#ringil

[polutrope]

The night his father rides out over Anfauglith, Fingon does not sleep. He stands upon the parapet of Barad Eithel’s highest watchtower. It is a clear night of icy starlight — but to the North all is dark. 

The Eagle appears suddenly, like a blue brushstroke against the blushing dawn. All through the slow sunrise Fingon’s heart hangs upon the brink of hope and despair. Could Manwë’s pity bless them twice? 

He teeters towards despair on the Eagle’s return journey, for it is somber and without urgency. Still, Fingon waits. He waits until the ends of his nails are scraped away from clinging to the stone walls.

The Eagle wheels down into the jagged bowl of the Echoriath. 

Fingon forestalls the onslaught of grief with denials, clinging, clinging. Say not that he is gone. Say not that the Noldor have lost their King. The Eagle rises again!

“Thorondor!” Fingon cries, knowing he can be no other.

Once the Lord of Eagles bore Fingon hither. Against reason Fingon hopes to see his father where once Thorondor accepted the burden of another Fingon loves.

But Thorondor’s back is bare. Fingon chokes, nearly collapses onto the stone — but his eyes catch on a flash of light beneath the Eagle’s great body. He hauls himself to standing. 

Thorondor lands upon the tower’s roof, huge and majestic. In his talons he holds Fingolfin’s sword. Ringil, glittering through ropes of thick black blood. 

The Eagle offers no words of explanation or consolation. He lets the sword fall gently at Fingon’s feet, and that is enough. Fingon knows: Fingolfin has fallen, but not in vain. 

Reverential, grieving, Fingon bends to pick it up. As he stands, his cheeks are streaked with the salt trails of his tears, blown back by the beat of the Eagle’s wings. 

#fingon #fingolfin #thorondor #ringil #triple drabble #my fic #no but Fingon deserves a bit of Fingolfin too

[ardafanonarch]

The Others: Ringil, Dagmor, Glamdring, Orcrist, Sting

Swords of the First Age, Part 3 of 3

[This is a continuation of the response to this ask]

Ringil

Meaning: From ringe- “cold”. Quenya. (Eldamo).

Maker: Unknown

Owned/wielded by: Fingolfin

Notable for: wounding Morgoth seven times and hewing his foot.

Fate: Unknown.

But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice. The Silmarillion, ‘Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin’

Discussion

We don’t know a lot about Ringil besides its epic, climactic moment. Who made it? Was it brought from Valinor or made in Beleriand? Did it somehow survive Fingolfin’s fall? Lots of room for the imagination to roam.

Dagmor

Meaning: Uncertain. Possibly “Slayer of Darkness”, combining dag- “slay” and môr “darkness”. Sindarin. (Eldamo).

Maker: Unknown

Owned/wielded by: Beren

Fate: Unknown

Danger he sought and death pursued, and thus escaped the doom he wooed, and deeds of breathless daring wrought alone, of which the rumour brought new hope to many a broken man. They whispered 'Beren,' and began in secret swords to whet, and soft by shrouded hearths at evening oft songs they would sing of Beren's bow, of Dagmor his sword… Lay of Leithian Recommenced, 503-12

This is the only mention of Beren’s sword’s name.

From the Trolls' Lair

There were lots of clothes, too, hanging on the walls—too small for trolls, I am afraid they belonged to victims—and among them were several swords of various makes, shapes, and sizes. Two caught their eyes particularly, because of their beautiful scabbards and jewelled hilts. Gandalf and Thorin each took one of these; and Bilbo took a knife in a leather sheath. It would have made only a tiny pocket-knife for a troll, but it was as good as a short sword for the hobbit. The Hobbit, Chapter 2: Roast Mutton Elrond knew all about runes of every kind. That day he looked at the swords they had brought from the trolls' lair, and he said: ‘These are not troll make. They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin wars. They must have come from a dragon's hoard or goblin plunder, for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago. This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the Goblin cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, Gandalf, was Glamdring, Foehammer that the king of Gondolin once wore. The Hobbit, Chapter 3: A Short Rest

Glamdring

Meaning: Foehammer. Sindarin. Called Beater by the goblins.

Maker: Elves of Gondolin

Notable for: slaying the Great Goblin.

Owned/wielded by: Turgon, Gandalf

Fate: Unknown

Discussion

Glamdring is a significant First Age weapon for having been the sword of Turgon, though no mention of it is made in the “Silmarillion” legends, as with the other “Troll’s lair” blades. (Tolkien never returned to edit or rewrite the narrative version of the story of the fall of Gondolin — other than the unfinished ‘Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin’, which ends with Tuor’s arrival to the Hidden City — after the publication of The Hobbit; he may have intended to incorporate Glamdring and Orcrist into the legends and never got around to it.)

As the only weapon known to have been in Gandalf’s possession in his last standoff with Dúrin’s Bane, Glamdring may have dealt the death blow to the Balrog. It is not known whether Gandalf took Glamdring to the Undying Lands when he departed or left it in Middle-earth.

Orcrist

Meaning: Goblin Cleaver. Sindarin. Called Biter by the goblins.

Maker: Elves of Gondolin

Owned by: Unknown; Thorin Oakenshield (taken from him in Mirkwood)

Fate: Placed by Thranduil on Thorin’s tomb.

It had killed hundreds of goblins in its time, when the fair elves of Gondolin hunted them in the hills or did battle before their walls. They had called it Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver, but thegoblins called it simply Biter. They hated it and hated worse any one that carried it. The Hobbit, Chapter 4: Over Hill and Under Hill Upon his tomb the Elvenking then laid Orcrist, the elvish sword that had been taken from Thorin in captivity. It is said in songs that it gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached, and the fortress of the dwarves could not be taken by surprise. The Hobbit, Chapter 18: The Return Journey

Discussion

Though Elrond says Orcrist was a “famous blade” he does not say to whom it belonged. As Gondolin had no shortage of great warriors and other nobles, there is ample opportunity for the imagination to run wild.

Sting (dagger)

Meaning: Any previous name unknown; named by Bilbo after he killed a spider of Mirkwood.

Maker: Presumably also Elves of Gondolin.

Owned by: Unknown; Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee

Notable for: slaying Shelob.

Fate: Unknown.

Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or of anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach, as he wiped his sword on the grass and put it back into its sheath. “I will give you a name,” he said to it, “and I shall call you Sting.” The Hobbit, Chapter 8: Flies and Spider

Discussion

Sting, as a dagger, may not have been an especially significant weapon in the First Age, though of course one can always imagine tales for it involving well-known canonical characters! As with Glamdring, we do not know whether Sam took it with him when he sailed or not.

Finally: Elrond surmises that the “Troll’s lair” weapons survived through multiple plunderings over the Ages — but it’s not a sure thing. There’s room to invent other histories for these blades.

Tangent: Glowing Blue

The ability to glow blue in the presence of Orcs seems to have been a feature unique to these three Gondolin-forged blades. Whether or not other Elven weapons had this ability is unknown, though it’s not implausible that they would possess this or other “magical” properties. For those who enjoy coming up with explanations, the “science” behind the blue glow is also left to the imagination.

Research

Note that these websites contain some inaccuracies and incomplete citations and were used to help with finding quotations.

The Tolkien Forum: Weapons

Wikipedia: List of weapons and armour in Middle-earth

Elven Swords by Iain Norman (This one is an interesting and well-researched essay comparing the sword designs in the Jackson films to Tolkien’s canon; accurate info to the best of my knowledge)

Tolkien Gateway

Part 1 | Part 2

#weapons #ringil #fingolfin #beren #glamdring #gandalf #turgon #orcrist #thorin oakenshield #sting #bilbo baggins #frodo baggins #samwise gamgee #the lay of leithian #the hobbit #anon

[the-dreaming-plastic-dinosaur]

Ringil-the-not-sword and it's Master

High King Fingolfin, and the spirit inhabitating his sword, Ringil.

#silmarillion #the silmarillion #pokemon #pokemon mithril #fingolfin #nolofinwë #chien pao #ringil #ruinous pokemon

[grey-gazania]

#anglachel #gurthang #eol #thingol #beleg #turin turambar #angrist #curufin #beren #anguirel #maeglin #aranruth #glamdring #turgon #ringil #fingolfin #belthronding #dailir #aeglos #gil galad #aiglos #dramborleg #tuor #grond #morgoth #polls #silmarillion #tolkien #jrr tolkien #the silmarillion

[art-of-firefly]

Fingolfin

I gave him some white hair to show the weight of the crown he wanted so much, and because it’s pretty.

I designed Ringil too, i decided to draw the weapons when they are important and named. I think this is the coolest sword i ever created.

House of Finwë

#fingolfin #house of finwe #my art #nolofinwe #arakano #silmarillion fanart #the silmarillion #ringil #silmarillion #tolkien

[kultofathena]

Darksword – Elven High King Ringil Sword

The Darksword Elven High King Ringil Sword has a blade forged from 5160 high carbon steel that has been dual-tempered. This differential tempering is not unlike what is done to heat-treat a traditionally-crafted katana; it creates a sword with a softer core and harder edge. This allows the sword to best retain a keen edge whilst being able to flex with the shock of the strike or the parry. The crossguard and pommel of the sword are of steel and the grip is of intricate wood with knotwork design. The companion scabbard for the sword is of wood and is overlaid with black leather. A steel chape protects the tip of the scabbard and it is completed with an integrated leather sword belt.

Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, the Darksword Armory Ringil is a European-style sabre with a fantasy twist. In the ancient history of Middle Earth, Ringil was carried by the elven High King Fingolfin, the most valiant warrior who ever lived. One of the few named weapons in Tolkien’s works, Ringil was used by Fingolfin in his epic single combat against the Dark Lord Morgoth. This deadly Elven blade gave the Dark Lord wounds from which he never recovered. Our version of Ringil is single-edged, as were many of the Elven weapons of the Second Age depicted in the Peter Jackson Fellowship of the Ring prologue. A hand-and-a-half sabre, this sword is similar to 16th century Swiss designs – with a fantasy twist. With excellent handing, a carved hardwood handle, and Elven script on the blade this sword sits comfortable at the intersection of deadly and beauty.

#Kult of Athena #KultOfAthena #New Item Wednesday #Darksword Armory #sword #swords #weapon #weapons #blade #blades #Fantasy Swords #Fantasy Weapons #Longswords #Lord of the Rings #LotR #The Silmarillion #The Fellowship of the Ring #The Hobbit #Ringil #Fingolfin #Middle Earth #Morgoth #5160 High Carbon Steel #Battle Ready #new item #new items

[maellor]

I just felt the need to point out that Ringil, Fingolfin's sword, glows blue as well.

"...Fingolfin like a shooting light

beneath a cloud, a stab of white,

sprang then aside, and Ringil drew

like ice that gleameth cold and blue,

his sword devised of elvish skill

to pierce the flesh with deadly chill..."

- Lay of Leithian

#i think someone had once pointed out that perhaps Sting glows blue because it is from Gondolin #and because the House of Fingolfin generally uses blue #but i hadn't read any proof in the books about it until now #Ringil glowing blue is proof #Lay of Leithian #Fingolfin #Ringil #Sting

[a-world-of-whimsy-5]

First attempt at drawing a sword from the Silmarillion. Ringil.

Click to see clearer picture.

#fan art #tolkien #Ringil #the silmarillion #art

[theseatree0]

Ormal's Pillar remnants, Ringil

#daniel pemberton #mystic rectangle #songvoice #singer #psionics #jimrick #xna #annals of aman #ringil #ormal #foresight #Eäla #almaren #tauron #Instagram #SoundCloud

[soldierarcs]

Reading "A land fit for heros" series right now and I can't understand how few tumblr posts there are about it. Like, I need more people to talk about Ringil.

#the steel remains book #A land fit for heroes #books #ringil eskiath

[hms-tardimpala]

The fandom for A Land Fit for Heroes is so small and this is so niche nobody will relate to it, but :

Ringil Eskiath and James Flint meeting. Two slavery abolitionnist, erudite, anti-authority, former military, unapologetically gay/bi warriors determined to see the ruling class/political system burn to the ground, motivated by the loss of a lover earlier in their life, because of said system. Both good on ships and believed by their men to be able to conjure up storms. Both incredibly persuasive and talented when it comes to convincing their crews to follow them to almost certain death. Both with a black lesbian friend/ally working within civilization to try to tweak it in her favor rather than overthrow it and who ends up on top of it. Both single-minded and going into murderous rages when deprived of someone they love.

Ringil being an actual sorcerer who could conjure up a storm or water spirits or a kraken for Flint. Flint working with Archeth to manipulate the emperor of Yhelteth. Flint sacking Trelayne like he sacked Charlestown, taking down the torture cages for the execution of homosexuals. Ringil leading Flint's men in attacks inland.

The possibilities.

(That is, if they could work together without killing each other after five minutes. Ringil would think Flint is self-righteous and too much of an idealist and Flint might be disgusted by Ringil's selfishness and because he only does things out of spite, not ideology.)

And of course Silver seeing it all happen and hating all of it because Ringil is poison, he's an enabler, and he would just wind Flint up until they're all destroyed. Also, the pure jealousy he would feel seeing this man who looks like him (black hair, blue eyes) but with two fucking legs (internalized ableism) and no sexual repression inserting himself between him and Flint. My boy Silver would flip the fuck out. Silver trying to get Ringil removed or killed. Madi starting to see the value of Ringil as an ally in taking down the slave trade and Silver panicking about it. And if he wants to stop the war now, he has to get rid of the Urca gold and Ringil.

Damn, if only I could write.

#did I just write fanfiction? #and I can't draw either so I'll just have to imagine the fanarts #Two obsessions collided that shouldn't have #A Land Fit for Heroes #Black Sails #Ringil Eskiath #James Flint #read A Land Fit for Heroes but steal it the author is a TERF #it's not nearly as good and coherent as Black Sails but honestly what is #it's still so intense it fucked me up for months #anyway happy pride month

[dotwpod]

(283) August Independent Music Special Pt. 1

Disciples!!Wow – August sure went fast, didn’t it? Well, the good news is that we have a new Independent Music Special quicker – at least it feels that way. We have all sorts of goodies released in August, and this is the first of two. This episode brings the ‘Rock-to-Heavier’ bunch out, and Part II will have the EVEN HEAVIER releases in it. So, MASH that play/download button, and give your ears…

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#Aawks #Accidental President #AIWASS #Armagelion #Bees Made Honey In The Vein Tree #Big Red Fire Truck #Bone Dagger #Carl Adams #Dali VanGogh #Danicide #Dun Ringill #Fierce Atmospheres #From Hell #Holy Death Trio #Howling Giant #J.P. Krom #Jaguero #Josh Keech #Lark #Melonball #MonteCarlo #Nepthisis #Opensight #Paul Maged #Periscans #Restless Spirit #Sacred Dawn #Shepherds Reign #Spoilers #Stitched Up Heart

[metalshockfinland]

DUN RINGILL Announce Tour with PENTAGRAM, Share Final Single + Lyric Video from New Album

DUN RINGILL announce that they will be going on tour together with Pentagram in August across Europe, celebrating the release of their upcoming album “Where the Old Gods Play Act 1”. Set for release on The Sign Records on the 4th of August, the concept album follows the story of main character Lucia’s spiritual and religious journey, brought to life by Dun Ringill’s uniques blend of nordic folk…

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#Dun Ringill

[musicandoldmovies]

Jethro Tull - Dun Ringill

From the album Stormwatch

#dun ringill #jethro tull #stormwatch #Youtube

[silmarillion-ways-to-die]

#swords #named swords #sting #anduril #glamdring #orcrist #gurthang #tolkien #jrr tolkien #tolkien tumblr #tolkien legendarium #lord of the rings #lotr #silmarillion #the silm #the silmarillion #the hobbit #fantasy #lotr poll #tolkien polls #this is a great poll #tumblr polls

[valarinde]

“Therefore Morgoth came […]. And he issued forth clad in black armour; and he stood before the King like a tower, iron-crowned, and his vast shield, sable unblazoned, cast a shadow over him like a stormcloud. But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice.”

The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien

“The Balrog reached the bridge. Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand Glamdring gleamed, cold and white. His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings. It raised the whip, and the thongs whined and cracked. Fire came from its nostrils. But Gandalf stood firm.”

The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien

#crying a little #the silmarillion #lord of the rings #tolkien #lotr_reread #being compared to fingolfin is like. highest level lotr-honor