Eöl

The Dark Elf of Nan Elmoth

Eöl was a Grey-elf of high kindred, related to Thingol, but he was restless within the bounds of Doriath and left it once Melian's Girdle enclosed the realm. He settled in Nan Elmoth, the wood east of Doriath where Thingol had met Melian, and under its dense trees he lived in a twilight of his own choosing, shunning the Sun and preferring the stars of the old days. He disliked the Noldor, whom he blamed for the return of Morgoth's war to Beleriand, and had no dealings with them; but he was the friend of the Dwarves, visited Nogrod and Belegost, and learned much of their craft. His skill in metal was almost the equal of theirs. He devised galvorn, a black metal both hard and supple, and wore armour of it, and from a meteoric iron he forged two swords, Anglachel and Anguirel. Anglachel he gave to Thingol as the fee for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth; it went from Thingol's armoury into the hand of Beleg and, reforged as Gurthang, into the hand of Túrin.

Aredhel

In F.A. 316 Aredhel, sister of Turgon, lost her companions on the borders of Doriath and wandered into Nan Elmoth. Eöl saw her and set enchantments on the paths so that every way led inward to his hall, and when she was weary he came to her. She stayed with him, and the Silmarillion does not say she was wholly unwilling; but he forbade her the sunlight and any dealing with the sons of Fëanor. She bore him a son, whom Eöl called Maeglin, sharp glance, when he was twelve years old. Eöl took Maeglin with him to the Dwarf-cities and taught him metalwork and the reading of ore, but Maeglin learned more eagerly from his mother's tales of Gondolin.

The pursuit to Gondolin

While Eöl was away among the Dwarves in F.A. 400, Aredhel and Maeglin took his horses and fled for Gondolin. He returned early, followed them, and was caught by Curufin in Himlad, who let him go with a warning and open contempt. Eöl tracked them to the Dry River and was seized by the guards of the hidden city, who brought him before Turgon. The king received him as kin and offered him a place in Gondolin, but told him the law: none who found the way in might leave. Eöl claimed his son and refused the king's grace. When Turgon gave him the choice of staying or dying, he drew a hidden javelin and threw it at Maeglin. Aredhel stepped in front of the boy and took it in the shoulder; the point was poisoned, and she died that night.

Death

Turgon condemned Eöl to death. He was led to the Caragdûr, the black precipice on the north side of the hill of Gondolin, and from there he was cast down. Before he fell he cursed Maeglin, foretelling that his son's hopes would fail and that he would die the same death; and the curse held. Eöl's story is the entry of shadow into the hidden city, and his son's betrayal was its end.

Executed in F.A. 400 by being cast from the Caragdûr on the north side of Gondolin, by Turgon's judgement, for the killing of Aredhel.