Gondolin Preview news

In the land of Beleriand, within the Echoriath, the Encircling Mountains, just west of Dorthonion and east of the river Sirion, lies a round level plain with sheer walls on all sides and a ravine and tunnel leading out to the southwest known as the Hidden Way. The location of the hidden valley of Tumladen was revealed to Turgon son of Fingolfin in a dream by the Vala Ulmo, Lord of Waters. In the fifty-third year of the First Age Turgon journeyed from his halls in Vinyamar and found the vale, with the guidance of Ulmo. In the middle of this vale there is a steep hill which is called Amon Gwareth, the "Hill of Watching": it was there that Turgon decided to found his Hidden City, designed after the ancient city of Tirion in Valinor — which the Noldor had left when they rebelled against the Valar and went into exile — for it would be protected by the mountains and hidden from the eyes of the Dark Lord Morgoth.

Turgon and his people built the city in secret, and the first building took fifty-two years to complete. When the city was completed, in the year 116 of the First Age, Turgon took with him to dwell in the Hidden City his entire people in Nevrast — almost a third of the Noldor of the House of Fingolfin — as well as nearly three quarters of the northern Sindar, who secretly entered the valley of Tumladen. Turgon was recognized as King of the Hidden City, and he gave it the name Ondolindë, which is “The Rock of the Music of the Water” in Quenya, because of the fountains of Amon Gwareth; but in the unique Elvish dialect they developed it became known as Gondolin, the “Hidden Rock”. After their arrival in the new city, the Gondolindrim continued to labour in its building, until it was said to rival even Tirion itself: its walls stand high and white above the plain, and its most prominent feature is the great Tower of the King, where, among the fountains, Turgon made Glingal and Belthil, trees of gold and silver made in memory of the Two Trees of Valinor. The Hidden Way in the mountains is protected by six gates, all constantly guarded by the Seven Divisions of Gondolin; the first of wood, then stone, bronze, iron, silver, gold, and steel. And the city itself is divided and guarded by eleven noble Houses, all of which have their own leaders with unique heraldic customs in all of Middle-earth, their devices set against a single-coloured background upon long and tapering shields. Many and mighty Elf-lords dwell in Gondolin, and Ecthelion of the Fountain is among them and Galdor of the Tree, and Glorfindel the golden-haired, and Enerdhil the master smith and Pengolodh the loremaster of the Noldor, the tallest of all the Elves in the city. Great is the bliss and the beauty of Gondolin, and great is the wisdom of its people.

Now the Hidden Kingdom slowly became wealthy and prosperous, concealed from friend and foe alike and guarded from trespassers by the Eagles of Thorondor, friends and allies of Turgon who had made their eyries on the Encircling Mountains on the bidding of Manwë; and the Elves of Gondolin have lived undisturbed by the events outside their fair city for more than three centuries, and their days have been full of joy and peace. Every summer they celebrate a great festival on midsummer’s eve, when all the people of Gondolin are upon the walls at night to await the rising sun, singing songs at its uplifting; for the morrow is the great feast they name the Gates of Summer. But the Gondolindrim also love mining and quarrying after metals and jewels, and many of them work in the mountains distant from the city, seeking after metals for their smithying of things both of peace and war. And the smiths of Gondolin have mastered the arts of Aulë and they became unrivalled in their craft, using Noldorin techniques to forge powerful weapons and bright mail, impervious to rust and corrosion and the slow decay of time; and Turgon has accepted into his court Maeglin his sister-son, who inherited great knowledge and mastery in smithing and craftsmanship from his father Eöl the Dark Elf. And the King gave orders for an outpost to be built on the isle of Balar, from where with the help of Círdan they might sail the Great Sea and reach Aman.

But now the times have changed; for Morgoth has suddenly broken the long Siege of Angband in the North, and the inevitable doom of the Noldor shall fall upon them. One winter’s night in the year 455 of the First Age, the fires of Angband burnt and destroyed the vast green field of Ard-galen in the north, and many of the Noldor were slain, and thus the battle known as Dagor Bragollach, “Battle of Sudden Flame”, has began. Dark and uncertain times lie ahead, and the people of the Hidden Kingdom have to prepare for whatever future may come…

1st Tier:

First Division, Dark Guard

The army of the Hidden Kingdom is divided into seven Divisions, and those who belong to the House of the Pillar serve in the First Division, under the command of Elemmakil. They are Noldor of the House of Fingolfin, and their lord is Penlodh, and they form the backbone of the army of Gondolin. They are mail-clad and armed with long swords and tall helms, and their shields bear the royal emblems of the king, and the device of Idril Celebrindal the fair, and the heraldry of their own house. They are the Dark Guard, for they are charged with the duty to patrol the secret tunnel leading to the First Gate of the Orfalch Echor, the Gate of Wood: a wide arch with tall pillars upon either hand, hewn in the rock, with a great portcullis of crossed wooden bars, marvellously carved and studded with nails of iron, known also as the Dark Gate; for the Hidden Way that leads to it is dark and unlit, yet constantly guarded. Once an intruder has been captured by the Dark Guard, they are not permitted to return the way they have come, and by law they are slain where they stand.

Second Division, Grey Guard

The army of the Hidden Kingdom is divided into seven Divisions, and those who belong to the House of the Harp serve in the Second Division. They are mostly of the northern Sindar in origin, armed with long spears and robed in grey, wearing similar cloaks in kind as their kin in Mithrim, and tassels of silver and gold; and in battle they fight as one man, marching with spears like a forest. And they have mastered the art of playing the harp, and so it is that their heraldry presents a silver harp on sable background, save only for Salgant their lord, who alone bears the device of a golden harp. They are charged with the duty to guard and defend the Second Gate of the Orfalch Echor, the Gate of Stone: a great archway blocked with a single mighty stone amid a great wall built across the ravine from side to side, with stout towers of stone at either hand.

House of the Tree

The folk of the House of the Tree guard the western entrance to the Arch of Ingwë day and night. They are a great house of both Noldor and of Sindar, and their lord and captain is Galdor, a Noldorin Elf who is seen as the most valiant of the Gondolindrim save Turgon alone; and the Folk of the Tree do not lack in valour or bravery either, and they will be among the first to throw themselves into the fray. Their raiment is green, and in battle they prefer to fight with swift slings from afar; yet if the enemy draws near, they will defend themselves with iron clubs and stones, and they carry sturdy wooden shields displaying the heraldry of their house; yet they bear no helm nor mail. And though the lack of heavy armour makes them more vulnerable to harm than their kin, it also makes them excellent light support infantry, able to cross the battlefield swiftly and strike hard and fast to weaken the enemy before heavier troops join the fight.


[Special AOR Unit]

Mariners of Gondolin

These valiant and adventurous Elves of Gondolin have set out by command of the Hidden King to build an outpost on the isle of Balar and from there sail the Belegaer with the help of Círdan, in an attempt to reach Aman and beg the Valar for forgiveness and deliverance from the growing darkness in the North. They are of the high folk of the Noldor, grey-eyed and dark-haired, and their clothes are simple and grey. No arms do they carry save for a short sword in the fashion of the Falathrim, yet fierce and deadly they are in battle; for the light of Aman still burns in their eyes, and their hearts ever long to glimpse the wonders and beauty of Tirion once again: the ancient city of the Noldor upon the green hill of Túna, which Gondolin itself in many ways is said to resemble.

[Recruitable only from settlements with ports]

2nd Tier:

Third Division, Bronze Guard

The army of the Hidden Kingdom is divided into seven Divisions, and those who belong to the House of the Tower of Snow serve in the Third Division, and their lord is Penlodh. They are for the most part of the kindred of the Sindar of Nevrast, and they are clad in bronze helms and scale mail that glows like dull fire, and they wield deadly axes, the traditional weapon of that people; and the blades of their axes are red, and their hatred for the Orcs burns hot. They are the Bronze Guard, charged with the duty to hold and defend the Third Gate of the Orfalch Echor, the Gate of Bronze: a great twofold door hung with shields and plates of bronze, werein are wrought many figures and strange signs, amid a great wall crowned with three square towers, roofed and clad with copper that by some device of smith-craft are ever bright and gleam as fire in the light of the red lamps set like torches along the wall. It is said that the very name of their house reflects the snow-covered peaks of the Echoriath above the ravine of the Orfalch Echor, their long shoulders mantled with white snow in the cold mountain wind.

Fourth Division, Iron Guard

The army of the Hidden Kingdom is divided into seven Divisions, and those who belong to the House of the Mole serve in the Fourth Division. They are for the most part Noldor, ore-delvers and miners at the mines of Anghabar, and their leader is Maeglin son of Eöl the Dark Elf. Black are their mantles and their mail and their long shields, and they are armed with short spears, and their faces are masked with visors bearing each an eagle’s peak, in honour of the Eagles of Manwë; and it is said that their armour is made of an alloy of iron and Galvorn, a rare and strong black metal the secrets of which had been passed on to Maeglin by his father before he died. They are the Iron Guard, and they are charged with the defence of the Fourth Gate of the Orfalch Echor, the Gate of Writhen Iron: an iron gate wrought and hammered into the shapes of trees with writhing roots and woven branches laden with leaves and flowers, amid a high and black wall crowned with four towers of iron; and in their midst is set an image of a great eagle wrought in iron, in the likeness of King Thorondor himself, as he would align upon a mountain from the high airs.

Fifth Division, Moon Guard

The army of the Hidden Kingdom is divided into seven Divisions, and those who belong to the House of the Swallow serve in the Fifth Division, and their lord and captain is Duilin the master archer, swiftest of all Elves to run and leap. These are the finest archers of Gondolin, and it is said that the swallow is reminiscent of an arrow flying swiftly through the air with speed and grace and always finding its mark. They are robed in white and they wield powerful longbows and swords, and they are clad in silver mail and bright white-crested helms; and in battle they will blot out the sun with volleys of sharp and deadly missiles to defend their posts, pouring arrows like the dark rains of autumn. They are the Moon Guard, for they are charged with the defence of the Fifth Gate of the Orfalch Echor, the Gate of Silver: amid a low and broad wall built of white marble, its parapet being a trellis of silver between five great globes of marble, there stands a gate shaped as three parts of a circle, and wrought of silver and pearl of Nevrast in likeness of the Moon; and above the Gate stands an image of the White Tree Telperion, wrought of silver and malachite, with flowers made of great pearls of Balar.

House of the Golden Flower

Of all the great houses of Gondolin, the Elves of the House of the Golden Flower are the most fair and noble and wise, and they remember well the light of the Two Trees, Telperion and Laurelin; for they were born in Aman even before Melkor and Ungoliant brought darkness to the world by destroying the Trees of Valinor. For that and for all his evil deeds they harbour eternal hatred for Morgoth, the Black Enemy, and though there may be no hope in their hearts of defeating Morgoth by force, still they will not sit helplessly and do nothing as he corrupts the earth, marring all that was once fair and good. Led by Glorfindel with the golden hair, a mighty Elf-lord dearly loved by all the Gondolindrim, they are dressed in garments as green as a field in spring, and the device of their House is charged with a rayed sun, though their long and tapering shields are emblazoned with a golden flower resembling a celandine. And should the Hidden City ever be threatened, they will put on their tall helms and arm themselves with bright mail and long swords, and they will march into battle prepared to fight to the death; for they will gladly give their own lives for their lord.

[Special AOR Unit]

3d Tier:

Sixth Division, Sun Guard

The army of the Hidden Kingdom is divided into seven Divisions, and those who belong to the House of the Heavenly Arch serve in the Sixth Division, and their lord and leader is Egalmoth, famous for being the only Elf ever to wield a curved blade. Arrayed in a glory of gold, they are a folk of uncounted wealth, and their arms are set with jewels. In battle they wield longbows and swords, and their mail is gilded, and large opals and tall golden plumes are set on their helmets; and their great round shields are red as flame, holding in the centre a jewel built of seven gems: ruby, amethyst, sapphire, emerald, chrysoprase, topaz and amber: the colours of the rainbow; for what is the Heavenly Arch more than a reference to the rainbow? They are the Sun Guard, for they are charged with the defence of the Sixth Gate of the Orfalch Echor, the Golden Gate, the last of the ancient gates of Turgon: amid a wall built of yellow marble with a parapet of red gold, there stands a gate adorned with discs of gold, many-rayed, in likeness of the Sun, set among devices of garnet and topaz and yellow diamonds; and in the midst upon a golden pyramid is set an image of Laurelin, the Tree of the Sun, with flowers wrought of topaz upon chains of gold.

Seventh Division, Knights of Gondolin

The army of the Hidden Kingdom is divided into seven Divisions, and those who belong to the noble House of the Fountain serve in the Seventh Division, and their lord and captain is Ecthelion of the Fountain, Warden of the Great Gate, a valiant Elf-lord famed for his unrivaled skill in music among the Gondolindrim. Being Noldor of the House of Fingolfin, they enjoy the glitter of silver and diamonds, and they are clad all in silver, and upon their shining helms there is set a spike of steel pointed with a diamond; and they wield swords very long and bright and pale, and they ride magnificent horses decorated with diamonds and gems, and they go into battle to the music of flutes, their armour shimmering in the starlight as they move. These are the knights of Gondolin, the guards of the fountains of the king, and defenders of the Seventh Gate of the Orfalch Echor, the Great Gate, the Gate of Steel that Maeglin himself wrought: no wall or door stands there save for a mighty fence of steel that glitters cold and white, with two round towers of great height on either hand, with turrets of bright steel; and seven great pillars of steel there are, tall with the height and girth of strong trees yet ending in a spike as sharp as a needle; and between them stand seven cross-bars of steel, and in each space seven times seven rods of steel upright sharp like blades; and above the central pillar, a mighty image of the king-helm of Turgon is raised, the Crown of Gondolin, set with diamonds.

House of the Hammer of Wrath

Centuries of hard labour have strengthened the arms of these elven-smiths, allowing them to march in battle wielding heavy maces like hammers with deadly force, crushing armour and bones and beating upon helm and head as if hewing the hot bending iron on the anvil. They carry large heavy shields, outweighing an entire suit of armour; and yet they wear even heavier mail than their kin, making them almost impervious to all harm. Their emblem is the stricken anvil, yet their shields show a hammer that smiteth sparks about it, and of these come many of the best smiths and craftsmen of Gondolin. They have mastered the arts of Aulë, and red gold and black iron is their delight. Their leader is Rog, second in valour to Galdor of the Tree, and mightiest of all Elves who ever walked the earth save Fingolfin himself. As their bodies are the strongest, so their hearts are also the bravest among the Noldor, for many of them were once thralls in the dungeons of Angband who escaped long ago, and having endured both pain and death they now fear neither one or the other. No army of Morgoth could ever hope to stand their ground against the House of the Hammer of Wrath, the largest and most valiant House of Gondolin; for their thunderous charge is swift and deadly like the wrath of Tulkas.

[Special AOR Unit]

House of the White Wing

The folk of the Wing are the stoutest of the King’s men, and they are the bodyguard and household of Tuor, messenger of Ulmo himself; and though their numbers may be small, they are among the finest and bravest warriors Beleriand has ever known. Their cloaks are long and blue, and they are clad in the finest mail the masterful smiths of Gondolin can fashion, and they wield long and unforgiving swords. Upon their helms they wear wings of swans and gulls, in memory of the swans that showed Tuor the way to Vinyamar; and they carry long and tapering shields displaying a swan-wing on a blue field, such as the shield that Tuor found in those deserted ruins; for this was the heraldry of Turgon in Nevrast long ago, ere he built Gondolin; and their shields are light and wieldy beyond guess, for they are wrought it seems of wood yet overlaid by the craft of Elven-smiths with plates of metal, strong and thin a foil. And each and every one of the folk of the Wing will stand their ground without fear against any foul creature of Morgoth, be it an Orc or a werewolf or a dragon or a terrible Balrog, following their leader to the very end in victory or death.

[AOR Unit. recruitable after Tuor arrives in Gondolin]

House of the King

Mighty is the array of the House of the King, and their colours are white and gold and red, and on their shields three emblems are displayed as the royal device of Turgon: the Sun, the Moon, and the Scarlet Heart of Finwë Noldóran in blue field. The spears they wield are long and sharp, and none can stand against the mighty phalanx of the King of Gondolin; for they march into battle with their large shields locked together, presenting a deadly forest of spears to the enemy, and they can easily break through the ranks of the Orcs of Morgoth; and they are clad in bright mail forged by the master smiths of the Gondolindrim, protecting them from evil and harm. In battle they fly the banners of the King, as well as the device of their beloved princess, Idril Celebrindal the fair: Menelluin Írildeo Ondolindello it is called, the Cornflower of Idril from Gondolin, echoing her golden hair. Yet their purpose is not only to go to war; for those of the House of the King are also the guard of the King, comprising his family and household, and they go where the King goes and stay where the King stays. Even when threatened by death they will stand their ground and protect their Lord caring naught for themselves, until the very End of Arda or their own demise.

[AOR Unit and Bodyguard]

Turgon's War Machines

These are the secret war machines of Gondolin, built by the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the Noldor for the defence of the Hidden City. Guarded and operated by a detachment of the First Division, they are capable of firing massive stones with deadly efficiency from long distance, causing death and destruction to anyone unlucky enough to stand in their path.

New Noldor Banner Carrier
(Based on Shredder's model, with a new face and different sword and armour)

Credits:

Shredder for the banner carriers and one model (Eldar Archers)
Louis Lux & Lu Bu for faces & hair
sgawara84 for one model, based on Shredder's work
King Kong for the Sindar Axemen unit
Smolka for one model from Planetwar (Horus Spearmen)
Taro_M for bodies, some helms, swords, shields and textures, and one model (Wardens of the White Tower)
Rusichi:Total War for various things and the marka horses
Squeaks for textures on two models (Moon Guard and banner carriers)
glassakias for two bodies (First Division, Mariners)
Earl of Memory for working with most of the models and textures
Ellin Athinaios for unit concepts, descriptions, mapping, remodeling, retexturing, revamping and putting together the finished roster
And of course, J.R.R.Tolkien for the inspiration and the source material (The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, HoME)