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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2022 16:07:12 GMT
Greetings! Tolkien nerd here. I have a customization project in the works based on one of Tolkien's characters. That character is Glorfindel, Lord of the House of the Golden Flower, and vassal to King Turgon of Gondolin. He is also the same Glorfindel who perished during the Seige of Gondolin and was later resurrected and sent back to Middle-earth by the Valar. He rescued an injured Frodo from Weathertop, confronted the Nazgul at the Ford of Bruinen, and brought Frodo to Elrond of Rivendell where he was healed of his wound given by the Witchking of Angmar. Note: the film adaptation gave this mission to Arwen, which I don't begrudge. Speaking of the Witchking, he feared Glorfindel, and the latter foretold he would die, but not at the hands of man. Ultimately, it was the woman Eowyn who brought him down. Glorfindel presumably returned to Valinor at the start of the Fourth Age after Sauron was vanquished.
We know Glorfindel has a sword, but Tolkien only describes the sword in abstract details, as was his tendency. We know he drew his sword at the Ford of Bruinen, and stood before the Nazgul at the edge of the waters of the river and drove them off. We know the sword gleamed brightly and the Nazgul feared him. That's it, no other details.
Despite the lack of details, several smiths have tried their hands at creating Glorfindel's sword. Friend of the forum, Brendan Olszowy of Fable Blades created a beautiful sword named Laurë. David DelaGardelle of Cedarlore Forge created a sword he named Thorondún.
My sword is called Luinil, or "blue star." I named the sword based on the Elves' love of stars and heavenly bodies, in addition to their love of precious stones. This is not canonical, but I imagine that when Glorfindel made the fateful decision to leave Valinor during the Years of the Trees, to follow the House of Fingolfin to Middle-earth, his mother, who is unnamed, gifted to him a glimmering blue cabochon that resembles the star the Elves call Nénar, which Tolkien likely based on Neptune. The stone is primarily blue in color, but sparkles with gold and silver. It was gifted to him as a reminder that although they would be forever out of reach, that he would be connected to his family back in Valinor.
In my next post, I will share the component parts I sourced for this build and the progress I have made to date.
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Post by durinnmcfurren on Feb 12, 2022 16:44:52 GMT
Very interesting! What type of sword are you going to use? Longsword? Arming sword? How did Glorfindel recover Luinil after his death and subsequent return to Middle Earth?
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stormmaster
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I like viking/migration era swords
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Post by stormmaster on Feb 12, 2022 17:29:06 GMT
With the jody bare blade?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2022 19:30:19 GMT
I'm using a Windlass Oakeshott Type XVIII. The blade itself is fine after some tweaks. Its a little thinner at the base, but it behaves like it ought to. I have some polishing to do on it before I etch the many, many runes. Speaking of which, I just came into a bona-fide electroetching machine. More to come...
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Post by fester on Feb 12, 2022 21:55:00 GMT
Sounds interesting and fun. For some reason I have the type xviii blades in mind when reading about elven swords in the LOTR
Unlike in the movies the description of swords in Tolkien’s works seems more like one handed or bastard swords and not longswords
almost all his works read as being wielded one handed.
though long swords can be wielded one handed they are mostly used two handed
just my two cents.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2022 23:02:33 GMT
The hilt set I bought from The Printed Armory is the Writhen set. There was something about it that said Elves of the First Age. I also liked the floral motif at the end of the quillons. I am considering whether to plate those in gold. The blade needed a lot of work done to the edges, and I can't say I am pleased with how it turned out. I am going to take it back to the belt sander and smooth out some transitions. Then I will spend a lot of time polishing. The photos below show the most recent progress of all the components laid out: The lapis cabochon will be set into a brass bezel cup and sunk into the top of the pommel. I am unsure what the grip material will be. I would LOVE to pay a lapidary artist to carve a grip for me out of lapis, but who knows where I can find someone to do that. I might settle for wood core, cord wrap, blue leather. I intend to etch the following two patterns on each side of the blade at the base: a rayed sun and a star. The rayed sun is important because it's part of Glorfindel's heraldry. Ironically, and by total coincidence, there is a character on the upcoming The Rings of Power series with the same rayed sun on their sword. Not sure who the character is, but if it's Glorfindel shown in a flashback I will be stunned. Elvish swords have runes. I have two sets of runes on both sides of the blade. They are as follows: These runes are in Sindarin using the Cirth runic alphabet. The runes read: Luinil aen estar nin. I methestel Glorfindelo. [Blue star is my name. The last hope of Glorfindel.]
Arben o Gondolindrim. Aran o Los’Loriel. [Knight of the people of Gondolin. Lord of the House of the Golden Flower.]
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2022 23:10:33 GMT
How did Glorfindel recover Luinil after his death and subsequent return to Middle Earth? He used the sword to defeat the Balrog to secure the escape of the Gondolindrim. The sword was picked up by Idril, who entrusted it to Gil-Galad and the Elves of Lindon. They cherished the sword as a relic, and engraved the runes into the blade. When Glorfindel returned from Aman, he picked up his sword again.
Note: This post was edited to reflect that Glorfindel returned in the Second Age, not the Third.
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Post by durinnmcfurren on Feb 13, 2022 1:57:23 GMT
Ok, that makes sense.
By the way, Glorfindel might have returned during the second age, if you follow some of Tolkien's very late ideas about the mythology.
I always pictured the swords as bastard swords, myself, since there are mentions of Aragorn using Anduril with a shield and also without.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2022 2:33:44 GMT
Ok, that makes sense. By the way, Glorfindel might have returned during the second age, if you follow some of Tolkien's very late ideas about the mythology. I always pictured the swords as bastard swords, myself, since there are mentions of Aragorn using Anduril with a shield and also without. You're right. He was sent back when Barad-dur was completed and Celebrimbor went to war with Sauron. This series likely encompasses that war, or leads to it. I've always wanted to see Glorfindel depicted on screen. He was portrayed by an actor in Jackson's films, but he is a veritable extra. Glorfindel, I believe, we to war with the Witchking, and defeated him.
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Post by durinnmcfurren on Feb 14, 2022 19:03:40 GMT
Yeah but then in the original version of the lore, Glorfindel and the Istari may not have arrived until the Third Age, if I remember rightly?
Tolkien rethought a lot of things (including the origins of the orcs!) throughout his life...
I was disappointed that Glorfindel didn't get a bigger role in the films. Considering he is one of the few Children of Eluvatar tough enough to kill a balrog... (possibly the only one to ever do so? I'm not sure if even Feanor managed it...)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2022 19:06:32 GMT
Yeah but then in the original version of the lore, Glorfindel and the Istari may not have arrived until the Third Age, if I remember rightly? Tolkien rethought a lot of things (including the origins of the orcs!) throughout his life... I was disappointed that Glorfindel didn't get a bigger role in the films. Considering he is one of the few Children of Eluvatar tough enough to kill a balrog... (possibly the only one to ever do so? I'm not sure if even Feanor managed it...) Ecthelion of The Fountain slew Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs, at the Seige of Gondolin, but he died thereafter from the effort. He actually drowned in his armor. No one killed a balrog without dying themselves, although every person eventually came back.
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Post by RambleTree on Feb 14, 2022 20:10:19 GMT
Beautiful use of the Swiss Twisted Guard/Writhen Pommel!
All of this is making me want to go back and read The Silmarillion for the sixth or seventh time (it was only about the third reading that it starting becoming coherent in my mind . . . but that was like 25 years ago).
Something that always stuck in my head, two sort of divergent ideas:
I) In the Silmarillion, weapons and armor seem to appear full-fledged into the world. So you can imagine fully developed armor (and the attendant weapons to deal with them) way back in mythological time. Which is cool, Gods, Vala, etc.
II) Tolkien was a professional scholar of philology and Anglo-Saxon epic poetry. He probably had as good a grasp as possible (in his day) of the development of arms and armor in the 'Beowulf' period. There seem to be hints at times that he's referring to similar weapons. Or- perhaps the early men, dwarves, etc. might have had more Viking-y or Migration Era weapons?
LOTR: I remember specifically in the LOTR, comparing Boromir's sword to Anduril: 'of similar stature, but lesser lineage'. I take stature here to mean dimensions. Later, after the Ring is destroyed and the remaining Fellowship members meet up for a picnic, Aragorn is described seated with a 'great sword' across his knees. I don't think it actually says this sword is Anduril, but one might assume that it is.
It's easy to think of Aragorn's sword as a war sword, longsword or bastard sword, as he does not carry a shield (though Boromir does).
Oh boy, I better stop thinking about this, or I'm not going to get any work done . . .
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2022 20:49:50 GMT
Beautiful use of the Swiss Twisted Guard/Writhen Pommel! All of this is making me want to go back and read The Silmarillion for the sixth or seventh time (it was only about the third reading that it starting becoming coherent in my mind . . . but that was like 25 years ago). Something that always stuck in my head, two sort of divergent ideas: I) In the Silmarillion, weapons and armor seem to appear full-fledged into the world. So you can imagine fully developed armor (and the attendant weapons to deal with them) way back in mythological time. Which is cool, Gods, Vala, etc. II) Tolkien was a professional scholar of philology and Anglo-Saxon epic poetry. He probably had as good a grasp as possible (in his day) of the development of arms and armor in the 'Beowulf' period. There seem to be hints at times that he's referring to similar weapons. Or- perhaps the early men, dwarves, etc. might have had more Viking-y or Migration Era weapons? LOTR: I remember specifically in the LOTR, comparing Boromir's sword to Anduril: 'of similar stature, but lesser lineage'. I take stature here to mean dimensions. Later, after the Ring is destroyed and the remaining Fellowship members meet up for a picnic, Aragorn is described seated with a 'great sword' across his knees. I don't think it actually says this sword is Anduril, but one might assume that it is. It's easy to think of Aragorn's sword as a war sword, longsword or bastard sword, as he does not carry a shield (though Boromir does). Oh boy, I better stop thinking about this, or I'm not going to get any work done . . . You know, it's entirely possible the sword in the promotional poster is... NARSIL, or is of Numenorian make. I keep thinking it could be Glorfindel's sword, but the rayed sun is a symbol seen in Numenor as well. Narsil was forged by the Dwarf Telchar in the First Age. These weapons have lineage more confusing than the actual people!
I am trying to make this sword appear modest, and a sidearm to boot. The Elves prefer their bows, and one would think they also have an affinity for spears. I reference "the last hope" on my runes, which should suggest that he famously took out the Balrog with the only weapon he had left, his sidearm.
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Post by Strider on Feb 16, 2022 16:43:24 GMT
That's an awesome project you've got there. I have a similar one in the works although with less customisation. I like how you've extrapolated pieces from the lore and made it unique with the heraldry, runes and floral motif as well.
In terms of the poster I've also heard rumors that the character shown is infact Elendil with Narsil however I don't know if that has been confirmed yet. There is also the possibility that it is Anarion due to his name likely meaning "son of the sun".
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2022 21:14:00 GMT
You gotta show them the blue orb! I'd like to, but I am unsure what I intend to do about that. I have a flat round cabochon in a brass bezel cup I can use or an actual orb. I am still exploring a few other options.
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Post by RambleTree on Feb 17, 2022 15:11:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2022 16:22:35 GMT
Thanks for this. Tolkien Gateway is a terrific resource. I really enjoy these promotional materials because they keep me guessing. I think the safest bet is that the figure holding the sword is Anarion, but wishful thinking has me holding out hope for a portrayal of Glorfindel. I just think he's a fascinating character.
I am wondering whether Amazon will license anything from the LOTR films. Perhaps the design of Narsil? They did employ John Howe as a conceptual artist and consultant.
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Post by durinnmcfurren on Feb 17, 2022 21:58:17 GMT
I am wondering whether Amazon will license anything from the LOTR films. Perhaps the design of Narsil? They did employ John Howe as a conceptual artist and consultant.
Anduril is Narsil reforged, though, and it may be they did more than rejoin the broken parts of the blade... I think they may have set new runes and designs in it.
Although I guess they do show Narsil as it gets broken, and then show the broken parts, in the films!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2022 22:48:54 GMT
I am wondering whether Amazon will license anything from the LOTR films. Perhaps the design of Narsil? They did employ John Howe as a conceptual artist and consultant.
Anduril is Narsil reforged, though, and it may be they did more than rejoin the broken parts of the blade... I think they may have set new runes and designs in it.
Although I guess they do show Narsil as it gets broken, and then show the broken parts, in the films!
The Elves did set new runes into Narsil when they reforged it and named it Anduril. They could show how Elendil came to possess Narsil. I believe he lifted it when he and his sons fled Numenor, along with a few other relics.
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Post by demonskull on Feb 24, 2022 12:23:20 GMT
A little side note as there are several Tolkien fans posting here. If you aren't aware there is a forum for Middle Earth practical discussion. While the forum is called The Middle Earth Ranger Forum, www.middleearthrangers.org/forum/index.php It covers all aspects of Middle Earth from clothing, history, weapons, food..... You name it, there is probably several threads on the topic. All are welcome to check it out.
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