[Anguirel]

1000 reader me old sport...I'm back! And not before time, you might say...

RESULTS OF DAY SIXTEEN

Two enclaves of Elvendom alone survived, Sirion and Ossiriand; and the Silmaril of Elwing threatened to engulf them both in destruction. The Lord Earendil had sailed into the West, hoping to find aid in distant Valinor.

A messenger from Maedhros, High King of the Noldor, arrived at the Havens. Maedhros informed the Lady Elwing that her family was avenged, and sent her the helm of Telchar as proof. He further said that she owed her Silmaril to the prowess of Feanor's line, and requested that it be delivered.

The court at Sirion was in confusion. Gil-Galad, the King of Sirion, advised that the Silmaril be delivered on condition that the House of Feanor abandon the Kingship of the Noldor to him; and Celebrian agreed. Cirdan remembered the war between Celegorm and Dior, and counselled that the Silmaril should be thrown into the Sea to end the strife. Mablung advised a flat refusal.

At last Elwing made her decision. The gem would be given specifically to the peacable Maglor, not his mighty brother, and only on condition that Gil-Galad receive the High Kingship. But Mablung was not satisfied. He drew his sword in the Lady Elwing's presence and seized the Silmaril; but it burnt him as it had burnt at Morgoth, Curufin, Dior and Telchar. Dumb with pain, he ran from the palace and hurled himself over a cliff.

RESULTS OF THE CHALLENGE

The terms of Elwing disquieted the sos of Feanor; for Maglor had no wish for the jewel, and Maedhros regarded Gil-Galad as an upstart. But Maglor gently reminded Maedhros of the Oath, and how it would be better to achieve it by peace than by more fruitless war.

Maedhros was sorely tempted to take the Silmaril when it arrived; and so he bade his soldiers bind him in chains, so that he would not be overcome by madness as Maglor received it. Truly, Maglor's right was unsullied, and it filled the second son of Feanor with radiance; and Maedhros conquered himself. The Crown of the High King was sent to Sirion; but a messenger dropped it and it fell into the Sea. Maedhros and Gil-Galad took this as an omen, and ruled as equals from then on, King of Ossiriand and King of Sirion. And when Elrond was of age, and was inclined to music and lore, Elwing sent him to study under Maglor.

Morgoth, seeing his designs had gone awry, grew wondrous wroth and called the mightiest of the dragons to him, now under Smaug the Magnificent, whose armour was like tenfold shields...and many, many, Orcs. He planned to reclaim the third jewel and slaughter the Elves and remaining Men in Brethil and Dor-Lomin.

Meanwhile, Earendil was met by figures out of distant legend-the Valkyries of the Vanyar, led by Indis and Amarie! They told him that in Valinor, all was still disorder...yet he had to raise some help...and they guided him to the blessed shores.

It's Day Seventeen Google in Valinor! The contestants:

Tribes

VALAR

Ulmo
Aule
Tulkas
Namo aka Mandos
Orome
Lorien
Varda
Yavanna
Nienna
Este
Vana
Vaire
Nessa

MAIA

Uinen
Olorin
Alatar
Pallando

VANYAR

Indis
Amarie

PEREDHIL

Earendil

Challenge the seventeeth: don't worry, most of those Valar will be off the scene again soon. Now-REINFORCEMENTS. Help Earendil get some of those Valinorian types on his side.