Elennína
Elennína
"Star-Woman"
Age:790
Race:Elvish
Sex:Female
Personality:Although rage left her heart many years ago, Elennína remains ever mistrustful of Men and Dwarves, some of this uncertainty even passing along to some of her woodland kin in Mirkwood; this could easily be attributed to her lack of contact with all of the above since the Battle of the Five Armies, and due to this, has seen a lack of actions from the three that could lead to her becoming more open-minded once again. Although hearing of men's triumph over Sauron's forces at Minas Tirith during the Second War of the Ring, she could not help but think of Isildur's weakness that had caused such an avoidable war in his lust for the One Ring, and the power it held. Instead, Elennína found herself having much more respect for the Hobbit-Folk, and the burden endured by Frodo Baggins and his kin for ending such an evil. However, regardless of her feelings for other races, Elennína will remain as polite and respectful as she can bare when talking with them. Unfortunately, a quick-temper and lack of tact can sometimes make such altercations tense, especially when it comes to important manners... such as the importance behind the meeting she now journeys to. Elennína cannot promise her emissary to keep her mouth shut in these talks, as long as others choose to consider what she thinks is the wrong - and foolish - path.
Outside of disagreements, Elennína remains the curious and adventurous soul that she was as a child; although more subdued in her older years, she can still find enjoyment in learning and enjoying new things and experiences; even new things about the Dwarves and Men that she has come to be wary of.
Appearance:Like most of her kin, Elennína's stature is both tall and lithe; standing at a height just short of 6 foot, her slender frame and natural lightness allows her to move faster and quieter than any mortal man could. Even among her kin, she is known for her speed both on the ground and among trees - although not a Silvan elf, her years in Mirkwood has given her more than enough practice in traversing branches and leaves, quiet enough to evade even the most scrutinising eyes and ears. Her looks too are typical of an elf; an angled and symmetrical face, pleasant to look upon, even with her piercing green eyes and generally stern expression. Elennína's hair is not quite as immaculately kept as many Elves tend their's; preferring to simply pull it back into a tight ponytail or plait to keep it out of her way in a fight - otherwise, it hangs loose, the dark auburn tresses long enough to brush against her hips.
The fair skin of her body is marred here and there from scarring of past wounds; most of them, including the most serious, sustained during the Battle of the Five Armies. Most have faded away to nothing more than silver lines, but a more notable one sits on her midriff, curving around from her left hip, to just under her right breast. The skin has long since healed, but will never disappear.
Backstory:Born in Imladris in T.A. 2450, Elennína's family descended from the great Ñoldo Orodreth, king of Nargothrond and father to the famous warrior-King Gil-galad. Her genealogy remains almost entirely Ñoldor, with influences of Vanyar and Teleri only having appeared in her very earliest of ancestors.
Although having been born in Imladris, Elennína and her family did not remain there for very long. Her father - being a quite forward thinking merchant - wished to move to Mirkwood, hoping the larger Elven Kingdom could provide more for he and his family; the close proximity of both the Dwarves of Erebor and the cities of Esgaroth and Dale also made the idea more tempting. Elennína's mother was hesitant at first, what with the dark shadow that had encircled the once green wood; Elennína too was unhappy. Although only 13 at the time - a rather young age for an Elf - she knew enough about Imladris and it's lands that it would be far more beautiful than Mirkwood, and she loathed to leave the peaceful Rivendell and it's people behind. The journey was long, but mostly undisturbed - her family were soon settled in the Kingdom of Thranduil.
Elennína did prefer her old home to Mirkwood, but she still found enjoyment there. The Silvan Elves had so many skills and stories that she had not even dreamed of in the West, and visiting the lands of the men and Dwarves with her father and brother were endlessly interesting for her. Her mind was opened past the discrimination of the species that still existed amongst elves, and in time she and her Ñoldor family integrated quite nicely into the people of Mirkwood, picking up the native languages of Sindarin and Silvan quite easily. As the two siblings reached adulthood, they enlisted with the Mirkwood guards, gaining skills in fighting with both sword and bow in order to protect their new home. Elennína wished that their King did something about the shadow over the forest, rather than just killing any dark creature that came too close to their borders; but she was young at this point, and didn't dwell on the thought all that much. It was several hundred years later in T.A. 2941 that she truly realised the darkness of their realm and the lands around it. The Battle of the Five Armies.
Having risen through the ranks of the Mirkwood guard at this point, Elennína and her brother Elenulo had joined the Elven host as it marched towards Erebor; the pair praised for being the swiftest runner and silent archer in Mirkwood respectively. A battle had not been expected at this point, so they had been merry at the prospect of the treasure awaiting their people at the Lonely Mountain. It wasn't long after the Dwarves were discovered alive and battle about to begin before news of Orcs came to them. As the host of darkness crested the hills in the distance, Elennína and Elenulo had promised to stay by each other's side, for if they were together, then they couldn't possibly fall.
However, as happens in war, such plans rarely go ahead without a hitch. She had lost him for what had been only a few seconds in her mind, but in the thick of battle, it had been impossible to stay with him. It was only when the dust cleared and their foes defeated did she find Elenulo, cut down by some unknown opponent, and barely clinging to life. She had held him and wept in his final moments, unable to do anything but watch as he bled out. The battle had been won, but at a high price.
After losing her beloved brother, Elennína could not bear to stay in Mirkwood any longer. An anger that she had never felt before raged in her heart, pinning the blame of his death on all parties involved in the battle; Thranduil, the humans, the Dwarves, the Orcs, and of course, herself. It was easy to hate the orcs, but she felt discomfort at her fury towards all others. They had lost beloved ones too, but the anger kept a firm hold of her - it would only do for her to leave, for peace eluded her in the stifling forests of Mirkwood.
She travelled a while, avoiding most and keeping to herself before her travels brought her back to her birthplace; Imladris. It was just as peaceful and calm as she had remembered, and so sought the council of Lord Elrond. Having already heard of the events that had transpired in the east, and the death of her brother, Elrond offered her teachings in the way of healing; out of all the magic she had developed (Which wasn't a whole lot), healing had been an art that had eluded her for years, so she had abandoned the study. Recalling how she had been helpless to save Elenulo from his wounds, Elennína gratefully took up Elrond's offer, and spent the next few decades studying beneath him. As time passed, her knowledge grew, and the fires of anger in her heart began to die down... but even since then, she has retained a distrust for Men and Dwarves. As the Second War of the Ring came about, this distrust was only instilled further in her heart; if certain members of their species had been less foolish and greedy, Elennína believed that this second War would not have even occurred. The flight of the Elves from Middle-Earth did not sit well in her heart either; evil still existed there, even with Sauron vanquished.
Elennína had been one of the several Elves to receive dreams of the restoration of Beleriand - she was unsure as to why such visions were granted to her and her kin, and if it meant they were destined to rebuild there. But Elennína had no desire to walk in those lands, other than a brief mission of recon with other Elves. East Beleriand was an alien land to her, and after the mistakes of the past still present in the ruins of lost cities, she felt no love for the place. Instead she remained in Lothlórien - the forest that held Caras Galadhon had been her home ever since Imladris was abandoned - and helped guard the people still remaining there. Beyond strange attacks on the roads leading to other cities, and erratic raids from Misty Mountain Goblins, life there has been fairly slow.
Reason for investigating the silent colony?:A friend, Míriel, asked her to go to Dôr-min-Taur on her behalf. Míriel had once dwelled in Imladris with Elennína, and journeyed with her to Lothlórien after Lord Elrond had departed for Aman. Here she fell in love with a Silvan Elf named Sîdhael, and the two were married. In recent months, Sîdhael and his brother had left to visit Dôr-min-Taur to see a relative. At this point, they are very late in coming home, and had not sent any more letters since the spring, a good few weeks ago. Míriel, being heavy with child, could not travel, and so asked Elennína if she would undertake the journey to see what was wrong. She was only too happy to oblige, for Sîdhael was a friend to her too, and she felt a deep fear in her heart at the thought of what may have happened to him and his brother.
Other:Although nearly all have left from Imladris, Elennína continues to wear their armour, although omitting the use of the helmet as she finds it obstructs her peripheral vision more than she is comfortable with. Although the chest-plate and other components of her armour is made up plated metal, it was made to be light and agile, and as such, does not slow her down as heavier armour may.
As for weapons, Elennína carries a bow of average Elven make; there is nothing spectacular about it, beyond the usual stunning craftsmanship of her kin in such weapons. It is in her sword that her true talent lies, and while no master of the blade, it outshines her skill with the bow, and the longsword named
Amaford has saved many over the centuries it has been used. With it, she carries two knives, kept from her time in the Woodland Realm, for she would be foolish to not carry with her spare weapons. Even if she does not need them in an emergency, a fellow on the battlefield may.
Other notable items Elennína carries with her is a bracelet of woven silver, a token of good luck gifted from her parents before they departed for Aman; she also carries a satchel for treating injuries, containing herbs such as Athelas for poisons, and first aid items such as needle and thread, bandages, etc.
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