Thread:Eras of Arda Team/@comment-31996723-20170714200629

Posted for Helcaryon as he is currently not able to use a PC the next few weeks:

  Mae-govannen, mellyn-nin! I am as many of you know Helcaryón, an administrator on the Eras of Arda Staff Team, and as such I am here to apply for the role of Ecthelion of the Fountain.

Description: Ecthelion was said to be a tall Elf, with dark silken hair and grey eyes. As stated in this quote: "And high and noble as was Elemmakil, greater and more lordly was Ecthelion, Lord of the Fountains, at that time Warden of the Great Gate. All in silver was he clad, and upon his shining helm there was set a spike of steel pointed with a diamond; and as his esquire took his shield it shimmered as if it were bedewed with drops of rain, that were indeed a thousand studs of crystal. "

- Unfinished Tales, Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin   He is (As the House of the Fountain were said to be) fond of silver, and would most likely be clad in silver or light blue robes when not on duty, playing his flute or singing by the Fountain of the King.

He wields Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver, a Ñoldorin  longsword forged in either Tirion or Gondolin itself. Unlike that which was portrayed in the movies, the sword was made much like the Glamdring seen in the movies, as were most Ñoldorin swords. He also donned a silver helmet, with a spike on top that had a diamond at its tip. His shield was said to have been covered by thousands of small crystals, and could roughly be compared to the much more common description of Erenion Gil-galad’s shield, although with much more intricate detail.

Ecthelion was a Ñoldorin Elda, judging from his appearance and position, presumably born in the Years of the Trees in Tirion. After the First Kinslaying at Alqualondë he followed Turgon Turukáno over the Helcaraxë, and later into Nevrast where his lord for a time settled in Vinyamar. But in the one hundred and  twenty sixth year of the First Age he followed his lord Turgon yet again, into the Vale of Tumladen and into Gondolin, known as Ondolindë to the Ñoldor.

In Gondolin, he lead the People of the Fountain, eventually becoming the Warden of the Great Gate for a time, becoming a lord and a high ranking commander in Turgon’s forces (As implied when he was stated to have lead a wing of the Gondolindrim’s forces during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad).

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';color:#000000;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Two hundred years after the founding of Gondolin, Ecthelion, Glorfindel and Egalmoth escorted the White Lady of the Ñoldor, Aredhel (Who was king Turgon’s sister, the fifth child of Fingolfin) out of the city, for she still longed for the freedom she had once had in Tirion. They had set out for the lands of Hithlum and the fort of Eithel Sirion, where she was to meet her other brother Fingon Findekáno, who at the time was the High King of the Ñoldor in Beleriand. But after some time they came to the Ford of Brithiach, where the Lady ordered them to go south, for she wished to see the sons of Fëanor. They sought to stay in Doriath, but the wardens refused them entrance. So they took the dangerous path through the Ered Gorgoroth. Near the Nan Dungortheb the riders were caught up to by the Spawn of Ungoliant, and in the midst of battle the lords lost their White Lady Aredhel. After defeating their enemies, Ecthelion and his companions searched for their lady without success, and with sadness in their hearts they returned to the Hidden City, where they were met with grief at the news they bore.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';color:#000000;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">But like all great heroes, Ecthelion met his end. For in the five hundred and tenth year of the First Age, Maeglin betrayed the Gondolindrim and the trust of his uncle. For on that day he revealed their location to the Enemy, and the vast forces of Balrogs and Urulóki and wargs and werewolves sacked the Hidden City. Many great Ñoldoli were slain that day, but The house of the Fountain was held in reserve by King Turgon, and as the Enemy approached the upper levels he released the full might of the Fountain from the south. They slew many enemies, but as the Balrogs and their lord approached the King’s Fountain their numbers began to dwindle, and soon Ecthelion stood alone against the Maiar of Morgoth. He was badly wounded after slaying three Balrogs and in a duel he lost his sword to their lord, Gothmog, and with his last strength he hurled himself at the beast, impaling him on his spiked helm and sending them both into the water of the King’s Fountain. There it is said drowned Ecthelion, taking the Lord of Balrogs with him; and on that day the Ñoldor lost one of their most fearsome warriors, finest musicians, and most loyal lords. It is never specifically stated how his famed sword Orcrist escaped the inferno that was Gondolin,  but it is commonly assumed that it was taken by a Troll and put in a hoard somewhere in the mountains north of Eriador, where it stayed for much of the Second and Third Age, eventually making its way into the Trollshaws and the hands of Thorin Oakenshield in the late Third Age. This is also thought to be the way Turgon’s sword Glamdring made it into the hands of Ólorin, and from there many draw the conclusion that the swords were taken by a Troll Chieftain, leading or participating in the charge on the King’s Tower.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">'''<span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';color:#000000;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">About me: I have been playing this mod for over 2 years now, since around beta 22. I am well versed in the lore of the Eldar in the First Age, and have always liked the Tatyar (Or Ñoldor) the most, because of their superior strength in both body and mind, and their great cities and heroes. Amongst these Elves Ecthelion has always been my favorite, partially because I read the Silmarillion and the Lost Tales before I read the main books (I know, it’s weird), but also because of his story and heroic end. I have experience roleplaying on many servers, many being private Vanilla ones but also on The Awakening and the Second Age Server. '''

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">'''<span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';color:#000000;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Well this has been my application. I hope you will consider it, and until next time, novaer! <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';color:#000000;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> <span id="cke_bm_36E" style="display:none;">  '''   <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';color:#000000;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'TimesNewRoman';color:#000000;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">  <ac_metadata title="Helcaryon&#039;s application for Echthelion!"> </ac_metadata>