''Of the Ruin of Beleriand...''

I have decided to entitle this post ''Of the Ruin of Beleriand'' for I can't actually think of what else to call it. I think that Christopher Tolkien had this problem too, when organising his father's material in the '70s, for this chapter covers a multitude of events, and none of them constitute a ''ruin'' of Beleriand. I think that by this point in the tale, Christopher had run out of original ideas and decided to try and ''sum up'' (haphazardly) in the title of each Chapter what happened. It achieves nothing, of course, except the flattening out of the tale. I would rather the titles of each chapter contained some hint at what happened but nothing too explicit (if that were achievable).

Anyway, Fingon is now lord of the House of Fingolfin, and by hereditary right, High King of all the Noldor (in Middle-earth that is), and he sent his young son Ereinion (afterwards called Gil-galad) to the Havens. Morgoth's power now overshadowed the Northlands. Barahir, of the House of Bëor, would not forsake the highlands of Dorthonion, and Morgoth pursued his people with hatred until but few remained. By the arts of Morgoth (and later, of Sauron) the highland woods were turned into a region of dark enchantment and phantoms, so that even the Orcs would not go there willingly; Taur-nu-Fuin it became known in the Sindarin tongue, the Forest under Nightshade. They were so worsted that Emeldir, the wife of Barahir, gathered all the women and children of Bëor's House and departed southward into Beleriand, and came at last into the Forest of Brethil, where they were received by the Haladin. Some, however, scaled the Mountains of Shadow and came into Dor-lómin, among them Rían, daughter of Belegund, and Morwen Eledhwen, daughter of Baragund. None, however, saw the Men of that House again, for they were each of them driven mad and then cruelly slain by the servants of Morgoth until only twelve remained. Desperate outlaws they became, who could not escape and would not relent, and at last they abandoned the woods (which held nothing for them except horror and madness) and they took to the rocky moors, wandering hopelessly, hunted as beasts by the agents of the Dark Lord.

Nearly two years after the Dagor Bragollach, the Noldor still defended the upper passes of Sirion, for the power of Ulmo, Lord of Waters, was in that river, and Minas Tirith, the tower of Felagund, withstood the Orcs. But after the fall of Fingolfin, Sauron, the greatest and most terrible of Morgoth's servants, was come, and he took Minas Tirith by assault, for the Elves fled before him in terror, and at last, Orodreth was driven out and retreated to Nargothrond, where dwelt Felagund his brother. Minas Tirith Sauron turned into a watchtower for Morgoth, and Tol Sirion became Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the Isle of Werewolves. None could pass that way save by the will of Sauron, and the terror of Morgoth filled the nearby woods and hills. The spies of Morgoth now went hither and thither about the Elf-lands clad in false forms, and many were taken to Angband and there were enslaved. Few of the Noldor were ever put to death by Morgoth because of their skill in mining and craft. And the lies of Morgoth were soon believed by those who hearkened to the spies, because of the Doom of Mandos and the Kinslaying. Some of the thralls in Angband escaped, but these ''escapes'' were often arranged and well-known to Morgoth, for thus would they return to their lands, find no welcome, and return in misery and want to Morgoth, who exerted the magnitude of his will upon them.

The Men of the noble Houses paid no heed to the messengers, and Morgoth sent his messengers over the Mountains. Thus did the Swarthy Men come into Beleriand from the East. Some were already under the dominion of the Dark Lord, and came at his summons, but others came because of the fame of Beleriand, its riches and its wars. Small love was there between the Easterlings and the Men of the Three Houses, and they met seldom, for the Easterlings dwelt yet in East Beleriand. The House of Hador were shut up in Hithlum, Bëor's House was mostly destroyed, and the Haladin dwelt yet in a watchful peace in the south of Brethil, and behind their guard against the Orcs, Nargothrond had respite and mustered its strength.