Celebrimbor

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Celebrimbor
Noldo
Angus McBride - Celebrimbor.gif
"Celebrimbor" by Angus McBride
Biographical Information
Other namesTelperinquar (Q, fn)
TitlesLord of Eregion
LocationNargothrond, Eregion
AffiliationGwaith-i-Mírdain
LanguageQuenya and Sindarin
BirthBefore F.A. 455[1]
RuleS.A. 750 - S.A. 1697 (ruled 947 years)
DeathS.A. 1697 (aged 2287+)
Ost-in-Edhil, War of the Elves and Sauron
Notable forCreating the Rings of Power
Family
HouseHouse of Fëanor
ParentageCurufin
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor (S, pron. [ˌkɛlɛˈbrɪmbɔr]) was the son of Curufin,[1] fifth son of Fëanor. Aside from his grandfather, Celebrimbor was the greatest craftsman in the history of Middle-earth, and his forging of the Rings of Power led to the dominion and eventual downfall of Sauron in the War of the Ring.

History

Early life

Marya Filatova - Celebrimbor

The early years of Celebrimbor are not known, but probably he was born in Valinor (and followed his father and grandfather into the Exile of the Noldor in Middle-earth. His mother stayed behind.[1]

He probably fled to Nargothrond after the Dagor Bragollach. However, he took no part in the deeds of Curufin and Celegorm regarding Lúthien, Beren, and Finrod. He even repudiated his father's deeds and did not follow him when the two brothers were cast out from Nargothrond by Orodreth.

After the sack of Nargothrond, Celebrimbor lived for a time in Gondolin, where he was a great jewel smith for King Turgon. He may have created the Elessar of Eärendil, though other accounts name Enerdhil as the Master Jewelsmith and creator of the Elfstone, who perhaps taught Celebrimbor this art.[2]

A legend says that during the Second Age Celebrimbor was in love with Galadriel who was pained at the state of Middle-earth. Celebrimbor remade another version of the Elessar at her behest, with less power than the original.[2]

During the Second Age, he was lord of the elves of Ost-in-Edhil in Eregion. He was also the head of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, a guild of elven craftsmen. Their skill was so renowned that they gained the admiration and friendship of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm. Together with the dwarf Narvi, Celebrimbor crafted the Doors of Durin that guarded the West-gate of the Dwarven kingdom.[3]

The Rings of Power

Around S.A. 1200[4] a Maia craftsman called Annatar (the "Lord of Gifts") arrived at Ost-in-Edhil as an emissary of the Valar, offering his knowledge to the Gwaith-i-Mírdain. This was Sauron, who had come to subvert the elves.

Under the guidance and instruction of Annatar, Celebrimbor and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain made several lesser and 16 more powerful rings. A legend says that Celebrimbor gave one of those rings to King Durin III who reigned in Khazad-dûm[5]

Based on knowledge gained from Annatar, Celebrimbor also created by himself Three Rings, the greatest and fairest of the Rings of Power. These rings were thus free of Sauron's corrupting influence, for only Celebrimbor himself touched them. Celebrimbor named the rings Vilya, Narya, and Nenya after the principal Middle-earth elements of air, fire, and water, respectively.

Around S.A. 1600, Sauron secretly forged the One Ring in Orodruin, which would enable him to rule Middle-earth by claiming dominance over all the Rings of Power and their bearers. Celebrimbor and the Elves felt betrayed when they wore the Rings and defied Sauron by withholding the other rings from him. Celebrimbor then sent the three rings away for safekeeping: Vilya and Narya to Gil-galad in Lindon, and Nenya to Galadriel in Lothlórien. He then prepared for war.

Fight against Sauron and death

Sauron retaliated by attacking Eregion in S.A. 1695, laying waste to the realm. Celebrimbor was captured in the Sack of Eregion, and was forced under torture to disclose where the sixteen were held, but he would not reveal the whereabouts of the three elvish rings. Sauron captured the other rings and used them as instruments of evil in later years, particularly against Men.

Abe Papakhian - Death of Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor died from his torment in S.A. 1697,[4] the last direct descendant of the line of Fëanor. His body, shot with arrows, was hung upon a pole and carried by the forces of Sauron as a banner as they assaulted the Elves.[6]

Renowned works

Etymology

The name Celebrimbor is the Sindarin translation of his Quenya father-name Telperinquar (pron. [ˌtelpeˈriŋʷkʷar]). His mother-name is unknown. Celebrimbor consists of celebrin ("silver-like") + baur ("fist").[7]

Other versions of the legendarium

Celebrimbor was invented for the back-story of the Lord of the Rings with no background in the first edition (before 1966); afterwards Tolkien attempted to write a background to link him with the Elder Days: in a passage concerning Galadriel and Celeborn he was described as a Noldo survivor of Gondolin, who had been one of Turgon's greatest artificers. He was prideful and had an almost "dwarvish" obsession with crafts, survived the Fall and later became a follower of Celeborn and Galadriel. However, in a note Tolkien put next to the text, he wrote, "it would be better 'to make him a descendant of Fëanor'."

Thus, an appropriate line is added in the Appendix B of the second edition. Tolkien then proceeded to decide which of Fëanor's sons would result to Celebrimbor; a note describes their wives and children, stating that, Maelor, Caranthir and Curufin were wedded, concluding that "Curufin, dearest to his father and chief inheritor of his father's skills, [...] had a son who came with him into exile, though his wife (unnamed) did not."[1] Christopher Tolkien used this note as a basis for The Silmarillion, where Celebrimbor is the son of Curufin who remained in Nargothrond when his father was expelled.[8]

However, apparently forgetting the published statement, Tolkien explored other ideas; in an essay dated 1968 Celebrimbor is referred as a Telerin silver-smith who followed Celeborn to Middle-earth, and ended up to Eregion being fascinated by the silver-like mithril.[1] In Of Dwarves and Men (1969 or later) he mentions that he was a Sinda and descendant of Daeron of Doriath who continued to use his runic script in Eregion.[9]:297[1]

Genealogy

Mahtan
b. Y.T.
 
Míriel
d. Y.T. 1170
 
Finwë
d. Y.T. 1495
 
Indis
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nerdanel
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
Fëanor
Y.T. 1169 - 1497
 
Findis
b. Y.T.
 
Fingolfin
Y.T. 1190 - F.A. 456
 
Írimë
b. Y.T.
 
Finarfin
b. Y.T. 1230
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maedhros
d. F.A. 587
 
Maglor
b. Y.T.
 
Celegorm
d. F.A. 506
 
Caranthir
d. F.A. 506
 
Curufin
d. F.A. 506
 
Amrod
d. F.A. 538
 
Amras
d. F.A. 538
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CELEBRIMBOR
d. S.A. 1697
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Portrayal in adaptations

2014: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Celebrimbor plays a major role in the video game, serving as a wraith who is bound to an undead Gondorian Ranger, Talion, by the will of Sauron. He is voiced by Alister Duncan. He is also the main protagonist of the Bright Lord expansion, where he is revealed to have stolen the One Ring from Sauron at some point in the Second Age, and intended to use it to turn the Dark Lord's own weapons against him. However, he is corrupted by the power of the Ring and doomed to never see the Undying Lands. Though he defeats Sauron in battle, Sauron still managed to reclaim the Ring and banish Celebrimbor's spirit to an eternity as a wraith in the Unseen world.

See also

References