Born of Sindar blood, Eol the Dark Elf was a descendant of the Teleri who remained in
Middle Earth when the Vanyar and Noldor Elves left for the Undying lands of Aman across
the sea.
A gifted blacksmith, he lived for years as a subject of Doriath, developing a hatred
for the Noldor Elves, accusing them of bringing their war with Morgoth to Beleriand, resulting
in terrible battles and a divided landscape, with both the Dark Lord and Noldor occupying
lands rightfully belonging to the descendants of the Teleri.
His sullen nature and unease with city life, caused him to leave Doriath, settling Nan
Elmoth deep within the forest, where trees grew so large sunlight did not touch the ground.
The darkness reminded him of the years of before the rising of the sun, when Elves lived
beneath the stars in peace.
In Nan Elmoth he built his home, living in relative solitude, with only a few servants
of similar stealth and secrecy to serve his needs, while he continued to work on his skill
as a smith, eventually forging two black bladed swords he named Anglachel and Anguirel from
the metal of a fallen meteorite.
In order to keep his home and claim the Lord ship of the small realm, he gave the mighty
sword Anglachel to King Thingol who accepted it as payment.
The sword came to have incredible significance in the world, as it was later owned by Turin
Turambar, who reforged it into Gurthang, the legendary weapon used to kill Glaurung, the
father of Dragons.
According to the prophecy of Mandos, Gurthang was to be used again during Dagor Dagorath,
the war at end the world, where Turin will be reborn to fight for the Valar against Morgoth,
using his famous sword to slay the Dark Lord in a wondrous final battle.
The other sword Anguirel was kept by Eol and its ultimate fate remained unknown.
Unlike most Elves Eol hated the sunlight and enjoyed his life in darkness.
Yet this was not the only way in which he differed from other Elves, as he also befriended
the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost who travelled near his lands.
From the Dwarves Eol learned much about crafting, and kept apprised of what went on beyond the
forest.
His ever improving skills as a smith then allowed him to create a substance known as
Galvorn, a black metal hard as steel but supple and maliable, which he fashioned into a suit
of armor he wore when travelling beyond his lands.
One day as Eol walked through the forest, he found a beautiful elf maiden wandering
alone.
Although it was rare for any from the secret city of Gondolin to venture beyond their borders,
Aredhel The White Lady of the noldor was granted the opportunity, but became lost when she
was separated from her companions.
Struck by her beauty, Eol placed an enchantment to ensure she could not find her way out of
the forest, leaving her no choice but to seek out his manor and depend on his generosity.
When she arrived, he greeted her warmly and as they came to know each other became married
and lived together beneath the trees.
Although she missed the sunlight, she cared for her husband and they often took long walks
together beneath the stars.
Eol still hated the Noldor, but loved his wife, granting her freedom to move about as
she pleased so long as she did not attempt to seek out her kin.
Aredhel bore her husband a son named Maeglin, who grew to be a gifted smith like his father,
often accompanying him to the Dwarven Kingdoms where Eol was considered an honored guest.
But Maeglin did not inherit his father’s love of the darkness, and loved to hear his
mother’s stories about Gondolin, dreaming of one day seeing her homeland.
However Eol did not approve of his son’s desire to leave their realm and a result their
relationship grew strained.
Desperate to leave the darkened forest, Maeglin took his father’s sword anguirel, and alongside
his mother left Nan Elmoth while Eol was visiting the dwarves, leaving word with the servants
that they were going to see their kin among the sons of feanor. *
*took his sword* Returning from his trip early, Eol was outraged
to learn of their departure and chased after them, crossing into foreign lands until eventually
apprehended and brought before his old enemy Curufin, one of the sons of feanor.
From Curufin he learned that his wife and son mislead him, and that they merely passed
by this realm to on their way to Gondolin, from where they would never return.
Curufin also warned Eol that he forsaw doom if he followed them, instructing him to return
home lest he die in this foolish endeavor.
But the Dark Elf did not heed his warning, and continued chasing after them, following
their trail through hidden paths to find the secret city.
Yet it was not long before he was apprehended and brought before King Turgon to explain
himself.
Turgon greeted him warmly, but informed him that because Gondolin’s location could not
be known, the laws of the realm stated none who entered could ever leave.
However the King invited Eol to live with his wife and son in Gondolin as honored subjects
of the realm.
Eol was enraged by the arrogance of this so called king, stating that the Noldor had no
right to pass laws or set boundaries, and demanded his family and freedom.
The King reminded him, that it was the Noldor who protected them all from the aggression
of the Dark Lord Morgoth, and that the choice was plain, live in Gondolin, or die.
Eol, refusing to bow before the Elves who stole the land of his ancestors, proudly chose
death for himself and his son, revealing a javelin he had concealed to throw it at Maeglin
who stood nearby.
Seeing the projectile aiming for her son, Aredhel threw herself before it, receiving
a wound that at first did not seem serious, until they realized the javelin was coated
with poison, resulting in her death.
For this action there was no forgiveness, and so Thingol ordered Eol to be thrown off
the high cliff of Caragdûr.
And with his final words, the Dark Elf cursed his traitorous son, condemning him to suffer
the same fate as his father.
After the death of Eol, Maeglin made a new life for himself in Gondolin, becoming a trusted
friend to the king, leading the House of the Mole.
However true happiness eluded him, as he’d grown hopelessly in love with his first cousin,
the King’s daughter Idril, despite that Noldor culture did not permit such marriages
and Idril did not share his feelings.
Denied her love, he grew bitter, jealous and resentful, eventually betraying Gondolin to
Morgoth and causing the city of fall, leaving Maeglin to fight a final dual with Tuor, Idril’s
husband, where the son of Eol was defeated, and cast off the walls of city, dying in the
same way as his father.