Dân o’Nandor-on-Anduin
Rivendell
Feb 13 2015, 6:17pm
Post #1 of 5
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The Arda 300: #'s 280-261
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#280 Will ‘Old Flourdumpling’ Whitfoot, Mayor of the Shire – hobbit mayor
[TG:20,EoA:3,Wik:4,RF:6,JT:15,LR:5,H9:4=57pts,11indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Will_Whitfoot
J.E.A. Tyler’s lengthy entry supplies much of his points, second only to Tolkien Gateway (above).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVbDKB1TtEQ
#279 *Ilverin ‘Littleheart’, gong-warden of Mar Vanwa Tyaliéva, son of Voronwë – noldo explorer/warden
[TG:7,H1:8,B1:4,H2:32,B2:2,H4:4=57pts,29indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Littleheart
Only 10 asterisked characters remain (as per UT’s index – those characters not appearing previously in Hobbit/LotR/AdvsTB/Sil), and Littleheart is the first (or 10th last). His standing may be considered a bit of an anomaly since he receives a lot of his points due to the number of names he had in the early mythology (but I count all names & epithets, indexed & entried, as I do with Aragorn, Túrin, Thingol, Sauron, etc., to register a proper tally). However, since he sailed with Eärendil and awoke the Sleeper in the Tower of Pearl; was the gong-warden in Tol Eressëa at the time of Eriol and told the tale of ‘The Fall of Gondolin’, the only full tale we have of it; and, as Gilfanon states, was the last survivor to have seen “that most glorious thing”, the Nauglafring, then he rightly deserves place #279! And I rest my case if you ask what is the Nauglafring? To note, in the early tales high elves were often called fairies, and with all of Littleheart’s seafaring, it might be assumed that he utilized requisite footwear…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3g0NhJ7__k
#278 & #277 Eluréd & Elurín, twin sons of Dior – sinda princes
Each [TG:21,EoA:2,Wik:2,RF:3,JT:2,DK:2,Sil:2,H4:6,H5:6,H11:4,H12:8=58pts,26indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Elured
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Elur%C3%ADn
Kane notes that it was not until ‘The Problem of Ros’ (HoMe12) that the names Eluréd & Elurín were established, morphing from earlier names Elrún & Eldún, used as late as the ‘Tale of Years’. They had a brief life and little impact, but as victims of the 3rd Kinslaying, the ‘cruelest of the slayings of Elf by Elf’, and as uncles of Elrond, with their sister surviving to her lofty station, they deserve their place, and remain hallowed brothers. Some of the songs here can adopt an ‘American Pie’ lyrical analysis, with similar accuracy: to wit, the following, as Mark Knopfler sings as Elwing from on high in Aman, remembering the tragic events at the Havens in the First Age.…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9oakm9-vjo
And another solemn requiem, as there were 2 brothers…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZW15uCKGw8
#276 Halbarad, standard-bearer of Aragorn – arnorian dúnadan ranger/herald
[TG:30,EoA:2,Wik:9,RF:6,JT:3,LR:2,H7:2.H8:4=58pts,28indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Halbarad
Picture this as a plea sung to his lord’s lady as he packs her banner before setting out with her brothers & the Grey Company, not knowing truly what her plans are for the future…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO8JDZj2nTY
#275 Amlaith of Fornost, 1st King of Arthedain – arnorian dúnadan king
[TG:22,EoA:19,Wik:6,RF:3,JT:6,LR:1,H12:2=59pts,5indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Amlaith
You can tell Steve Perry’s a little dazed here - he means to say ‘broken in three, in three, in three!’…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-7I1dRo7WQ
#274 Argeleb I, 7th King of Arthedain – arnorian dúnadan king
[TG:24,EoA:3,Wik:6,RF:7,JT:14,LR:1,H12:4=59pts,8indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Argeleb_I
With Amlaith, 1st King of Arthedain, directly followed by his great-great-great-great grandson Argeleb, arguably the last King solely of Arthedain, I can’t resist the double-shot and new beginning - the lands of Arnor having become strangers along the East-West road, with Angmar now bringing their shadows searching in the night, but the success of the line going on and on… (Oprah, I can’t explain, just like Bombadil)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZBBDYao9W4
#273 Bolg of the North, son of Azog – orc warrior
[TG:28,EoA:2,Wik:1,RF:5,JT:3,JR:3,DD:14,LR:1,H7:2=59pts,15indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Bolg
He probably owes David Day more of his points than Peter Jackson (as Tolkien Gateway comprises the movies as well). But rightly so; Tolkien and The Hobbit ultimately place him here, and many orcs yet remain, including his father. But, yes, Jackson did influence this song choice, but then I’m Canadian…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD2aep1ge7Y
#272 Indis the Fair, 2nd wife of Finwë (f) – vanya queen
[TG:14,EoA:6,Wik:4,RF:4,JT:10,MD:2,DK:1,Sil:2,UT:4,H1:2,H10:6,H11:2,H12:2=59pts,52indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Indis
Kane notes the removal of this passage from the published Sil, “In Indis was first proved true the saying: The loss of one may be the gain of another; but this saying also she found true: The house remembers the builder, though others may dwell in it after”. Moving on, I’ve heard them called the elder kings before, but the Eldar Kings? Sure, Stephen Stills makes a fabulous Finwë; as for the others, I have my own thoughts on who are Ingwë, Elwë, & Olwë…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=921CsfhKzqw
#271 Thuringwethil, messenger of Sauron (f) – vampire-bat messenger
[TG:13,EoA:5,Wik:4,RF:8,JT:3,DD:18,Sil:3,H2:2,H3:2,H11:2=60pts,5indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Thuringwethil
The first 60-point character, clearly averaging more than a point from every resource I used. Yes, most of her points come from Day, again being a creature, but surely no one argues with the placing. And I think I can stop over-building-up the musical interludes. From here on in you can do your own ‘American Pie’ type lyric analysis…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QGMCSCFoKA
#270 Fimbrethil ‘Wandlimb’ (f) – entwife
[TG:15,EoA:5,Wik:8,RF:4,JT:5,DD:20,LR:3=60pts,6indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Wandlimb
Naturally she’s the only Entwife on the entire list. Without Day’s A-Z she’d be just shy of the top 400, let alone #270. Justifiable, I think, considering how much literature & speculation has been amassed due to her presence (or rather lack thereof).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeUvDOMgGY
#269 Tar-Ciryatan ‘the Shipbuilder’, 12th King of Númenor – númenórean king
[TG:22,EoA:1,Wik:2,RF:5,JT:4,LR:1,Sil:2,UT:2,LoE:11,H12:10=60pts,8indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Tar-Ciryatan
Several kings represent the various stages in the corruption of Númenor, most yet to appear. However, Tar-Ciryatan is generally considered the one to initiate the onset of the Shadow, as he first spoke openly against the Ban of the Valar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpCASVFyQoE
#268 Atanatar II, ‘Alcarin the Glorious’, 16th King of Gondor – gondorian dúnadan king
[TG:16,EoA:5,Wik:5,RF:8,JT:16,LR:2,UT:2,H12:6=60pts,15indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/.../Atanatar_II_Alcarin
He reigned at the plateau of Gondor’s power, due to the victories & expansion of his father (and the preceding 3 Ship-kings). Atanatar II was first after the line of Ship-kings, and (similar to the king above of a different realm & age) he initiated, if not a growing shadow, then certainly a decline due to his lethargy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUyOZS-PyTA
#267 Ghân-Buri-Ghân, Chieftain of the Woses – drúadan chieftain
[TG:13,EoA:5,Wik:3,RF:6,JT:4,DD:17,LR:2,UT:4,H8:2,H9:2,H12:2=60pts,20indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/...3%A2n-buri-Gh%C3%A2n
As Tolkien’s later writings suggest, I’ve classified one other, yet to appear shortly, as a Druadan (or will classify him with a dual status, we’ll see), by the rule that the rarer gene is dominant, all things being equal. Plus, as Pukel-men don’t qualify for this list, I didn’t want to have to use Roy Orbison’s ‘Only The Lonely’ as Ghân’s song…
https://www.youtube.com/...p;list=RDw5jkAkm4JmM
#266 Haldir, 4th Chieftain Of the Haladin – 2nd house adan chieftain
[TG:13,EoA:4,Wik:7,RF:6,JT:7,DK:1,Sil:3,CoH:3,UT:4,H11:12=60pts,24indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/...tain_of_the_Haladin)
Kane references Haldir, as he did his wife Glóredhel (#294 above), due to the Narn being the only text that appears to mention the double-wedding. Speaking of doubles, the double death of Haldir, in battle, and Glóredhel in grief shortly afterwards, leaving behind a son Handir, and a 7yr old grandson Brandir, is notable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTrQ7vUZsIo
#265 Gorbag – uruk captain
[TG:22,EoA:2,Wik:5,RF:4,JT:1,MD:1,DD:9,LR:2,H8:8,H9:6=60pts,32indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Gorbag
The point he receives from Drout’s Encyclopedia comes from a mention in Brian Rosebury’s entry ‘Race in Tolkien Films’. That, and a little bit in Tolkien Gateway, establishes that Jackson does manage to squeak in some influence on this list here & there. As for the song, well there’s gonna be some here that are a bit of a stretch, but sometimes it’s just to witness that every legend makes at least one appearance…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INSSxe6782I
#264 Bill Ferny, the ‘Chief’s Big Man’ – northman ruffian/gatekeeper
[TG:23,EoA:1,Wik:6,RF:7,JT:6,LR:3,H6:6,H7:4,H8:2,H9:2=60pts,44indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Bill_Ferny
Here’s why sometimes this list is appropriately spot on. Under some of Ferny’s indices in HoMe comes a semi-coloned section of additional indexed pages after “(his pony)”. In most cases of other characters where this happens, such as “(his sword)” or “(her gifts)”, I readily include them in their totals; and so I did in Ferny’s case. CT normally shows separate characters who don’t garner their own index entry, italicized after a period-stop under the main character, such as the Wife of Valandil under Valandil in UT. However, Bill the Pony, despite his listings by CT as moreless a ‘possession’ of Ferny, certainly qualifies as a separate character on this list; and so Bill Ferny was probably awarded some points that should’ve been extracted from his total. But note, as I carefully double-check this list on its final run through, characters can be upgraded, but it’s far too late to downgrade them. (Continued with Bill the Pony).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRHsXJxxqrg
#263 Bill the Pony – pony
[TG:18,EoA:1,Wik:9,RF:9,JT:11,LR:4,H6:2,H7:2,H8:2,H9:2=60pts,44indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Bill_the_Pony
(See Bill Ferny above). So there is some duplication in proper points resulting in Ferny’s placement, but not of Bill the Pony’s, in fact he may actually be owed some. However I certainly don’t want to further any duplication of points, thus they both sit at their 60 points from my previous calculations. Going to my first tie-breaker on this final run-through, I tally the total # of indexed pages each character has in all of the source books used. When I did this, I properly separated each indexed page for both Bills, and amazingly the total for each was 44! My next tie-breaker is the # of books used, and again they were the same for both Bills: LotR + HoMe’s 6-9. However, although HoMe8 added points to Ferny (erringly in hindsight), it added no indexed pages since the index line reads thus - “Ferny, Bill 219 (his pony).” – which is 1 for the Pony, and 0 for Ferny. Thus on a legit technicality, after the 2nd tie-breaker, Bill the Pony just edges his former master. How apropos is this to the tale!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9CcYvPt7tQ
#262 *Oropher, 1st King of the Woodland Realm – sinda king
[TG:46,Wik:11,UT:4=61pts,5indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Oropher
Most of his points arise from Tolkien Gateway which is likely unique in giving such a thorough biography of this father of Thranduil and grandfather of Legolas, who founded his realm & city in Greenwood (at the time) the Great. In none of this line of 3 do we know anything of their women, yet procreation obviously took place. What we do know is that Oropher was a Doriath survivor who presumably escaped to the Havens of Sirion with the rest of the survivors, including those from Gondolin. Legolas Greenleaf of the House of the Tree of Gondolin was also a survivor at the Havens. Oropher’s son Thranduil was quite likely born at the Havens before their eastern migration led them both to Greenwood; he has golden hair, a rarity for the Sindar, but not the Noldor; and his son he named Legolas. Do the math…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjm9iYV-ffU
#261 Araphor, 9th King of Arthedain – arnorian dúnadan king
[TG:23,EoA:10,Wik:6,RF:7,JT:10,LR:1,H12:4=61pts,5indx.pgs]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Araphor
Succeeding his father at age 18, when he died in battle; and then avenging his father in victories, to live & rule for another 180 years, certainly makes Araphor worthy of his place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3Ge0AMKS4M
glossary:
*=as in CT's indexing in UT (ie. characters not appearing in Hobbit/LotR/AdvTB/Sil)
@=guest at Bilbo’s Farewell Party
(f)=female (n)=neutral
POINTS - for ENTRIES: TG=Tolkien Gateway,EoA=Encyclopedia of Arda,Wik=Wikipedia,RF=Robert Foster’s Complete Guide to Middle-earth,JT=J.E.A. Tyler’s Tolkien Companion,DD=David Day’s A-Z of Tolkien; for INDICES: LR=Lord of the Rings,Sil=Silmarillion,UT=Unfinished Tales,HX=History of Middle-earth Vol.X,LT=Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien,HC=Humphrey Carpenter’s Biography,JG=John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War,JR=John Rateliff’s History of The Hobbit,DK=Douglas Kane’s Arda Reconstructed; for both ENTRIES & INDICES: MD=Michael Drout’s Tolkien Encyclopedia; for NAME-LISTS: CoH=Children of Húrin,B1 or B2=the ‘Qenya & Gnomish Lexicons’ from Book of Lost Tales Vols.1&2,FoG=the ‘Fall of Gondolin’ from BoLT Vol.2,LoE=the ‘Line of Elros’ tree & list from UT; MISC: HoF=votes from the Hall of Fire thread that initiated this project + a composite of selected favourite character lists.
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sador
Half-elven
Feb 15 2015, 12:49pm
Post #2 of 5
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Both for the list, and for the music.
Personally, I would have preferred Roy Orbison to Blue Swede, and when I saw Haldir's name I began playing the music before reading what you've written, and more a moment I was scared you took Jackson's films too seriously...
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Voronwë_the_Faithful
Valinor
Feb 15 2015, 5:15pm
Post #3 of 5
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Glad to see that some one else is paying attention
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Such a great effort!
But did you notice that he is going to make you a Drûg? I could never get behind that idea.
'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'
The Hall of Fire
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Dân o’Nandor-on-Anduin
Rivendell
Feb 15 2015, 10:37pm
Post #4 of 5
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And as I say, sador, some of the songs are a stretch, and belong in no top list, but I need to make some connection. Couldn't resist the Oooga-Chukka! As for Haldir, yes, wrong one, that's why you need to go to the song last  . But I believe I haven't a song yet for the other Haldir, so how about a suggestion?
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Voronwë_the_Faithful
Valinor
Feb 16 2015, 12:36am
Post #5 of 5
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I don't think I commented on the Oooga-Chuka at HoF
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Though I meant to. I loved that.
Can't wait to see what you come up with for me!
'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'
The Hall of Fire
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