Rivendell

Rivendell is hard to find on purpose. The valley is a cleft in the foothills where the Bruinen runs down from the mountains, hidden from the Great East Road that passes above it, and a traveller can be on the edge of it without seeing anything. The High Pass over the Misty Mountains lies east, the Ford of Bruinen and the Trollshaws west, the Ettenmoors north. Bilbo called the house the Last Homely House east of the Sea, which is accurate in both directions: it is the last friendly roof before the mountains, and the first on the way back.

Elrond made it in SA 1697, when Sauron destroyed Eregion and killed Celebrimbor, and the survivors fled north with him. Sauron besieged the new refuge for three years until a host from Lindon and a fleet from Númenor broke the siege. Elrond kept Vilya, mightiest of the Three Rings, and the valley stayed a refuge for the rest of the Second Age and all of the Third.

It is also the memory of the North-kingdom. The shards of Narsil, broken under Elendil at the end of the Second Age, were kept in Elrond's house, along with the Sceptre of Annúminas and the heirlooms of Isildur's line. The Chieftains of the Dúnedain were fostered there, Aragorn among them: he grew up in the valley as Estel, was told his true name in TA 2951 and met Arwen Undómiel in the woods below the house.

The story passes through twice. Thorin's company rested here in TA 2941 and Elrond read the moon-letters on Thrór's map that told them how to open the secret door of Erebor. In TA 3018 Frodo was carried in dying from a Morgul-wound and Elrond took the splinter out of his shoulder. On 25 October the Council of Elrond met, heard the whole history of the Ring from everyone who held a piece of it, and decided to destroy it. Narsil was reforged as Andúril, the Fellowship of the Ring was chosen, and the nine walkers left the valley on 25 December.

Events at this place

1. SA 1697 · The Silmarillion

   Elrond founds Imladris

   After the fall of Eregion, Elrond led the surviving Noldor north into the hidden valley and made it a stronghold.

2. SA 1700 · Appendices

   The siege is broken

   Sauron's forces had besieged the valley for three years. Armies from Lindon and a Númenórean fleet under Tar-Minastir drove them out of Eriador.

3. TA 2941 · The Hobbit

   Elrond reads the moon-letters

   Thorin's company halted at Rivendell in midsummer, and Elrond found the hidden runes on the map that gave the key to Erebor's side door.

4. TA 3018, October 24 · The Lord of the Rings

   Frodo is healed

   Frodo reached the house on 20 October with the Morgul splinter working inward. Elrond removed it and he woke four days later.

5. TA 3018, October 25 · The Lord of the Rings

   The Council of Elrond

   On 25 October the Wise and representatives of Elves, Dwarves and Men met, pieced together the history of the Ring and resolved to destroy it in the fire where it was made.

6. TA 3018, December 25 · The Lord of the Rings

   The Fellowship departs

   On 25 December the nine walkers left Rivendell southward, with Andúril reforged from the shards of Narsil.

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