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37 | He/Him | Dutch | Drawing the Silmarillion one inspiring moment at a time, and whatever strikes my creativity. Fanart!

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Morgoth

"But Morgoth arose from thought, and seeing the division of his foes he laughed. In the pits of Angband he caused vast smokes and vapours to be made, and they came forth from the reeking tops of the Iron Mountains, and afar off they could be seen in Mithrim, staining the bright airs in the first mornings of the world. A wind came out of the east, and bore them over Hithlum, darkening the new Sun; and they fell, and coiled about the fields and hollows, and lay upon the waters of Mithrim, drear and poisonous."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

Trying a new look for the face of evil.

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Fingon the Valiant

"Then Fingon the valiant, son of Fingolfin, resolved to heal the feud that divided the Noldor. Fingon had been close in friendship with Maedhros; and though he knew not yet that Maedhros had not forgotten him at the burning of the ships, the thought of their ancient friendship stung his heart. Therefore he dared a deed which is justly renowned among the feats of the princes of the Noldor: alone, and without the counsel of any, he set forth in search of Maedhros."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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The Gates of Angband

"But Fingolfin, being of other temper than Fëanor, and wary of the wiles of Morgoth, withdrew from Dor Daedeloth and turned back towards Mithrim, for he had heard tidings that there he should find the sons of Fëanor, and he desired also to have the shield of the Mountains of Shadow while his people rested and grew strong; for he had seen the strength of Angband, and thought not that it would fall to the sound of trumpets only."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

Fingolfin, leaving this dark place knowing in his heart one day he must return.

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Deep within the bowels of Morgoth's fortress of Angband, stand the two lieutenants of Morgoth: Sauron and Gothmog.

Gothmog slept while Morgoth was imprisoned, refusing Sauron's leadership.

Sauron did not create the Orcs, but in Morgoth's absence he shaped them, bred them, made them the armies of evil.

But when the Noldor arrive in Middle Earth, the Orcs lose every battle. They are constantly beaten back, and it is Gothmog who saves Morgoth and kills Fëanor. The orcs lose to Fingolfin. They have the disadvantage of the sun's arrival, but I doubt Morgoth is pleased with Sauron's work.

I see them as two conniving political schemers, both fallen corrupted Maiar, while Morgoth is fighting a bigger war of spirits on his own, not caring about battles, knowing he has thousands of years at his disposal.

Sauron of course, loses favor. Is eventually sent away from Angband. While Gothmog leads the biggest assaults on the Elves in all campaigns, until his last.

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Fingolfin's attack

"Then the Elves smote upon the gates of Angband, and the challenge of their trumpets shook the towers of Thangorodrim;"

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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Bitter Heart

"No love was there in the hearts of those that followed Fingolfin for the House of Fëanor, for the agony of those that endured the crossing of the Ice had been great, and Fingolfin held the sons the accomplices of their father."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

Fingolfin is taking up my brain space, demanding attention, no longer wanting to play second fiddle. He's out for blood, but mostly out to set things right. What would he have done had Fëanor lived? We'll never know. But Fingolfin had the wisdom to see the real enemy even, as his heart would have wanted him to take revenge in the name of those he lost crossing the Helcaraxë.

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Portrait of Fëanor

After drawing Fingolfin, I had to draw ma boi Fëanor one last time in the same style. Fiery, ferocious, full of spirit, completely arrogant and unyielding ambition. The one. The only. The tragedy of Fëanor and his blinding grief. What a character.

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The Second Son, Fingolfin

"At the uprising of the great light the servants of Morgoth fled into Angband, and Fingolfin passed unopposed through the fastness of Dor Daedeloth while his foes hid beneath the earth."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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A new dawn

"Now rumour came to the camp in Hithlum of the march of Fingolfin and those that followed him, who had crossed the Grinding Ice; and all the world lay then in wonder at the coming of the Moon. But as the host of Fingolfin marched into Mithrim the Sun rose flaming in the West; and Fingolfin unfurled his blue and silver banners, and blew his horns, and flowers sprang beneath his marching feet, and the ages of the stars were ended."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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The Hanging

"Morgoth took Maedhros and hung him from the face of a precipice upon Thangorodrim, and he was caught to the rock by the wrist of his right hand in a band of steel."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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The Capture of Maedhros

"Then Maedhros the tall, the eldest son, persuaded his brothers to feign to treat with Morgoth. (...) Wherefore each embassy came with greater force than was agreed; but Morgoth sent the more, and there were Balrogs.

Maedhros was ambushed, and all his company were slain; but he himself was taken alive by the command of Morgoth, and brought to Angband."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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The Envoys of Morgoth

"But even in the hour of the death of Fëanor an embassy came to his sons from Morgoth, acknowledging defeat, and offering terms, even to the surrender of a Silmaril. Then Maedhros the tall, the eldest son, persuaded his brothers to feign to treat with Morgoth, and to meet his emissaries at the place appointed; but the Noldor had as little thought of faith as had he."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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Smoke and Dust

"Then his sons raised up their father and bore him back towards Mithrim. But as they drew near to Eithel Sirion and were upon the upward path to the pass over the mountains, Fëanor bade them halt; for his wounds were mortal, and he knew that his hour was come.

And looking out from the slopes of Ered Wethrin with his last sight he beheld far off the peaks of Thangorodrim, mightiest of the towers of Middle-earth, and knew with the foreknowledge of death that no power of the Noldor would ever overthrow them; but he cursed the name of Morgoth thrice, and laid it upon his sons to hold to their oath, and to avenge their father. Then he died; but he had neither burial nor tomb, for so fiery was his spirit that as it sped his body fell to ash, and was borne away like smoke; and his likeness has never again appeared in Arda, neither has his spirit left the halls of Mandos. Thus ended the mightiest of the Noldor, of whose deeds came both their greatest renown and their most grievous woe."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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The end of the beginning

"Long he fought on, and undismayed, though he was wrapped in fire and wounded with many wounds; but at the last he was smitten to the ground by Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, whom Ecthelion after slew in Gondolin. There he would have perished, had not his sons in that moment come up with force to his aid; and the Balrogs left him, and departed to Angband.

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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The trap is sprung

"Fëanor, in his wrath against the Enemy, would not halt, but pressed on behind the remnant of the Orcs, thinking so to come at Morgoth himself; and he laughed aloud as he wielded his sword, rejoicing that he had dared the wrath of the Valar and the evils of the road, that he might see the hour of his vengeance.

Nothing did he know of Angband or the great strength of defence that Morgoth had so swiftly prepared; but even had he known it would not have deterred him, for he was fey, consumed by the flame of his own wrath. Thus it was that he drew far ahead of the van of his host; and seeing this the servants of Morgoth turned to bay, and there issued from Angband Balrogs to aid them.

There upon the confines of Dor Daedeloth, the land of Morgoth, Fëanor was surrounded, with few friends about him."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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Pride (Before the Fall)

"Fëanor, in his wrath against the Enemy, would not halt, but pressed on behind the remnant of the Orcs, thinking so to come at Morgoth himself; and he laughed aloud as he wielded his sword, rejoicing that he had dared the wrath of the Valar and the evils of the road, that he might see the hour of his vengeance.

Nothing did he know of Angband or the great strength of defence that Morgoth had so swiftly prepared; but even had he known it would not have deterred him, for he was fey, consumed by the flame of his own wrath."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"

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Victory in Mithrim

"The Orcs fled before them, and they were driven forth from Mithrim with great slaughter, and hunted over the Mountains of Shadow into the great plain of Ard-galen, that lay northward of Dorthonion.

There the armies of Morgoth that had passed south into the Vale of Sirion and beleaguered Círdan in the Havens of the Falas came up to their aid, and were caught in their ruin. For Celegorm, Fëanor’s son, having news of them, waylaid them with a part of the Elven-host, and coming down upon them out of the hills near Eithel Sirion drove them into the Fen of Serech.

Evil indeed were the tidings that came at last to Angband, and Morgoth was dismayed. Ten days that battle lasted, and from it returned of all the hosts that he had prepared for the conquest of Beleriand no more than a handful of leaves."

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, chapter 13, "On the Return of the Noldor"