And so we begin the Arda 500.
I’ll now attach race/sub-race/occupation classifications to each character, which, unless precise titles or vocations are had, will often be the most appropriate approximations given a short-list of options. Where an occupation isn’t listed, for men it’s due to the inability to be even remotely categorized (ie. most adult male hobbits); for women it’s due to the lack of a distinct vocation or title (ie. most that aren’t either queens, princesses, or ruling-ladies); and as such, mother, wife, child, unknown are the 4-stages of default classification for occupations.
I’ll also continue to maintain a general bio of each character, since some characters are still not totally known to most (including myself). By the top-300, this will be bypassed in favour of how each brings importance to the Legendarium, charting their history over the course of Tolkien’s writings.
For now, Onward!
#500 Aunt Dora Baggins @ (f) – hobbit
She was the daughter of Fosco Baggins & Ruby Bolger, and was Frodo’s aunt, as her younger brothers were Dudo & Drogo. She has no recorded husband or children, but Dora apparently enjoyed writing letters of advice, thus her first-cousin Bilbo gave her a waste-paper basket as a parting gift. She was aged 99 at the Party, and died 5 years later. [TG:10,Eä:6,WK:1,RF:4,JT:3,LR:1,H6:6=31pts,4pgs]
#499 Falathar, companion of Eärendil – adan mariner
He’s one of 3 faithful companions of Eärendil who “had sailed all the seas beside him”. Falathar reached the Blessed Realm where he remained aboard Vingilot with his companions, Erellont (who’s appeared already) and Aerandir (appearing soon), while Elwing & Eärendil delivered their message to the Valar. Their fate is unknown, as is their race in some circles, but since they’re never hinted at in Tolkien’s texts as being anything other, I classify them as Edain of unknown house. [TG:13,Eä:4,RF:2,JT:4,SL:2,H4:2,H5:4=31pts,4pgs]
#498 Walda, 12th King of Rohan – rohirrim king
He was the son of Brytta Léofa, serving in his father's army, battling Orcs attempting to invade Rohan. Walda became king after Brytta’s death, but was killed by an Orc in Dunharrow after just 9 years of rule. He was succeeded & avenged by his son Folca. [TG:12,Eä:4,WK:2,RF:3,JT:5,LR:1,H8:2,H12:2=31pts,5pgs]
#497 Flói, companion of Balin – dwarf adventurer
He was a member of Balin’s company who tried to reclaim Moria in 2989 T.A. Flói was killed by an Orc arrow during the clearing of the 1st halls, and was buried ‘under grass’ near the Mirrormere, as he could not yet be lain in a tomb of stone according to Dwarf tradition. [TG:8,Eä:5,WK:1,RF:5,JT:7,LR:1,H6:2,H7:2=31pts,6pgs]
#496 Adrahil II, 21st Prince of Dol Amroth – gondorian dúnadan lord
He was the son of Angelimir, and the father of three: Ivriniel, the eldest; Finduilas, who married Denethor II and bore Boromir & Faramir; and Imrahil who succeeded Adrahil as Prince in 3010 T.A. The former appeared back near #1000, but the latter 2 of course have yet to appear. [TG:14,Eä:2,WK:1,RF:3,JT:2,LR:1,UT:2,H8:2,H12:4=31pts,11pgs]
#495 Snaga of Cirith Ungol – mordor orc warrior
The term Snaga is controversial, as a probable epithet, but it does specifically apply to 2 Orcs in LotR: Snaga of Isengard, who appeared back near #1000; and Snaga of the garrison at Cirith Ungol. This Snaga was one of the few survivors of the Battle of Cirith Ungol, and encountered a Great Elf-Warrior, Sam, on the stairs. After disputing with his superior Shagrat, and lashing Frodo with a whip, Snaga was overcome by Sam and fell through a trap door to his death. [TG:14,WK:5,RF:6,LR:2,H7:2,H9:2=31pts,13pgs]
#494 Ulwarth, son of Ulfang the Black – easterling warrior
Ulfang & sons joined the service of Caranthir, 4th son of Fëanor, after entering Beleriand at Morgoth’s bidding. Their purpose was to betray the Elves, which they did in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, attacking them in the rear. Ulwarth was slain by the sons of Bór, who had stayed loyal to the sons of Fëanor. [TG:9,Eä:2,WK:1,RF:4,JT:1,SL:2,H4:6,H5:4,H11:2=31pts,20pgs]
#493 *Meril-i-Turinqi, Lady of Tol Eressëa (f) – vanya ruling-lady
She was not only of the Vanyar, but of the Inwir, great-granddaughter of Ingwë, High King of all Elves, and granddaughter of Ingil, 1st Lord of Tol Eressëa. It is said the “wiser of the Elves learned the secret speech of the Gods and long treasured it, but after the coming to Tol Eressëa none remembered it save the Inwir, and now that knowledge has died save in the house of Meril”. She was the Lady of the Isle and the Queen of Flowers, and had a company of maidens, who “sang the most beautiful songs that island knew”, at the time when Eriol arrived. He was guided to her white house, and “as he drew near a sound of music came to him, and a fair lady amid many maidens stepped forth as it were to meet him… ‘Welcome, O mariner of many seas – wherefore do you seek the pleasure of my quiet gardens’?”. She was Galadriel on steroids before there was a Galadriel. And nothing contradicts her still ruling the Isle into the 4th Age. [TG:10,JG:2,H1:6,B1:9,H2:4=31pts,32pgs]
#492 Eärendur, 15th Lord of Andúnië – númenórean lord
He lived during the reign of Ar-Sakalthôr, and was a leader of the Faithful when the King’s Men grew in influence. Eärendur was the brother of Lindórië, grandmother of Tar-Palantir, and an ancestor of the line of Elendil & Elessar. [TG:15,Eä:4,WK:1,RF:2,JT:3,SL:1,UT:4,H12:2=32pts,4pgs]
#491 Tar-Telemmaitë, 15th King of Númenor – númenórean king
His name means Silver-handed, as he loved silver, and was always searching for mithril. From his time onwards, the Kings ruled from the death of their predecessor to their own death. Tar-Telemmaitë was succeeded by Tar-Vanimeldë, the 3rd Ruling Queen. [TG:13,Eä:1,WK:2,RF:2,JT:1,MD:1,LR:1,UT:4,LE:7=32pts,5pgs]
glossary:
*=as in CT's indexing in UT (ie. characters not appearing in Hobbit/LotR/AdvTB/Sil)
@=guest at Bilbo’s Farewell Party
(f)=female (n)=neutral
POINTS - for ENTRIES: TG=Tolkien Gateway,Eä=Encyclopedia of Arda,WK=Wikipedia,RF=Robert Foster’s Complete Guide to Middle-earth,JT=J.E.A. Tyler’s Tolkien Companion,DD=David Day’s A-Z of Tolkien; for INDICES: LR=Lord of the Rings,SL=Silmarillion,UT=Unfinished Tales,HX=History of Middle-earth Vol.X,LT=Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien,HC=Humphrey Carpenter’s Biography,JG=John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War,JR=John Rateliff’s History of The Hobbit,DK=Douglas Kane’s Arda Reconstructed; for both ENTRIES & INDICES: MD=Michael Drout’s Tolkien Encyclopedia; for NAME-LISTS: CH=Children of Húrin,B1 or B2=the ‘Qenya & Gnomish Lexicons’ from Book of Lost Tales Vols.1&2,FG=the ‘Fall of Gondolin’ from BoLT Vol.2,LE=the ‘Line of Elros’ tree from UT; MISC: HF=votes from the Hall of Fire thread that initiated this project + a composite of selected favourite character lists.
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