where she was befriended by Queen Melian and married the Grey-elf prince, Celeborn. From the beginning of the Second Age, the couple and their only child Celebrían, lived in Lindon; then in the eighth century they moved to Eregion, the realm of the Elven-smiths. Later Galadriel and Celeborn crossed the Misty Mountains and came to rule over their own kingdom in the Golden Wood of Lothlórien. Commanding one of the Three Elven Rings of Power, Galadriel used her powers to weave a ring of enchantment and protection around Lothlórien. During the time of the War of the Ring, Galadriel gave shelter and magical gifts to the Fellowship of the Ring. During the War itself, Galadriel repelled three attempts at invasion, and used her powers to bring down the walls of Dol Guldur and cleanse Mirkwood. Then, as the Third Age ended, she sailed westward to the Undying Lands.

  Galenas

  In the land of Númenor grew the broad-leafed herb Galenas, which was prized for the fragrance of its flowers. Before that land was swallowed by the Western Sea, mariners of Númenor brought it to Middle-earth, where it grew in abundance about the settlements of the Númenóreans’ descendants.

  However, it was not until such an unlikely people as the Hobbits discovered Galenas in their own land that the special properties of this plant were revealed. The Hobbits took the broad leaves of Galenas, dried them and shredded them. Then they put fire to them in long-stemmed pipes. This was the herb nicotiana, afterwards known on Middle-earth as Pipe-weed after the habit of the Hobbits. It was commonly smoked by Hobbits, Men and Dwarves and they derived much comfort from it.

  Gallows-weed

  In the swamplands of Middle-earth where the evil phantoms called Mewlips lurked and the birds called Gorcrows flew, there also grew the Gallows-weed. In the lore of Hobbits this tree-hanging weed is known by name but its properties are not spoken of; for few who entered those unhappy and haunted marshes ever returned.

  Gandalf

  Istari, Wizard of Middle-earth. In the Undying Lands, Gandalf was a Maia spirit, Olórin, who lived in the gardens of Lórien, the Dream Master, and often visited Nienna the Compassionate. About the year 1000 of the Third Age of the Sun, he was chosen as one of the Istari or Wizards that were sent to Middle-earth. Called Gandalf the Grey in
Westron, he was Mithandir, “grey pilgrim”, to the Elves, Tharkûn to the Dwarves and Incánus to the Haradrim. His outward form was that of a bearded old man dressed in a great cloak with a tall pointed hat and a long staff. Upon his arrival in the Grey Havens, Círdan gave him Narya, the “ring of fire”. For over two thousand years, Gandalf worked against the rising evil powers on Middle-earth. In 2941, Gandalf inspired the Quest of the Lonely Mountain that resulted in the slaying of Smaug the Dragon. During this quest, Gandalf acquired the sword Glamdring, and Bilbo Baggins acquired the One Ring. It was Gandalf who recognized the power of the One Ring and learned how it might be destroyed. In 3018. Gandalf came to Frodo Baggins in the Shire and initiated the Quest of the Ring. In Rivendell, he became one of the Fellowship of the Ring, and led them through many perils. Then, upon the bridge of Khazad-dûm, Gandalf fell into mortal conflict with the Balrog of Moria. However, the Wizard’s spirit was resurrected as Gandalf the White, a radiant being that no weapon could harm. During the War of the Ring, Gandalf the White on his horse Shadowfax was everywhere: inspiring King Théoden in Rohan, vanquishing Saruman in Isengard, and holding back the Witch-king at the gates of Minas Tirith. He fought with the captains of the Army of the West before the Black Gates of Mordor, while the Ring-bearer destroyed the One Ring. After the war, Gandalf oversaw the reuniting of Gondor and Arnor, then in 3021 embarked on the Last Sailing of the Keepers of the Rings to the Undying Lands.

  Gaurhoth

  In the First Age of the Sun, in the time of the Wars of Beleriand, many evil spirits in Wolf form came to Sauron the Maia. The Elves called them Gaurhoth, or the “Werewolf host”. From these creatures Sauron forged a mighty army that went to battle with Elves and killed many of the strongest amongst them. Sauron captured and held for a time an Elvish tower upon the River Sirion by the power of the Werewolves; hence the name of that place: Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the “isle of Werewolves”.

  Gelion River

  One of the two great rivers of Beleriand, the Gelion was twice the length of its rival – the Sirion – although not so broad or deep. It drained the lands of East Beleriand, particularly Thargelion and the woodlands of Ossiriand. Among its many tributaries were the rivers Adurant, Duilwen, Brilthor, Legolin, Thalos, Ascar, and the Greater and Little Gelion. Its source and that of nearly all its tributaries was the Blue Mountain range to the east.

  Ghân-buri-Ghân

  Wose chieftain of Druadan. During the War of the Ring, Ghân-buri-Ghân was the leader of the white-skinned, pygmy-like race called the Woses that inhabited the Druadan Forest, and helped the Rohirrim and Dúnedain in breaking the siege of Gondor. Ghân led the Rohirrim through the secret trails of the forest so they might have the advantage of surprise in the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Also in the ensuing battle, Ghân’s people slaughtered many Orcs who attempted to flee into the woodlands. After the war, Ghân and his people were granted legal title to their forest land.

  Giants

  Many beings of Giant size, both good and evil in nature, lived in Middle-earth. In the First Age of Stars there were the Ents, the Tree-herds, who measured fourteen feet in height and were of immense strength and great wisdom. Later came Giants filled with evil; those named Trolls and Olog-hai served the Dark Power and made the wild lands of the World perilous for travellers. Also, in the tales of Hobbits, there were rumours of great Giants who, in league with Orcs, guarded the High Passes in Rhovanion.

  Gil-galad

  Elf King of Lindon. Gil-galad was born during the First Age of the Sun in Hithlum in Beleriand, the son of High King Fingon. Forced to flee to the Isle of Balar after the death of his father in 473, Gil-galad – whose name means “radiant star” – was made High King after the fall of Gondolin and the death of Turgon, his uncle, in 511. After the sinking of Beleriand, Gil-galad ruled over the surviving Noldor Elves in Lindon. During the Second Age, Gil-galad sent his forces into the War of Sauron and the Elves, and later joined the Dúnedain in the Last Alliance of Men and Elves. In 3434 Gil-galad, armed with his dreaded spear Aeglos, led the Alliance into the Battle of Dagorlad. Sauron’s forces were crushed, and for seven years the Alliance laid siege to Mordor. Sauron was forced into the open and overthrown, but in that last duel, both the Dúnedain king and Gil-galad were also slain.

  Gimli

  Dwarf of Erebor. Born in 2879 of the Third Age in the Blue Mountains, Gimli went to live in Erebor in 2941 after the death of Smaug the Dragon. Gimli’s father was Glóin, a Dwarf of Thorin and Company. In 3018, Gimli went with his father to Rivendell where he was chosen for the Fellowship of the Ring. Gimli was one of the few Dwarves to become friendly with Elves. Indeed, after his entry into Lothlórien, he became devoted to the memory of Galadriel, the Elf Queen, and carried a lock of her hair with him always. His closest friend was Legolas, the Sindar Elf.

  Gimli fought bravely at the Battles of Hornburg, Pelennor Fields, and the Black Gates of Mordor. After the war, Gimli became the Lord of the Glittering Caves, the caverns beneath Helm’s Deep. He remained Lord of the Caves until after the death of Aragorn in 120 of the Fourth Age, when, joined by his friend Legolas, he sailed on an Elven ship into the Undying Lands.

  Gladden Fields

  From its headwaters in the Misty Mountains just north of Moria and Lothlórien, the Gladden River flows eastwards until it reaches the Great River Anduin. It is here in the vales of Anduin that the tributary floods a marshland known as the Gladden Fields. In the second year of the Third Age a fateful event in the history of Middle-earth was enacted here for this was the site of the Battle of Gladden Fields when the Dúnedain King Isildur was killed and the One Ring was lost in the river. The One Ring remained hidden here until the year 2463 when it was found by two Stoor Hobbits named Déagol and Sméagol. Sméagol killed Déagol for possession of the Ring and eventually degenerated into the evil being known as Gollum.

  Glamhoth

  When the evil race of Orcs first entered the Grey-elven lands of Beleriand in the Ages of Starlight, the Sindar did not know what manner of being they were. Though none doubted that they were a vile and evil race, at that time they had no name. So the Grey-elves called them the Glamhoth, the “din-horde”, for their cries in battle and the noise of their iron shoes and battle-gear were loud and evil.

  Glaurung

  Dragon of Angband. Glaurung the Golden was the first and greatest of the Urulóki or Fire-breathing Dragons. Called the Father of Dragons, he emerged from the pits of Angband in the year 260 of the First Age of the Sun, but was driven back. In Angband he grew for two more centuries before being released in the terrible Battle of Sudden Flame, which broke the Siege of Angband. This was followed by the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, in which Glaurung was followed into battle by a legion of lesser Fire-drakes. Against them only the Dwarves of Belgost could stand. Although it cost him his life, the Dwarf King Azaghâl wounded Glaurung and forced him to withdraw from the field. In 496, Glaurung destroyed the armies of Nargothrond at Tumhalad and took possession of the great hall. He gathered his treasure hoard and lay down on it. While guarding this hoard, he used his hypnotic Dragon-spells to destroy or blight the lives of Túrin, Nienor and Finduilas. However, in the year 501, it was the hero Túrin Turambar who by stealth managed to drive his sword deep into Glaurung’s belly and slay the beast.

  Glóin

  Dwarf of Thorin and Company. Glóin, son of Gróin, was born in the year 2783 of the Third Age. He fought in the Battle of Azanulbizar and was a companion of King Thrain II, and his son, Thorin Oakenshield. With Thorin and Company he went on the Quest of Erebor which resulted in the death of Smaug the Dragon, and the re-establishment of the Dwarf Kingdom under the Mountain, where he became a wealthy and important lord. In the year 3018, he travelled with his son to Rivendell. His son, Gimli, was chosen as one of the Fellowship of the Ring, and Glóin returned to Erebor. During the War of the Ring, he fought in defence of Erebor. He died in the year 15 of the Fourth Age.

  Glorfindel

  Elf lord of Rivendell. During the time o
f the War of the Ring, Glorfindel appears to have been second only to Elrond Half-Elven in rank in Rivendell. In 3018 of the Third Age, he met Frodo the Ringbearer on his way to Rivendell and, mounted on his white horse Asfaloth, he dared to stand and fight the Ringwraiths at the Ford of Bruinen. His origins are obscure, but it is known that Glorfindel led Elvish warriors into the Battle of Fornost which, in 1975 of the Third Age, resulted in the destruction of the realm of the Witch-king of Angmar. Along with the other Elves of Rivendell, he undoubtedly made his way to the Undying Lands sometime during the Fourth Age. Probably named after the legendary Glorfindel of Gondolin. He was a commander in King Turgon’s forces who fought in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. He won greatest fame after the fall of Gondolin in 511 of the First Age. Ambushed by Morgoth’s forces, Glorfindel fought a mighty Balrog and both toppled from a cliff to their deaths.

  Goblins

  Those creatures that Men now name Goblins are dwellers in darkness who were spawned for evil purposes. In earlier days they were called Orcs. Black-blooded, red-eyed and hateful in nature are these Goblin people, and though they are now reduced to beings committed to minor deeds of mischief, they were once a race bent on vast plans of terrible tyranny.

  Goldberry

  River-daughter of Old Forest. Goldberry was the daughter of the River-woman of the Withywindle River, and the spouse of Tom Bombadil. She was a golden-haired and beautiful nature spirit who may have been a Maia. Whatever her origin, like Tom Bombadil, her concerns were with the natural world of forest and stream. During the Quest of the Ring, the Hobbits were rescued and sheltered by Bombadil and Goldberry. Compared to an Elf-queen in her radiance, Goldberry wore flowers in her hair and belt. She wore garments of silver and gold, and shoes that shimmered like fish-mail. The sound of her singing was said to resemble a bird song.