Board Thread:General Mod Discussion/@comment-30567038-20171107131815/@comment-26149161-20171107135757

Okay. The thing about the Silmarillion is that it's a heavily edited compilation from many different points in Tolkien's life. Most of what you read is his final conception. However, there are parts that don't represent his final ideas or are inaccurate. Christopher Tolkien himself has remarked on this, and says that it might be better had he never so drastically edited his father's work into a coherent narrative. HoME and Unfinished Tales are really better for finding the latest conceptions and, imo, suggestion material.

For reference, the following in the Silmarillion are things that do not represent the final conception of Tolkien.

- Gil-galad being son of Fingon. He is actually son of Orodreth, who is a son of Angrod.

- The conception of the Lamps of the Valar and the last part of the Trees creating the Sun and Moon. Tolkien made an extensive reworking where he changed the timeline to have the astronomy of Middle-earth be the same as our world. Though it wasn't worked into a full narrative like the older conception, these changes can be see in such things as the heraldic device of Finwe, bearing a winged sun. The mod is currently leaning to the Silmarillion conception on this issue.

- Orcish Origins: Are highly debatable, but the idea of Elvish origins appears to have been abandoned for Mannish ones. The mod is currently leaning Elvish in origin, however.

- The awakening of Men, and the whole timeline before the War of the Jewels: Takes place far earlier and over a longer time.

-  The entire Fall of Doriath is based on many narratives stitched together, so it's not the most accurate of sources.

Ithilion, Discussions Moderator (Auta i lómë)