Gondolin

Eärendil, son of Tuor and Idril of Gondolin and husband of Elwing, was the mariner who, bearing a Silmaril on his brow, crossed the Shadowy Seas that no ship had passed, stood before the Valar in Valinor, and won the aid of the West against Morgoth. He never came back to mortal shores: his ship Vingilot was raised into the sky, and the light of the jewel he carries is the Evening Star.

Húrin Thalion, lord of Dor-lómin, was the greatest warrior of the Edain. He held the Fen of Serech alone at the end of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, was taken alive to Morgoth, defied him and was cursed with his whole house, and sat bound on Thangorodrim for twenty-eight years watching the ruin of his children Túrin and Nienor.

Huor, younger son of Galdor of Dor-lómin, was carried with his brother Húrin to Gondolin as a boy and fell beside him holding the Fen of Serech in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Before he died he foretold to Turgon that a new star would rise from their two houses; his son, born after his death, was Tuor, father of Eärendil.

King of the Great Eagles of the First Age and the mightiest bird that ever flew, with wings that spanned thirty fathoms. Sent by Manwë to watch over the exiled Noldor, he rescued Maedhros from Thangorodrim, bore away the body of Fingolfin, guarded Gondolin, carried Beren and Lúthien from the gate of Angband, and led the eagles against the dragons in the War of Wrath.

Tuor son of Huor, born after his father's death at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, was raised by Grey-elves in Mithrim, enslaved by Easterlings, and chosen by Ulmo to carry his warning to the hidden city of Gondolin. There he married Turgon's daughter Idril, fathered Eärendil, and led the survivors out of the city's fall. At the end of his life he sailed into the West, and alone of Men he is said to have been numbered among the Elves.

Aredhel, the White Lady of the Noldor, was the daughter of Fingolfin and sister of Fingon and Turgon, a restless huntress who left Gondolin, was taken to wife by the Dark Elf Eöl, and bore him Maeglin. Fleeing back to Gondolin, she died of a poisoned javelin her husband had thrown at their son.

Glorfindel was lord of the House of the Golden Flower in Gondolin, golden-haired and reckoned among the mightiest of the Noldor of the Hidden City. He died killing a Balrog above the pass of Cirith Thoronath so that the refugees of Gondolin could escape, and by long tradition he is the same Glorfindel who returned to Middle-earth, routed the Witch-king at Fornost, carried Frodo to the Ford of Bruinen, and sat at the Council of Elrond.

Idril Celebrindal, only child of Turgon of Gondolin, married the mortal Tuor and bore Eärendil, the mariner who saved both kindreds. Her foresight built the secret way out of the hidden city, and by it she led the survivors of Gondolin's fall to safety. She was the second union of Elves and Men, and the ancestress of the Half-elven.

Maeglin was the son of Eöl the Dark Elf and Aredhel of the Noldor, born in the shadowed wood of Nan Elmoth and brought by his mother to Gondolin, where he rose to be the greatest of Turgon's counsellors. His unlawful desire for his cousin Idril soured into hatred; taken alive by Orcs, he bought his own life and the promise of Idril by telling Morgoth where the hidden city lay, and Tuor threw him from its walls when it burned.

Ecthelion of the Fountain was lord of one of the twelve houses of Gondolin and the warden of its Great Gate, a captain famous for the beauty of his voice and the music of his people's flutes. When the Hidden City was stormed he held the square before the king's tower against the Balrogs, and there he and Gothmog their lord destroyed each other.

Voronwë, son of Aranwë of Gondolin, was the only survivor of the ships Turgon sent to seek Valinor. Spared by Ulmo and cast ashore at Nevrast, he met Tuor at Vinyamar and guided him through the Fell Winter to the hidden city, so that Ulmo's warning reached Turgon.

Tuor son of Huor, born after his father's death at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, was raised by Grey-elves in Mithrim, enslaved by Easterlings, and chosen by Ulmo to carry his warning to the hidden city of Gondolin. There he married Turgon's daughter Idril, fathered Eärendil, and led the survivors out of the city's fall. At the end of his life he sailed into the West, and alone of Men he is said to have been numbered among the Elves.

Glorfindel was lord of the House of the Golden Flower in Gondolin, golden-haired and reckoned among the mightiest of the Noldor of the Hidden City. He died killing a Balrog above the pass of Cirith Thoronath so that the refugees of Gondolin could escape, and by long tradition he is the same Glorfindel who returned to Middle-earth, routed the Witch-king at Fornost, carried Frodo to the Ford of Bruinen, and sat at the Council of Elrond.

Gothmog was the Lord of Balrogs and high-captain of Angband, the deadliest of Morgoth's servants in battle. He gave Fëanor his death-wounds, killed the High King Fingon and took Húrin captive at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and led the assault on Gondolin, where he and Ecthelion of the Fountain slew each other.

Turgon, second son of Fingolfin, was the founder and king of the hidden city of Gondolin, built in secret at Ulmo's prompting and kept from Morgoth for nearly four centuries. He became High King of the Noldor after the Nirnaeth, received Tuor and Ulmo's warning, and died when the city fell through the treason of his nephew Maeglin.

Ulmo is the Lord of Waters, second in majesty only to Manwë among the Valar, who dwells alone in the deep seas rather than in Valinor. He never abandoned Middle-earth, and through streams, rivers and dreams he counselled the Elves and Men of Beleriand, above all Turgon of Gondolin and Tuor.

Turgon, second son of Fingolfin, was the founder and king of the hidden city of Gondolin, built in secret at Ulmo's prompting and kept from Morgoth for nearly four centuries. He became High King of the Noldor after the Nirnaeth, received Tuor and Ulmo's warning, and died when the city fell through the treason of his nephew Maeglin.

Turgon, second son of Fingolfin, was the founder and king of the hidden city of Gondolin, built in secret at Ulmo's prompting and kept from Morgoth for nearly four centuries. He became High King of the Noldor after the Nirnaeth, received Tuor and Ulmo's warning, and died when the city fell through the treason of his nephew Maeglin.

Aredhel, the White Lady of the Noldor, was the daughter of Fingolfin and sister of Fingon and Turgon, a restless huntress who left Gondolin, was taken to wife by the Dark Elf Eöl, and bore him Maeglin. Fleeing back to Gondolin, she died of a poisoned javelin her husband had thrown at their son.

Gothmog was the Lord of Balrogs and high-captain of Angband, the deadliest of Morgoth's servants in battle. He gave Fëanor his death-wounds, killed the High King Fingon and took Húrin captive at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and led the assault on Gondolin, where he and Ecthelion of the Fountain slew each other.

Maeglin was the son of Eöl the Dark Elf and Aredhel of the Noldor, born in the shadowed wood of Nan Elmoth and brought by his mother to Gondolin, where he rose to be the greatest of Turgon's counsellors. His unlawful desire for his cousin Idril soured into hatred; taken alive by Orcs, he bought his own life and the promise of Idril by telling Morgoth where the hidden city lay, and Tuor threw him from its walls when it burned.

Ecthelion of the Fountain was lord of one of the twelve houses of Gondolin and the warden of its Great Gate, a captain famous for the beauty of his voice and the music of his people's flutes. When the Hidden City was stormed he held the square before the king's tower against the Balrogs, and there he and Gothmog their lord destroyed each other.

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.

Aredhel, the White Lady of the Noldor, was the daughter of Fingolfin and sister of Fingon and Turgon, a restless huntress who left Gondolin, was taken to wife by the Dark Elf Eöl, and bore him Maeglin. Fleeing back to Gondolin, she died of a poisoned javelin her husband had thrown at their son.