Doriath

Beren son of Barahir, last of the outlaws of Dorthonion, won the love of Lúthien Tinúviel and with her took a Silmaril from the iron crown of Morgoth. The first Man to marry an Elf, he died twice and returned once, and from his line came Elrond, Elros and the kings of Númenor.

Finrod Felagund, eldest son of Finarfin, was the wisest and most generous of the Noldorin princes in exile. He founded Nargothrond, was the first Elf-lord to befriend Men, and kept his oath to Barahir by going with Beren on the quest of the Silmaril; he died in Sauron's dungeon killing a werewolf with his bare hands to save his mortal friend.

Beren son of Barahir, last of the outlaws of Dorthonion, won the love of Lúthien Tinúviel and with her took a Silmaril from the iron crown of Morgoth. The first Man to marry an Elf, he died twice and returned once, and from his line came Elrond, Elros and the kings of Númenor.

The greatest wolf that ever lived, bred by Morgoth from the line of Draugluin to be the doom of Huan and set as sleepless guard at the gate of Angband. He bit off Beren's hand with the Silmaril in it, ran mad with the jewel burning inside him, broke into Doriath, and died there in the Hunt of the Wolf, killing Huan even as Huan killed him.

The great hound of Valinor, given by Oromë to Celegorm and brought to Middle-earth in the exile of the Noldor. Fated to speak three times and to die only by the greatest wolf ever born, he forsook his master for Lúthien, overthrew Sauron on Tol Sirion, and died slaying Carcharoth in Doriath.

Galadriel, only daughter of Finarfin and the greatest of the Noldor after Fëanor, left Valinor in the rebellion, learned wisdom from Melian in Doriath, and outlived every other leader of the Exiles by three Ages. Bearer of Nenya, founder with Celeborn of the realm of Lórien, and a member of the White Council, she refused the One Ring when Frodo offered it, threw down Dol Guldur, and at last sailed West with the Ring-bearers.

Lúthien, daughter of King Thingol and the Maia Melian, was the fairest of all the Children of Ilúvatar. For love of the mortal Beren she overcame Sauron, put Morgoth himself to sleep in his own hall, and won a Silmaril from the Iron Crown; she then moved Mandos to pity and chose mortality so that she and Beren might not be parted. Every line of the Half-elven descends from her.

Túrin, son of Húrin and Morwen, was the greatest and most ill-fated warrior of the Edain. Cursed by Morgoth through his father, he wandered from Doriath to outlawry, to Nargothrond and to Brethil, killed his friend Beleg by mischance and unknowingly married his own sister, and slew the dragon Glaurung before taking his own life.

Beleg Strongbow, chief of the marchwardens of Doriath and the greatest woodsman of the Sindar, was the friend and teacher of Túrin. He followed Túrin into outlawry and into the enemy's country to save him, and died at his hand in the dark of Taur-nu-Fuin, killed by mistake with the very sword he had carried to the rescue.

Celeborn, a Sindarin prince of Doriath and the husband of Galadriel, outlasted three Ages of Middle-earth as lord of the Galadhrim. He shared the rule of Lothlórien with his wife, led the host that stormed Dol Guldur at the end of the War of the Ring, held East Lórien for a season of the Fourth Age, and at last, when the Golden Wood had emptied, went to Rivendell and thence over the Sea.

Elwing, daughter of Dior and Nimloth and granddaughter of Beren and Lúthien, carried the Silmaril out of the ruin of Doriath and refused to yield it to the sons of Fëanor. When they sacked the Havens of Sirion she cast herself into the sea with the jewel and was borne up as a white bird to her husband Eärendil, with whom she reached Valinor. She chose the fate of the Elves and dwells on the shore of Aman.

Morwen Eledhwen, daughter of Baragund of the House of Bëor, was the wife of Húrin and the mother of Túrin and Nienor. Proud, beautiful and unbending, she held her house in Dor-lómin under the Easterlings for more than twenty years and died at the grave of her children beside the Teiglin.

Nienor, daughter of Húrin and Morwen, was born after her father's capture and never knew her brother Túrin. Robbed of her memory by Glaurung, she was found by the woodmen of Brethil, named Níniel, and married Túrin unknowing. When the dying dragon restored her memory she threw herself into the Teiglin.

Thranduil, son of Oropher, ruled the Silvan Elves of northern Mirkwood from underground halls for the whole of the Third Age. He led the remnant of his father's host home from the Last Alliance, imprisoned Thorin's company, fought at the Battle of Five Armies, held Gollum as a prisoner, and in the War of the Ring defeated the assault of Dol Guldur under his own trees.

Daeron, minstrel and loremaster of Thingol's court, was the greatest of all Elven singers and the deviser of the Cirth, the runes later used by Dwarves and Men. He loved Lúthien, twice betrayed her to her father out of jealousy, and after she left the world he wandered into the East lamenting her and was never heard of again.

Eöl the Dark Elf, a kinsman of Thingol who chose the shadowed wood of Nan Elmoth over Doriath, was a smith of surpassing skill who forged the black swords Anglachel and Anguirel. He took Aredhel of Gondolin as his wife, fathered Maeglin, and when they escaped him he followed them to the hidden city, killed Aredhel with a poisoned javelin meant for their son, and was thrown from the walls.

Mablung of the Heavy Hand was the chief captain of Thingol's Doriath. He cut the Silmaril from the belly of Carcharoth, fought at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, escorted Morwen and Nienor toward Nargothrond and lost them to Glaurung's malice, and died defending the Silmaril in Menegroth when the Dwarves of Nogrod sacked the Thousand Caves.

Oropher, a Sindarin lord of Doriath, led his people east after the drowning of Beleriand and was taken as king by the Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great. He founded the Woodland Realm, withdrew it northward from Dwarves and Noldor alike, and died in a rash charge at the Battle of Dagorlad, leaving the crown to his son Thranduil.

Saeros was an Elf of Doriath, one of Thingol's counsellors, who envied Túrin the king's favour and mocked him and the women of his people at the king's table. His taunts and the ambush he set the next morning ended with his own death in the gorge of the Esgalduin, and drove Túrin out of Doriath into outlawry.

Elwë Singollo, called Thingol, led the Teleri on the Great Journey, met the Maia Melian in Nan Elmoth and never left Middle-earth again. As King of Doriath he ruled the Sindar for the whole of the First Age, set Beren the impossible price of a Silmaril for his daughter Lúthien, and was slain in his own treasury by Dwarves over the jewel he had once demanded.

Dior Eluchíl, the only child of Beren and Lúthien, was the first of the Half-elven and the heir of Thingol. He restored Doriath after the death of his grandfather, received the Silmaril in the Nauglamír, and refused to yield it to the sons of Fëanor; in the Second Kinslaying he slew Celegorm and was slain, and the kingdom of Doriath ended with him.

Melian is the Maia who took bodily form in Middle-earth, wedded the Elven-king Thingol and reigned with him in Doriath, protecting the realm for an age with the Girdle of her power. Mother of Lúthien and the only Ainu to have children among the Eldar, she was the wisest counsellor in Beleriand; after Thingol's death she withdrew her protection and returned to Valinor.

Nimloth, a Sindarin lady of the royal house of Doriath and kinswoman of Celeborn, married Dior, the son of Beren and Lúthien, and was the mother of Eluréd, Elurín and Elwing. She was slain with her husband when the sons of Fëanor sacked Menegroth in the Second Kinslaying.

The greatest wolf that ever lived, bred by Morgoth from the line of Draugluin to be the doom of Huan and set as sleepless guard at the gate of Angband. He bit off Beren's hand with the Silmaril in it, ran mad with the jewel burning inside him, broke into Doriath, and died there in the Hunt of the Wolf, killing Huan even as Huan killed him.