Elrond Character Bio
Elrond Desperate Hours AU Character Notes:
A work in progress:
My character notes for Elrond, like my character notes for Faramir, are particularly short and a work in progress, because I have so much to say about Elrond and I have written so much about him, that it is hard to compress it for a character biography.
For DH AU stories featuring Elrond, see generally:
"Tales of the Elves of Imladris" and "Tales of the First Age" in the Desperate Hours Series (some corporal punishment elements) or "The Six Children of Elrond Peredhel" and various others in the gen version of the Desperate Hours series (no corporal punishment elements). Just filter my stories by Elrond would probably be the best way to find them.
Appearance and sensory details:
Physical Appearance:
I see Elrond as having ebony black hair that shines in the sun with raven's wing blue-black iridescence. His eyes are a shade of blue-gray between heather blue/gray and slate blue/gray. Celebrian describes the color of Elrond’s eyes as ‘molten silver with a cobalt blue sheen.’
I see Elrond as younger than he was cast in the movies, even though I think that Hugo Weaving is a great actor. I also see Elrond and some of the Imladris elves of Noldorin heritage as seeming somewhat Native American in features, although I'm not sure exactly why that is. It might just be because the actor I found who makes me think of my mental picture of Elrond is Adam Beach in his role as Squanto in 1994's Squanto: A warrior's Tale.
Although, as above, I would picture him with gray eyes because Elrond and his twin having gray eyes like Melian, Luthien, and Elwing is a canon detail that I like, and generally use in my AU.
Elrond’s skin is medium brown with coppery (reddish caramel) undertones. He has high cheekbones, a straight nose, and full lips.
His hair falls to the middle of back, he wears it partially braided back, in a hybrid of the braiding styles worn by healers, warriors, and scholars, and in a hybrid of the braids favored by the elves of Gondolin and Doriath.
Other Sensory Details:
Elrond smells like a medicinal garden in the dawn mist.
Elrond's 'mind voice' feels like a waterfall along the course of a cold, fast-flowing mountain river. (or like a mighty, rushing river).
Elrond's Powers:
Elrond 'hears' water the way that Thranduil (and some other wood elves) hear trees. This is partly an inheritance from Melian, who sometimes served Ulmo as well as Yavanna, and partly Ulmo's fondness for Elrond's family.
Elrond has inherited elven mind powers, human magic, and Maiarin magic. I may post more information on Elrond's powers as separate chapters.
For more on Elrond’s powers, see chapter of this story on Magic in the Desperate Hours AU. See also chapter 1 of “Out of Time” available here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47745091/chapters/120355144.
A Note re: Timeline in the First Age:
Regarding the length of the twins’ fosterage with the Sons of Feanor, I have them only spending a few years with them at Amon Ereb, before Maedhros and Maglor decide that they will be safer on the Isle of Balar. At that point, they arrange for a parley with Cirdan, and deliver the twins to his care. So, the twins grow up from the age of eight or so on the Isle of Balar, under the care of Cirdan, Ereinion, Galadriel, Celeborn, and sometimes Amdir. Amdir is often away, searching for the twins’ uncles amongst t
AU (and canon) Roles Professions/affiliations:
Elrond is a master healer. He rules Imladris from S.A. 1700ish through the end of the Third Age. He is a renowned master scholar. He is a military leader during the War of the Men and elves in Sauron in 1700ish S.A. and the War of the Last Alliance. He is also a military leader (of lesser rank) during the War of Wrath.
Elrond's relationships:
Relationships: Celebrian:
Celebrian and Elrond have been 'in love' to some degree or another since relatively early in the Fourth Age, not long after Celebrian achieved her first Yen (turned 144 years old). They did not meet until Celebrian's first trip to Lindon, which did not take place until after her 144th birthday in part because Celeborn was afraid that Celebrian would see the sea and experience the sea-longing (which she did not). Celebrian and Elrond made tentative plans to marry about forty-five minutes after they first met, much to Erestor's bemused surprise. See draft notes for "Late, a Mess, and Barely Repentant." For Celebrian and Elrond together, see, out of my posted stories, see “Reclaiming” and “Happy Narbeleth, Hir Elrond” in “Tales of the Elves of Imladris.”
Celebrian and Elrond have five (or six) children: the twins Elrohir and Elladan, Andreth (a daughter), Belemir (a son) and Arwen (and they consider Arwen's husband Aragorn, who was Elrond's last foster-son on Middle Earth, also to be their son). They are also parents-in-law to Andreth's husband Gelmir, Belemir's human wife Rossidhiel, and later, in the late 4th Age, to Elrohir's wife Rissaurel Ereinionhil, and Elladan's wife Ciryawende Ereinionhen.
Their grandchildren include Eldarion, Melyanna, Gilwen, Faramir (by adoption), and Grace Gelmiriel.
Their grandchildren-in-law include their granddaughter Grace's husband, their sons' blood-brother, Melpomaen Erestorion and Solarion.
Their great-grandchildren include Faramir's daughter, Mithiriel, who is married to Elurin Diorchil's grandson, Ecthelion 'Theli' Diorchil and Nestorionhen.
Celebrian calls Elrond “my Sea Prince” or “my raven-haired Prince.” Elrond calls Celebrian “My Moonlight Lady” and “My Silver Vixen.”
Relationships: Glorfindel:
Glorfindel loves and respects Elrond deeply, but he also doesn't put up with Elrond putting himself at risk unnecessarily unless Elrond demands that he allow it. Glorfindel calls Elrond "my prince" or "my young prince" or "my young lord" or "my little lord" or "my dear young lord" or "my dear difficult young lord." or sometimes just "my lord" if they're being formal, or "Elrond" if they're being informal, or "my heart" or "grandson of my heart" if he's being tender.
Glorfindel thinks of Elrond as his King, really, even though Elrond himself firmly views his King as Ereinion. Glorfindel is sworn to Ereinion through Elrond, and Glorfindel not-so-secretly believes that Elrond has a better right to be High King of the Noldor on Middle Earth than Ereinion Gil-galad does, because Elrond is Turgon's great-grandson and Turgon was briefly, technically, High King of the Noldor on Middle Earth in the First Age. Turgon, as Fingolfin's son, was higher in the succession than Finarfin, from whom Ereinion is descended, even though Idril (in my AU), when she was offered the High Queenship (by Ereinion and by Ereinion's regent Galadriel, and by Cirdan) did decline, letting the high Kingship go to Ereinion.
Elrond does not like it when Glorfindel calls him "my prince," since he views that higher term of address as weakening Ereinion Gil-galad's claim to the throne. Glorfindel doesn't quite dare to call Elrond 'my King,' because even he realizes that would weaken (and challenge) Gil-galad's claim to the Kingship, and Glorfindel respects (however reluctantly) Elrond's decision to swear his fealty to Gil-galad as his King. Glorfindel does, occasionally, tell Elrond that Glorfindel thinks he would make an excellent King, one whom Glorfindel would be proud to serve. One whom Glorfindel thinks would do an even better job than Gil-galad, but that's neither here nor there, and Glorfindel never says so in as many words to Elrond, because he knows that Elrond loves and respects Gil-galad, and would not like to hear it.
Relationships: Arandil (Glorfindel's son, Elrond's childhood mentor)
Arandil helped to raise Elrond, in Sirion, and then again on the Isle of Balar, once the twins left the sons of Feanor, while they were still young children. Arandil was their Household Governor and their primary tutor, in the fighting arts and in scholarly matters. He was also their representative on Ereinion Gil-Galad's council and their (and Ereinion Gil-galad's) ambassador to the humans of the Houses of the Edain.
Arandil refers to young Elrond and Elros as "My Stars" collectively, and as "My Healing Star" and "My Questing Star" respectively.
Relationship: Thranduil:
Elrond calls Thranduil "My Noble Star' or "My Star" or "dear young cousin" or "cousin-mine." I'm still working on how Thranduil addresses Elrond. I may also have Elrond sometimes call a hurt Thranduil ‘my favorite patient,’ a little fatalistically but still fondly.
My Arandil refers to young Elrond and Elros as "My Stars" collectively, and as "My Healing Star" and "My Questing Star" respectively. So it is a nice continuity, to have Elrond share something that is meaningful with Thranduil in a way specific to Thranduil. And it is something for Thranduil to maybe realize in the course of a story, that Elrond chose a name for him inspired in part on a nickname of Elrond's own that had been special to him.
Elrond is a mentor to Thranduil, and always very patient with him. He tutors Thranduil in mind magic, among other things.
Relationships Ereinion Gil-galad:
To Elrond, Ereinion is his big-brother, one of his best-friends, and another father (although neither of them calls it that, because Elrond has father issues). Ereinion’s childhood nickname for Elrond and Elros was ‘my little sea-monsters.’
Elrond's Sigil:
A single eight pointed white star on a purple/blue sky (in the southern sky). It is an homage to his Noldorin heritage, and to Ereinion Gil-galad his High King (whose symbol is three eight pointed white stars on dark twilight purple) and to his Feanorion foster-fathers.
The star is set over a green mountain range separated by a river (standing for Imladris), over which were crossed a sword and a scroll, denoting his roles as warrior and scholar. On the bank of the river stood a willow tree, the symbol of a healer.
A list of adjectives/words that I customarily use in describing/writing Elrond:
Elrond - scholarly, kind, sometimes fierce, wise, curious, caring, competent, versatile, fey (as in otherworldly, like faerie kind (or a Maia))
Some of my Favorite Canon Quotes about/relating to Elrond:
“In those days of our tale, there were still some people who had both elves and heroes of the North for ancestors and Elrond, the master of the house, was their chief. He was as noble and as fair in face as an elf lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves and as kind as summer.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
"Elrond gathered [at Imladris] many Elves, and other folk of wisdom and power from among all the kindreds of Middle-earth, and he preserved through many lives of Men the memory of all that had been fair; and the house of Elrond was a refuge for the weary and the oppressed, and a treasury of good counsel and wise lore." - J.R.R. Tolkien
"[T]he Ring of Sapphire was with Elrond, in the fair valley of Rivendell, upon whose house the stars of heaven most brightly shone." - J.R.R. Tolkien
“For [Elrond’s Great-grandmother] Melian was of the divine race of the Valar, and she was a Maia of great power and wisdom; but for love of Elwë Singollo she took upon herself the form of the Elder Children of Ilúvatar, and in that union she became bound by the chain and trammels of the flesh of Arda . . . and in that form she gained a power over the substance of Arda . . . and Esgalduin the enchanted river [spoke with her voice].” – J.R.R. Tolkien
“Then Elrond and Galadriel rode on; for the Third Age was over and the Days of the Rings were passed and an end was come of the story and song of those times.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
“For Maglor [and Maedhros] took pity upon Elros and Elrond, and [they] cherished them, and love grew after between them, as little might be thought.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
“Farewell, and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you.
May the stars shine upon your faces!” ― Spoken by Elrond, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
“Such is of the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.” ― Spoken by Elrond, J.R.R. Tolkien
"And it is said that in . .. [that] time [when the refugees of Doriath and Gondolin were making their homes and their ships at the Havens of Sirion,] Ulmo came to Valinor out of the deep waters, and spoke there to the Valar of the need of the Elves; and he called on them to forgive them, and rescue them from the overmastering might of Morgoth, and win back the Silmarils, wherein alone now bloomed the light of the Days of Bliss when the Two Trees still shone in Valinor. But Manwë moved not; and of the counsels of his heart what tale shall tell?
The wise have said that the hour was not yet come, and that only one speaking in person for the cause of both Elves and Men, pleading for pardon on their misdeeds and pity on their woes, might move the counsels of the Powers; and the oath of Fëanor perhaps even Manwë could not loose, until it found its end, and the sons of Fëanor relinquished the Silmarils, upon which they had laid their ruthless claim. For the light which lit the Silmarils the Valar themselves had made." – J.R.R. Tolkien
“And thus [with the seeming permission of Feanor and his sons, who seemingly repossessed the gems only to give them to themselves,] it came to pass that the Silmarils found their long homes: one in the airs of heaven, and one in the fires of the heart of the world, and one in the deep waters.”― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion
“There came a time near dawn on the eve of spring, and Luthien danced upon a green hill; and suddenly she began to sing. Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Luthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where he feet had passed. Then the spell of silence fell from Beren, and he called to her, crying Tinuviel; and the woods echoed the name.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion
"For Lúthien was the most beautiful of all the Children of Ilúvatar. Blue was her raiment as the unclouded heaven, but her eyes were grey as the starlit evening; her mantle was sewn with golden flowers, but her hair was dark as the shadows of twilight. As the light upon the leaves of trees, as the voice of clear waters, as the stars above the mists of the world, such was her glory and her loveliness; and in her face was a shining light." - J.R.R. Tolkien