Tales of Nolduryon

[Valandil]

A collection of documents which I will endeavor to translate (apparently set in Arnor, middle of the first millenium of the Third Age):

Tales of Nolduryon:

I, Nolduryon, third son of King Arantar of days long past, brother to our King Tarcil of days yet gone by, and uncle to King Tarondor of these days now come, have set my hand to a new task in this year of 545 from the downfall of our Enemy. For my nephew the king has bid me relinquish my duties as Chief Scribe and Loremaster of the land in the twilight of my own days. Yet he has not desired that I simply warm myself beside the fire, nor indeed lay me down to join my ancestors beyond the circles of this life’s journey, but has rather urged me to take pen in hand and write on parchment the stories known to me of our land, and of our family, which I have previously recounted only by mouth to himself, his queen, his children and others here at the Court of Annuminas.

Therefore I have resolved to spend what strength and time as remains to me in setting down these records. Some of these stories I know to be true with certainty, for I have ascertained the facts myself. In other cases, having no first-hand knowledge, I still deem them quite reliable, from the accounts gathered of diverse sources. Yet others I find quite doubtful to believe, but I include them as well, for they will perhaps have something to tell of us in any regard. And they may yet be true.

I will first write accounts of royal matrimony, and how our kings have chosen their queens. The tale of Valandil’s wedding is well-known, so I will instead first record the marvelous story of my grandfather, King Eldacar. Those of my father, brother and nephew are much alike, so of those three, I choose to record that of my brother, King Tarcil – perhaps hesitant to recount too broadly the nuptials of either my own father or the king who now sits upon our throne – besides that, I know my brother’s account best of all. And I will record as well an account of our future king, Tarondor’s Heir Valandur, for his recent marriage has indeed caused a stir in our court and has perhaps set in motion this new assignment of mine.

Eldacar

My grandfather, King Eldacar, was renowned for his great strength and his mighty feats. If indeed he had lived in a time of much warfare, his name should now be known throughout Middle Earth, but in this we of Arnor can rejoice. For as there was no cause for his fame to spread far and wide, so we have had peace in our days.

I have dim memories of my grandfather – and even in those he appears as a great and powerful man. I envy that my brothers Tarcil and Eldamir hunted with him in their youth, for I was only of age to sit upon his knee when his days of hunting were ended – yet I remember one time before he passed how he looked into my eyes, as though he saw into my young heart and knew me at last – or else he had long done so and I was only old enough to remember this once. And I also remember the great mourning of our people when he had lain himself down at the last, and the humble grace by which my grandmother’s words of kindness and faith encouraged all of us around her after he was gone.


Eldacar lived with great activity from his youth. He delighted in the life outdoors, away from court - riding, hunting and sleeping under the stars. He made friends of the foresters and came to know farmers and thanes of our people far and wide in all the lands of Arnor.

When Eldacar reached his 75th year his mother, Queen Galeneth, deemed that the time had come for him to seek a marriage. So she gathered together a new court of the finest young ladies of the land, two score in all. But Eldacar gathered young sons of the land’s nobles to himself as well, and kept both them and himself apart from his mother’s court. The women of Galeneth’s court became well practiced in speech, song, instrument, lore and fine manners. Eldacar and his companions wandered far and wide, living off the land, and they were away from the court more and more. Each time they returned, Galeneth sent her court of young ladies to wait upon their needs, but ever they were soon off once more, paying little notice to those maidens. As the years passed, this brought great consternation to the queen. It also displeased the nobles of the kingdom who had sent their daughters to court in hopes of having a grandson sit on Arnor’s throne one day. So upon a time, when Eldacar’s band was due to arrive, Queen Galeneth voiced her displeasure to King Valandil. The King took her words to heart, for he also desired to see his elder son marry. Thus when Eldacar came unto the palace once more, the King summoned him into his private chamber and spoke in this way with him: