Though he had no intentions to wed, that did not stop Tyelkormo from appreciating the beauty of his cousin Írissë. Recently come of age, she flirted with him outrageously, and would often join him and his brothers on smaller hunts, fitting right in among the sons of Fëanáro. Her brother Findekáno would often slip away with Maitimo, leaving Tyelkormo in charge of the rest (for Makalaurë rarely went on such excursions, too busy with his music), and her advances soon charmed him. Confident that Carnistir and Curufinwë could manage their young twin brothers the Ambarussar, Tyelkormo took to slipping away with Írissë, indulging in pleasures of the hröar that most Eldar reserved for marriage. Yet neither of them desired to form a bond, and both were strong of will, and so their friendship took on an element of scandalous intimacy without solidifying into a “proper” union.
Meanwhile, Curufinwë Atarinkë found his own heart turned toward thoughts of marriage, for his eye was drawn to Quildalótië Ñillendil, the daughter of Daurin, one of Fëanáro’s staunchest supporters. Though Quildalótië was not a smith herself, she expressed great interest in jewelcraft and was a talented broideress in the tradition of Míriel Þerindë his grandmother. With the approval of their parents, they began courting, and in a matter of years they announced their intention to wed. Curufinwë’s parents had quarreled in recent years, but his wedding brought them back together, and for a time there was much joy in the House of Fëanáro.
When the twins Ambarussa came of age and expressed interest in joining the Hunt of Oromë like their elder brother Tyelkormo, Fëanáro grew rash and angry once more. He had tolerated Tyelkormo’s loyalty to a Vala, but refused to lose more of his sons to the influence of the Powers. Insulted on his Vala’s behalf, Tyelkormo fought with his father, and when they could reach no agreement he departed from Fëanáro’s home for several years. Though Curufinwë missed his brother terribly, he remained loyal to his father, for he loved Fëanáro and held little regard for the Valar himself.
Only when Quildalótië announced she was with child did Curufinwë reach out to Tyelkormo again. This child would be the first of Fëanáro’s grandchildren, and Curufinwë was both excited and anxious to become a father himself. Tyelkormo returned home at once, reconciling with Fëanáro and swearing to remain faithful to his family from thence forth, and both he and Curufinwë were overjoyed when Quildalótië gave birth to a big, beautiful baby boy. Curufinwë named his son after himself and his father, while Quildalótië named him for her foresight of his skill as a silversmith, and thus Curufinwë Tyelperinquar, third to bear his father-name, was welcomed into the House of Fëanáro.
Fëanáro’s skill continued to grow, and his pride with it. He crafted many wonderful things, fixating particularly upon capturing light in fair vessels, and while at first he shared his craft with his favorite son, soon Curufinwë realized that while he knew how to craft Fëanárian Lamps, all his father’s experiments with the Light of the Trees were kept secret even from him. Fëanáro’s temper became shorter than ever, and once more he quarreled with Tyelkormo over his loyalties, and torn between losing his family and his craft, Tyelkormo at last left the Hunt of Oromë and swore fealty to his father above all else. He expected Huan to return to his Vala, but his friend was faithful to Tyelkormo above all, and remained with him, much to his gratitude and joy.
It was not only the Valar who Fëanáro distrusted, however, and his long-simmering resentment of his half-kin of the line of Indis now came roaring to the forefront of his ire. Stirred up by the lies of Melkor, though none knew so at the time, Fëanáro spoke harshly of his half-brothers, especially Nolofinwë, father of Írissë. This caused great strain on the friendships of their children, and though Maitimo and Findekáno clung to one another, Tyelkormo and Írissë fought in a mirror image of their fathers. They stopped seeing each other and were cold to one another in public, and when Írissë considered joining the Hunt of Oromë herself, in his bitterness and jealousy Tyelkormo mocked her wishes and discouraged her from taking her place among the greatest hunters in Aman, though greatly she deserved the honor.
When Fëanáro drew a sword upon his half-brother, he was exiled to Formenos for his crime despite the revelation of Melkor’s influence upon his mind. Tyelkormo and Curufinwë followed him into exile without question, loyal sons as they were, and though Quildalótië began to feel uneasy about the intentions of her law-father, she and young Tyelperinquar went also. This time in isolation further hardened the brothers’ hearts against their half-kin, and only the horrific shock of the Darkening of Valinor and Melkor’s murder of Finwë their king and grandfather could bring them crashing back together again. As Fëanáro rallied the Noldor to flight and revenge, Tyelkormo and Írissë reconciled and swore friendship once more, though Tyelkormo would prove faithless in this regard.
While tragedy brought some Eldar together, it drove others apart. Quildalótië had long remained silent on her true feelings, but in the face of rebellion against the Valar her resolve at last broke, and she let loose her tongue upon her husband. She rebuked him and Fëanáro, refused to accompany him to Endórë, and demanded he leave Tyelperinquar behind with her. Astonished and outraged, Curufinwë refused her, insisting that their son was now old enough to choose which parent he would follow. Quildalótië protested that Tyelperinquar had not quite reached his first coming of age, but her little Tyelpë hero-worshipped his father and grandfather and insisted on accompanying them into exile, as Curufinwë had known he would. Incensed and deeply grieved, for all her family save her youngest brother had chosen to to depart as well, Quildalótië threw her wedding ring back into her once-husband’s face and abandoned him, her heart hardening to him forever. In the aftermath of his departure, she would find the ring in the streets of Tirion and melt it down as a symbol of their broken bond, never to be repaired.
However bitter and furious he was, Curufinwë remained a protective father, and ensured that Tyelperinquar did not swear the dreadful Oath he and his brothers bound themselves to in Fëanáro’s example, and that he stayed out of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë. Yet both he and Tyelperinquar lit the stolen swan-ships aflame at Losgar, damning their half-kin across the Sea to crawl back to Tirion in disgrace—or else attempt to cross the impassable Helcaraxë. Not even Tyelkormo hesitated to doom Írissë to this awful fate, and alone of Fëanáro’s host only Maitimo stood aside for love of his dear Findekáno.
Near as soon as they landed upon the shores of Middle-earth, the Enemy Moringotto sent an army of his orcish slaves to attack the elves. Fëanáro led his sons against them in a resounding victory, and Tyelkormo proved especially heroic in that battle, for he alone of the Noldor had faced such monsters before while in the train of Oromë. He sallied forth with Huan at his side, liberating the elves of the Falas from a dreadful siege, and won the friendship of Círdan for his valour. Yet the danger had not passed, for Fëanáro refused the advice of Maitimo to proceed with caution and instead marched for Moringotto’s dark fortress, purposing to slay him and seize the Silmarils, for his Oath burned within him. But Moringotto loosed great fire-monsters against him, and these corrupted Maiar, the Balrogs, overwhelmed Fëanáro’s host, slaughtering them all and wrapping their fiery whips around their leader. Long did Fëanáro resist them, laughing madly all the while, but at last he was smitten to the ground by Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, and would have died had not his sons come upon him suddenly to save him.
His sons bore him up and retreated, but his wounds were mortal, and even as they reached the shadow of the mountains, he bade them halt and demanded they renew their Oath with his dying breath. Though Maitimo took his place as their leader he too was soon taken from them, dragged into the depths of Angamando after a parlay gone wrong. Now Makalaurë, next-eldest, was left to lead them, but in the eyes of Tyelkormo and Curufinwë he was unfit for the task. They spoke out against their brother, insisting Tyelkormo would be a stronger leader, one who would truly claim the High Kingship of the Noldor instead of refusing the title like Makalaurë did in some vain hope that Maitimo might yet live. Their other brothers did not speak openly against Makalaurë, but neither did they rebuke Curufinwë and Tyelkormo, and Makalaurë began to buckle under the pressure placed upon him.
Upon the miraculous and unlooked-for arrival of the second host of the Noldor led by Nolofinwë, Makalaurë at last allowed his brothers to pressure him into accepting the title of High King, for he would not cede it to rash and vindictive Tyelkormo. On the very day Makalaurë was to be crowned, young Tyelperinquar could not bear to be present for the grim ceremony, and so it was he who witnessed an impossible sight approaching: his uncle Maitimo, bent and disfigured but nonetheless living and walking toward him with the aid of Findekáno, who had saved him from his torment against all odds. Before the crown could be placed upon Makalaurë’s head, Tyelperinquar burst inside crying out that Nelyafinwë had returned, and the Sons of Fëanáro were at last reunited.
Though Maitimo’s brothers were all glad to see him living, they were shocked by the great change that had come upon him, and Tyelkormo and Curufinwë were not a little resentful of the foiling of their schemes. They protested against Maitimo’s reconciliation with Nolofinwë’s people, and their outcry was great when he ceded the High Kingship to their half-uncle. This was an insult to the memory of Fëanáro, for whom Curufinwë in particular nursed a deep and lasting grief, but nothing could sway Maitimo from his decision, and so the crown passed from the House of Fëanáro to his hated half-brother, and Maitimo and his brothers were dispossessed.
Yet slowly their tempers cooled. Tyelkormo and Írissë met once again, and though their confrontation this time was vicious it soon devolved into passion. Never again would they be as close as they once were, but no longer did hatred lie between them, and they were determined to start anew. Curufinwë had no long-lost friendships with his half-kin to reignite, focusing instead on his responsibility to Maedhros his eldest brother and his lord. He crafted a skilful prosthetic hand for his brother to replace the one lost upon Thangorodrim, and though Maedhros did not wear this often he was nonetheless deeply grateful for Curufinwë’s thoughtfulness.
Maedhros took his brothers and their followers eastward to establish their own lands. When the construction of his fortress upon the Hill of Himring was completed, the brothers went their separate ways, but Tyelkormo and Curufinwë remained together as they would for the rest of their days. They settled the land of Himlad, fortifying the pass of Aglon and holding it with great strength for many long years. Tyelkormo took the name Celegorm and established a mighty Hunt of his own with Huan at his side; Curufinwë became known as Curufin and built a great smithy where many fine tools and weapons were crafted; and Tyelperinquar became Celebrimbor, growing into a noble elf and refining his skills in silvercraft, ring-lore, and much else besides.
Ever at Curufin’s side as his right hand was Sinwatië, sister of Quildalótië who had remained behind. Alone of her siblings she survived to thrive in Middle-earth, and despite the bitter parting between her sister and her lord she served Curufin faithfully for all his days. Curufin trusted Sinwatië even more than he did Celegorm, at times, for she was cool-headed and quick where his brother was bold and reckless. Not wishing to attend himself, Curufin sent Sinwatië to the Mereth Aderthad as his representative—and to keep an eye on both young Celebrimbor and wild Celegorm.
Yet Curufin did not always remain to tend the hearth-fires of Himlad. When his brother Caranthir invited him to visit the cities of Belegost and Nogrod where the dwarves, children of Aulë, made their dwellings, he and Celebrimbor were glad to attend a conference of smiths where they befriended many dwarves, including the great smith Telchar, to whom Curufin gave a Sindarin use-name and from whom he received the knife Angrist. There he also met Eöl the Dark Elf, a reclusive smith who dwelt alone in Nan Elmoth, and though they were not friends neither were they enemies, and for a time they profited from trade between them.
Now in Beleriand, Írissë had taken in the name Aredhel Ar-Feiniel, the White Lady of the Noldor, and she had departed with her brother Turukáno to the hidden city of Gondolin, from whence no news came. Yet after centuries of isolation, Aredhel rode forth into the wilds once more, defying her brother’s wishes, and sought out the company of Celegorm and Curufin her friends. But the timing of this visit was ill, for when she reached Himlad her cousins were away on a visit to Caranthir their brother, and she grew restless and bored waiting for them. Thus she left Himlad and wandered the nearby forests in curiosity, and when Celegorm and Curufin returned they heard only that she had disappeared into the wood of Nan Elmoth. Celegorm followed her to the forest’s borders, where he was rebuffed by Eöl its lord, who claimed that Aredhel had become his wife and wished not to leave her new home.
Upset and betrayed, Celegorm returned these tidings to Curufin, who told him all he knew of Eöl. It was not a favorable picture, and Celegorm grew to deeply resent Eöl for stealing away his favorite cousin and former bedmate, for all neither he nor Aredhel had ever expressed a desire to bond in marriage. Indeed, this troubled him deeply, for he could not imagine that Aredhel’s mind would have changed: she was a free spirit, and her heart’s love was given to none, least of all a strange Dark Elf who hid her away in darkness. But if it was true, and she had wed Eöl, such a deed must have been done willingly, and he would not disrespect her and her choices by challenging Eöl’s place as her husband.
But in truth Aredhel’s marriage was not of her own free will, for Eöl had woven enchantments about her and taken her to wife without her full consent. In time she bore him a child, Maeglin Lómion, and slowly reasserted her independence. At last she and Maeglin escaped, fleeing Nan Elmoth while Eöl was away and heading back to Gondolin where she trusted her brother would keep them safe. Yet Eöl returned sooner than they expected, and finding his wife and son gone he rushed after them in fury. Along the way he met Curufin at the Fords of Aros, for Sinwatië and her scouts had marked the passing of Aredhel and Maeglin and he sensed stranged deeds were afoot. Thus Curufin and Eöl met again, and only cold suspicion lay between them; but Curufin revealed that Aredhel and Maeglin had not come to Himlad, spurring Eöl onward. Dark was Curufin’s heart at these tidings, and he threatened Eöl with death should he meet him once more, but Eöl did not listen to his warnings and rushed away. Never again were he or Aredhel or Maeglin seen in those lands, and Curufin would regret staying his hand when the truth of their fate became known.
The Siege of Angband could not endure forever, and when Morgoth judged the Noldor to be complacent in their Long Peace he sent forth his dragon-servants with their evil fire to break the leaguer set upon him. This Battle of Sudden Flame was disastrous, and in it fell many brave and noble warriors of the Eldar and Edain, and the eastern realms held by the Sons of Fëanor fell one by one. Defeated and thrust from their lands, Celegorm and Curufin fled south by the marches of Doriath, but found no mercy from the Sindar of that land, and through great tribulations they at last arrived in Nargothrond seeking refuge from their cousin Finrod Felagund. Yet while Finrod welcomed them in friendship, they grieved heavy losses of their people, for many had fallen by the wayside on their journey. But it was not quite so grim as they feared, for Sinwatië had escaped with a number of their folk and headed north instead to Himring, and many thought dead yet lived.
In Nargothrond, Curufin and Celegorm found themselves disquieted and straining against Felagund’s laws. Their influence diminished, and their resentment grew, and soon they began to scheme between them ways to wrest power from Finrod’s hands. Still Finrod showed them kindness, and comforted them amid their losses, especially when word came at last from Gondolin speaking of Aredhel’s death many decades ago. Here Curufin and Celegorm fought viciously, each blaming the other for her demise, and Celegorm began to hate the Sindar and Elu Thingol especially for allowing Eöl to steal away a princess of the Noldor. He looked unkindly upon Felagund, Thingol’s kinsman and ally, and once he and Curufin mended their relationship they spread rumors among his people of his weakness and the cruel treatment of the sons of Fëanor who should rightly be kings among the Noldor and not lowly guests in Finrod’s house.
At this time a mortal Man came to Nargothrond: Beren son of Barahir, to whom Finrod had sworn an oath of aid and friendship after Barahir saved his life. Beren showed to Felagund the ring upon which that oath was sworn, reminding him of his vow and asking him to fulfill it by aiding him in obtaining a Silmaril, the bride-price of Lúthien Thingol’s daughter. Though he knew his doom was upon him, Finrod agreed, and the Oath of Fëanor was awakened with Celegorm and Curufin. Long had it slept in the face of Morgoth’s unassailable might, but now it roared to life in the face of a lesser challenge, one that could be faced.
Thus it was that Celegorm and Curufin struck at last. Felagund attempted to rally his people to Beren’s cause, for they loved him, but Curufin and Celegorm had rose up against him and spoke with such strength and persuasiveness that only ten loyal companions would aid their king. Celegorm spoke passionately of the Oath and their right to the Silmaril, a right Beren could never obtain, and Curufin’s softer words sank into the hearts and minds of the Nargothrondrim. Thus betrayed and unkinged, Finrod cast off his crown and set out to fulfill his own oath, leaving Celegorm and Curufin to rule over his kingdom, and he would not return.
Now it was Thingol, King of Doriath, who had set this quest in motion when he demanded that Beren bring to him a Silmaril in exchange for the hand of Lúthien his daughter. He thought this a fool’s errand, one upon which Beren would surely die, but he underestimated Beren’s determination and valour, and the strength of Lúthien herself. Though he trapped her in a treehouse prison, Lúthien escaped, and seeking her beloved she came to the Guarded Plain. There she met Celegorm and Curufin, out hunting with Huan, and seeing them as friends she told them of her plight, but they were treacherous, and kept their foreknowledge of Beren’s quest from her until they locked her within the walls of Nargothrond.
Imagining he could force Doriath into an alliance with the sons of Fëanor, Celegorm demanded Lúthien become his wife and forget Beren entirely. This she refused, much to his anger, and his heart turned ever darker, thinking now that he might steal away a princess of the Sindar in retribution for Eöl’s theft of Aredhel. But despite the cruelty of Eöl, and the cruelty Celegorm now showed, neither Aredhel nor Lúthien were property to be claimed, and as Aredhel had so now did Lúthien escape. For Huan, Celegorm’s faithful hound, was true of heart and loved Lúthien from the first hour of their meeting, and seeing Celegorm’s fall into darkness he freed Lúthien and rushed to Tol-in-Gaurhoth where Beren was imprisoned and Finrod Felagund had died.
There Lúthien defeated Gorthaur the Cruel and freed the prisoners of his dread castle, including Beren her beloved, though she arrived too late for Finrod. Their quest continued, but the ex-thralls of Tol-in-Gaurhoth now stumbled back to their homes, and thus word reached Nargothrond of Felagund’s demise. Then the hearts of the people turned against Celegorm and Curufin, seeing their selfish treachery, and their loyalty returned to the House of Finarfin and to Orodreth, Felagund’s nephew. Thus Celegorm and Curufin were cast out, though Celebrimbor son of Curufin repudiated his father’s deeds and remained under the protection of Orodreth, now the King of Nargothrond.
Faithful Huan returned now to Celegorm’s side, and despite his misgivings followed his master as he and Curufin fled to take refuge with Maedhros in Himring. But along the road they encountered Beren and Lúthien once more, and in their rage they attacked them, blaming them for their downfall. Curufin attempted to swoop Lúthien up into his saddle, but Beren made a mighty leap and took Curufin by the throat from behind, hurling them both to the ground and throttling him near to death. Celegorm rode up on him with a spear, but in that hour Huan forsook the service of Celegorm for good, and sprang upon him saving Beren’s life. Lúthien forbade Beren to slay Curufin, and so he relented, but he took from him his knife Angrist and much of his gear, and lifted Lúthien upon his horse. Celegorm took Curufin upon his own horse, but as they rode away Curufin turned back to shoot at them once more, so filled with shame and malice was he, and though his first arrow was caught by Huan the second struck Beren, and they were chased by Huan for many leagues, their once-loyal companion now their enemy as a consequence of their own foul deeds.
Now despite the deeds of Celegorm and Curufin, Beren and Lúthien lived, and succeeded in their quest, cutting a Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown with Angrist, Curufin’s own knife. Theirs is a story of sorrow and joy both, but though even Maedhros took heart in their victory, now believing Morgoth could be defeated, Curufin and Celegorm felt only bitter resentment. Maedhros reprimanded his brothers for their evils, of which Finrod’s death was not the least, and they were deeply shamed. Yet when word came that Thingol held the Silmaril won by Lúthien, their hearts turned ever blacker, and they wrote to him demanding their father’s jewel with haughty rudeness.
Maedhros now gathered the Free-peoples of Beleriand to his banner, forming a great Union against their common enemy, Morgoth. But for the cruel treatment of Lúthien and their pride in insulting his right to the jewel for which his daughter and her husband had died (for all they returned to life afterwards), Thingol refused to send any aid to the Union, weakening Maedhros’ chances significantly. Of a like mind was Orodreth, and only a single company marched out of Nargothrond to join the Union, in retribution for Finrod’s demise. Fearing Maedhros’ justified wrath, Celegorm and Curufin traveled to Amon Ereb where the remainder of their brothers dwelt, and helped them rally their armies to join the Union in the Fifth Battle Maedhros and Fingon, now High King of the Noldor, were planning.
But the battle turned ill, for Caranthir’s mortal allies betrayed them, and the field was lost. Many were slain, including Fingon the beloved husband of Maedhros, but all seven sons of Fëanor survived to flee into the forests of Ossiriand. There they endured a wild and woodland life for many years, scattered and scarred, before retreating at last to Amon Ereb, their last remaining fortress. They quarreled often, and where once Maedhros might have interceded, so caught up in his grief was he that now he did nothing at all, and so the duty of restraining their wicked brothers fell to Maglor, ill-suited as ever to the task. Celegorm and Curufin were especially vicious, to one another as well as their other brothers, and a grim darkness fell upon them all: the Oath was eating them alive.
In this time Nargothrond fell to Morgoth and was utterly destroyed. Celegorm laughed, taking cruel satisfaction in Orodreth’s downfall, but Curufin remained silent, for Celebrimbor his son had remained there and despite his professed disdain for such a “traitor,” he still deeply loved his son and feared for his life. Only when word reached Amon Ereb of Celebrimbor’s arrival at the Havens of Sirion with a group of refugees could Curufin sleep.
Nargothrond was only the first hidden kingdom to fall: next Thingol was slain in a quarrel with the dwarves of Nogrod, and within a year Lúthien passed away as well, her spirit departing beyond the circles of Arda. Now Dior Eluchíl ruled Doriath and bore with him the Silmaril won by Lúthien, and without the protective Girdle of Melian, Doriath for the first time seemed assailable. Seeing an opportunity to fulfill the Oath, Celegorm rallied his brothers to attack the realm that was guarded no longer, and when Maedhros conceded, he led them into battle despite Maglor’s protests.
This Second Kinslaying was a bloodbath on all sides, and three of Fëanor’s sons were slain amid the fighting. Caranthir was the first to fall, and then Celegorm, dueling Dior for the Silmaril. When Dior struck the killing blow, it was Curufin who lunged forth to avenge his beloved brother, only to die himself on the blade of Nimloth, Dior’s queen. Maedhros killed Nimloth in retribution, but though the royal house of Doriath was all but exterminated, the assault proved futile, for the Silmaril was nowhere to be found. Grieving their lord, the servants of Celegorm seized Dior’s twin sons and abandoned them in the woods to die, and though Maedhros in his rage slew them also, the children could not be found.
Thus died Celegorm and Curufin, perhaps the cruelest of the sons of Fëanor; but though their lives ended in darkness they did not begin so, and though much evil came of their deeds, it was Celebrimbor son of Curufin who in the end would craft the seed of the downfall of the Dark Lords once and for all.
