Gelion

Course

Gelion had two sources. The Little Gelion rose on the hill of Himring and the Greater Gelion on the slopes of Mount Rerir above Lake Helevorn; they met to the south and the river ran on for a great length, swift and shallow, dividing Thargelion and the wide lands of East Beleriand on the west from Ossiriand on the east. From the Blue Mountains six rivers flowed into it, the Ascar, Thalos, Legolin, Brilthor, Duilwen and Adurant, and with Gelion itself these were the Seven Rivers of Ossiriand. Far to the south, beyond the Andram, it reached the sea in the south-east of Beleriand, in country the Elves had little knowledge of.

Gelion was reckoned twice the length of Sirion, but it was less in volume and narrower, and it lacked the sanctity of Sirion, which Ulmo favoured. It was fordable at few places; the most important was Sarn Athrad, the Ford of Stones, where the road from Nogrod and Belegost crossed after coming down the Ascar. By this road the Dwarves entered Beleriand, and it was near the crossing that they were ambushed on their return from the sack of Doriath.

Along Gelion the first Men came: Finrod found the people of Bëor camped in the foothills of Ossiriand on the eastern bank, and led them across the river into Estolad. After the Nirnaeth, the sons of Fëanor fell back beyond Gelion into Ossiriand and the far south, and Gelion became the last line of the free Elves in the east until the coming of the host of the Valar. It was lost in the drowning of Beleriand, though the mountains it had flowed beneath remained.