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The Eagle of the Star

WonderBroad Lorien Mar 12 2007, 1:21am Views: 861 The Eagle of the Star "[Ecthelion II] encouraged all men of worth from near or far to enter his service, and to those who proved trustworthy he gave rank and reward. In much that he did he had the aid and advice of a great captain whom he loved above all. Thorongil men called him in Gondor, the Eagle of the Star, for he was swift and keen-eyed, and wore a silver star upon his cloak; but no one knew his true name nor in what land he was born. He came to Ecthelion from Rohan, where he had served the King Thengel, but he was not one of the Rohirrim. He was a great leader of men, by land or by sea, but he departed into the shadows whence he came, before the days of Ecthelion were ended." The Return of the King - Appendix A also: "For he went in many guises, and won renown under many names. He rode in the host of the Rohirrim, and fought for the Lord of Gondor by land and by sea; and then in the hour of victory he passed out of the knowledge of Men of the West, and went alone far into the East and deep into the South, exploring the hearts of Men, both evil and good, and uncovering the plots and devices of the servants of Sauron." The Return of the King - Appendix A: "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen" This was an illustration for Mythlore. I recall that I didn't have a lot of time for an elaborate composition, so this became only a portrait. While over time I've come to see Aragorn as beardless, as per Tolkien's description of the Dunedain, I like the idea that he could, for the purpose of disguising himself, grow facial hair if he felt like it (sort of like Luthien growing out her hair very long when dire need required such a thing.) Pen and ink.

FingonOfPittsburgh Lorien Mar 12 2007, 8:07pm Views: 570 Very nice Bravo - another nice piece! Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament... There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man's heart desires. --J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter #43, to his son Michael

linkin-artelf Lorien Mar 15 2007, 4:49am Views: 592 I know this was done a long time ago but he is strangely reminiscent of Viggo. I love your mysterious Aragorns, they have very expressive eyes that draw you in. "I walk along the shore and I gaze At the light that radiates down Will it travel forth to you Far across this shimmering sea?" formerly linkinparkelf