In the years before the rising of the sun, when the continent of middle-earth was illuminated
by the stars in the sky, the Elves Imin, Tata and Enel awoke in the lands of Cuivienen.
The last of the elf-fathers to stir from their slumber, Enel formed the Nelyar, the third
and largest Elf clan, hosting 74 from the original population of 144, while the Minyar
had 14 and the Tatyar 56.
Leading the Nelyar alongside his wife Enelye, their clan formed strong bonds of kinship
and were renowned for their love of music, calling themselves the Lindar, meaning Singers.
As time went on, some of the Elves started vanishing, taken by the Dark Lord Melkor who
reigned in Middle-earth, twisting and corrupting his captives to create the subservient Orc
race.
Weary of the foul deeds committed against their people, the Elves were initially suspicious
when approached by the Vala Orome, but eventually trusted him enough to explore his offer of
passage to the Undying lands of Aman, an enchanted paradise for the immortal races of the world.
Selecting Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe as representatives of the three clans, the ambassadors followed
Orome on a scouting mission west, travelling across the continent and over the sea of belegaer,
before returning with wondrous tales of this blessed land.
Although the Minyar Clan was united in its commitment to the Great Journey, both the
Tatyar and Nelyar were divided, resulting in the first sundering of the Elves, where
the Eldar departed while the Avari remained in their eastern homeland.
After discussing the issue, the Minyar, who became the Vanyar, were the first to proceed,
followed by half the Tatyar, who became known as the Noldor.
Yet the Nelyar lingered, debating the issue longer than the others, with roughly 2/3rds
agreeing to follow Elwe into the West, becoming the Teleri clan.
Stories say some of those Nelyar did not truly wish to leave, but also could not bear to
be parted from their kinsmen, and so reluctantly joined the great journey, prompting the Noldor
to assert most of the Teleri were Avari in their hearts.
In addition to their fondness for music, the Teleri also loved the sea, an interest which
served them well throughout their travels, building rafts to cross over rivers, and larger
ships to pass over sea of rhun, often under the direction of Cirdan the Shipwright, who
was at the forefront of these projects.
Once arrived on the shores of middle-earth, the Vanyar and Noldor, boarded the island
ship Tol Eressea, and left the continent on the first passage west, whereas the Teleri
suffered a number of delays, becoming fractured along the way.
Upon arriving at the Anduin river, some of their people grew afraid of the tall Misty
Mountains before them, and refused to cross over, instead remaining under their leadership
of Lenwe to became the Nandor, meaning those who go back.
Having already fractured once, the Teleri again faced crisis when their leader Elwe
fell into a trance upon meeting the beautiful Maia Melian, whose magic affected them both.
Frozen in place for many years, the Teleri halted their westward journey to search for
their lost leader.
During this time, the Maia Osse appeared before those who dwelt on the coast, teaching them
sea lore and music, until the island ferry returned, granting them one last chance to
reach the Undying Lands.
Again the Teleri fractured, with some completing the journey by following Elwe’s brother
Olwe to become the Falmari, meaning wave folk, while the Sindar, or Grey Elves, refused to
leave Middle-earth.
Amongst the Sindar who remained behind, the Eglath, or Forsaken, settled in a nearby forest
to continue the search for their lost leader, while others became the Falathrim, meaning
Coast People, living near the sea.
As they approached the continent of Aman, the Falmari asked that the island ferry remain
a short distance from the coast so they could listen to the beautiful music of Osse, who
in turn grew fond of their people, anchoring the island in place, thereby forcing them
to remain upon Tol Eressea.
Yet in time, the Falmari grew mournful, wishing to complete the journey so they might visit
the rest of their Elven kinsmen, and so the Valar ordered Osse to let them leave.
Teaching the Falmari to make new types of ship so they might reach the eastern shore
of the continent, they settled under High King Olwe, mostly in the city of Alqualonde
and island Tol Eressea.
Back in Middle-earth, the Falathrim established the Havens of the Falas, where they built
the cities of Brithombar and Eglarest, while other Sindar moved north to become the Mithrim,
meaning grey folk, living in the lands of Hithlum.
As for the Eglath, they became the Lathrim, meaning people of the fence, when Elwe awoke
from his trance and founded the realm of Doriath, ruling as King Thingol alongside his wife
Queen Melian, who created an invisible fence to protect their people.
Further east, some of the Nandor became the Silvan, or wood Elves, content to live as
tribal forest dwellers, while others followed Denethor to finally cross over the Misty Mountains,
becoming the Laiquendi or Green Elves, settling in Ossiriand.
Although the Sindar and Nandor lived in peace for many years, tragedy struck when the Dark
Lord Melkor launched an attack against the Undying Lands, destroying the two trees of
light, killing King Finwe and stealing the three silmaril jewels of Feanor.
When Melkor, renamed Morgoth, then fled to Middle-earth, he was pursued by the Noldor,
who declared the War of Great Jewels upon him, with their most radical faction swearing
the Oath of Feanor, vowing to recover the Simarils at any cost.
As a result of their lust for vengeance, Feanor’s faction committed the first kinslaying, slaughtering
the Falmari Elves when they refused to give their ships for the voyage east.
Though the Elves of Alqualonde defended themselves with hunting bows, repelling the enemy three
times, Feanor’s well-armed warriors soon secured victory when they were reinforced
by the other well meaning Noldor, who sought to defend their kinsmen and did not know how
the conflict began.
Bringing their war to Middle-earth, many of the Noldor settled in Hithlum where they mixed
with the local Mithrim, but as the fighting intensified and Morgoth’s influence spread,
these lands were lost and their population slaughtered.
Soon enough, the cities of the Falas also fell, leaving the Falathrim to board their
ships and retreat to the Isle of Balar, while a smaller portion sailed further south, establishing
themselves upon Edhellond.
Although many of the Falathrim and Mithrim were lost to the Dark Lord, the Lathrim suffered
a more tragic fate, as they were betrayed by their own kind, losing their realm to the
Noldor Sons of Feanor, who committed the Second Kinslaying when they learned one of the silmarils
was held in Doriath.
The Silmaril however was taken by Elwing, great granddaughter to Thingol, and brought
to a refugee settlement in the Mouths of Sirion, only to be pursued by the Sons of Feanor,
who committed a Third Kinslaying against the Sindar and Noldor in the area.
Learning of the devastation inflicted by Morgoth upon the peoples of Beleriand, the Valar decided
to lead their armies to Middle-earth and put an end to the suffering.
Though they were joined by the Maiar, Vanyar and remaining Noldor of Aman, the Falmari
merely provided ships and refused to fight, as they still resented the Noldor of Middle-earth
who slaughtered their people.
After the defeat of Morgoth in the War of Wrath and reshaping of the continent, many
of the remaining Sindar, Laiquendi and Noldor settled in the Grey Havens of the coast, while
other Sindar travelled east, re-establishing contact with the Silvan, forming the realms
of Lothlorien and the Woodland realm.
In time these settlements came into contact with the long lost tribe of Avari from the
Far East, who at last migrated west, where those belonging to the Nelyar Clan were happy
to meet and learn from their Teleri kinsmen in the Silvan and Sindar, eventually mixing
together.
Although they were most commonly called the Teleri Elves, they also earned a number of
nicknames over the long years of their lives, reflecting their various interests and skills,
becoming known as the Musicians of the Shore, the Free, the Wanderers, the Elves of the
Sea, the Sailors, the Arrow-elves, the Ship-friends, the Lords of the Gulls, the Blue Elves, the
Pearl-gatherers, and the People of Elwe.