When I completed the second book in the Dominion of Man series I promised an introduction and a series of appendices to that volume to further explain details or inconsistencies . Now I feel that my introduction for the first volume "The Estari of Morder" is adiquit enough to stand as a good beginner's guide to both books and that both volumes probably should stand as one novel expanding upon the fate of the second Morgoth or rather Palando as he is truly named by Gandalf. Therefore only the appendices for the "Holy Quest" are here provided. Thank you and enjoy this further analysis of both the works of Tolkien and my own writings.
Appendix A
The History of This Book
Unlike the "Estari of Mordor" the second part in this story "The Holy Quest" was not written by Findagild but rather a man by the name of Gorlim the great grand son of Elendur who was named after the messenger who brought the news of the captain's capture to Elrohir. Then the story was copied over once again by a man of the north who now dwelt in Ithillian named Aranoth and later by his son Arahad the second who in turn was named after the warrior who kept the forces of the dark lord at bay in Arnor while the battles of Dun Harrow and Pelenor 2 were fought. It was this latest version that was publish with "The Estari of Mordor" in one book rather then two separate works and this makes perfect sense considering both works sum up most of what we know of the histories of Morgoth and of the crown in the days of old. Yet nevertheless both stories were sundered by a gap of years so that the matters chronicled in book 1 were almost legendary to the persons in book 2 and several notes were provided in that text which have here been excluded for copy right issues between the children of Arahad and the publishers of the city. This appendix has been made to address this issue. Further more many names in this version of the story such as Gandalf more commonly used in the Westron tongue of the people of the north kingdom are used more frequently since the Red Book which has become so popular uses the names of Arnor rather then the titles of persons and places most elegantly spoken or written by the folk of the Southern realms of Rohan and Gondor. This copy has been transcribed by Lord Tar Eldicar the second on March the 12th 11789 of the fourth age. All rights to this volume of the text belong to the children of Arahad who were kind enough to help the lore masters come up with a new addition of the text. To copy this document with out legal authority under the Association of Manuscripts is a crime punishable by a fee exceeding thirty pents and twelve gold bars.
Appendix B
The Writings of Elrohir following the tidings of Gorlim. This document has been taken directly from the diary of the first mate and future politician. Only a few minor changes have been made to abridge this paper for the common use of readers through out the united kingdoms.
"When Gorlim brought the tidings of Elendur's capture I immediately fell in to an abbess of utter failure." "How could we, a host of ragged men only just on our feet from wounds face the flag ship of an evil mastermind bent on our captain's destruction?" "The answer was clear but our means of accomplishing it were utterly dimmed by the impossibilities of our cursed situation." "I would lead the sailors to the ship of our foes and attempt the rescue of Elendur with all our strength and skill but even then we were now match for the thousands of men who normally occupied the vessel." "Then on a clear morning a small boat came to us baring three lords. Two of the figures were elves but the third was indeed Gandalf!" I cried out in excitement and the sailors cheered. ""Please restrain your joy my friends for the present" interrupted the wizard nodding gravely at me with a knowing look of concern. ""Darker days lie ahead and at the end of the quest only ruin if we fail."" It was in that hour when the small vessel of hope departed that Gandalf explained a plan he had concocted to spring our captain from his prison." "Of course we all naturally agreed and that night began to repair our weapons stolen from our people by the men of the south long ago." "We recovered them when we stumbled across a ship that happened to be heading towards the isle searching for missing treasure under the command of the dark enemy." "After much toil we at last spotted the flag ship and commenced our attack." "Gandalf leapt aboard the vessel and with a spoken word he destroyed several drunk guards above deck with an estounding explosion." "Bright steel met bright steel and men that should have lived many years at home or on the surface of the waves met their untimely end but most of us were left alive to bare back messages to Gondor after our first quest had been achieved." "But then the wizard left us and out of the depths rose a wave so large that it seemed to dwarf that gigantic ship just as a model cart seems but an ant when compared to the actual horse drawn coaches of the white city." ""Why"" we cried out believing that we had somehow unleashed Eru's wrath with some rash decision , but at last a glorious wind stronger then any gale of Arda blew us out of the downfall of the isle and took us to the old black Numenorian outpost caught amidst the encircling sea." "We were saved but my task was not yet finished." "Another far more dangerous mission awaited me but of that story I dare not tell in full." "All I will say is that the lord of the Black Fleet was no other then Morgoth the second and that he placed much of his native strength in to one knife forging the blade in the fires of doom." "It was Elendur's task to destroy the knife and he needed one trusty companion and so against my will I decided to go with him and Gandalf knowing that if I did not then my freedom was useless." "If Morgoth returned to earth then either my children or their sons would have to face the same threat." "No other man could be Elendur's Samwise Gamgy." "At last Elendur destroyed the weapon of the enemy and Gandalf departed for the undying lands with the Witnesses of Manwe who are three large eagles out of the blessed realm of the Valar." Thus ends the last entry in the diary of Elrohir councilor of the king. After his Holy Quest was accomplished the former sailor never bothered to keep a diary since he could always share his thoughts with his family but his youngest son kept up a small history of his father's exploits on the high sea and so the composition of book 2 was possible. This first hand account of the final chapters of "The Holy Quest" is less detailed then the version found in this novel but it offers a reader the best single document regarding the actions of Elendur's crew following the tidings of Gorlim.
Appendix C
The Destruction of Morgoth's Knife
The quest to help destroy the knife of the enemy is almost entirely unknown. Elrohir never mentioned to his family or in his diary how difficult the expedition in to Mordor truly was but we can guess that it was far more difficult then Gandalf first anticipated. This short note to Amandil the king concerning the quest though sheds a little light on this obscure topic as well as a few other articles written by a few of Elendur's ship mates who heard at the very least a fraction of the tale.
"To Amandil King of all the Dunidain
"My Lord as you already know the wizard Mithrandir, Elrohir and myself traveled in to the black land with the single minded purpose of destroying the ruling knife of the foe who now is no more." "I do not wish to divulge any more information other then those facts which I will hear list concerning our quest." "First you will be glad to know that we accomplished our mission and that we are all safe and sound." "Gandalf has left for the undying lands but he left us good omens which I will not tell you unless command to do so in order to insure that these omens come true." "Four over a week we toiled through the desert of Mordor." "Evil folk still dwell there and spies lurk in dark caverns along the base of Orodruin." "Yet we passed them with out mishap save for one very unpleasant encounter with a Goblin or two and a small scrawny creature who walked on all fours like a beast." "I could almost believe that this fellow looked like Gollum but that poor wretch fell in to the fires of doom long ago destroying the ruling ring." "This creature needless to say is now slain for we could not risk being given away by him and at last we reached the fires with in the mountain and so melted the knife to atoms." "Gandalf did mention some kind of a plan for escape but we were quite caught off guard when lava came flying out of the passage way to slay us." "Thankfully we were saved by several eagles who bore the wizard off that o his home and took us to safe parts in lands friendly to the crown."
No more of this letter need be provided but we can already see that some kind of "mishap" took place concerning spies of Morgoth and with that "scrawny" little creature like Gollum. In fact most scholars are pretty sure that this creature, who ever he was, had to have held the Knife for a time and by merely keeping it unused the evil nature of the blade twisted his mind in to insanity. Yet who was this odd demented person? Perhaps the one who brought the blade out of the ruins and to the blue hand? The world will likely never uncover the truth but the fact that that mystery remains is interesting to say the least. One ship mate of Elendur once said to his children one evening, "There is much about the old tales which we will never quite know all about." "You might read the events in a big fat book or just hear the stories but somehow something is going to be missing in the narrative." "Sometimes these tales are too dark or they have just been lost after years and years." "That also is true with Elendur's Holy Quests." "I will not tell you everything since I have not experienced all the story first hand and there are others better suited for the telling of such a sojourn." "However it was known to me that the journey in to Mordor was far from easy." "Indeed wizard and Gondorian alike faced hardships which the lord of the fleet shall not reveal to darken the light of day." Another sailor remarked on this same matter, "Sure Elendur told me the whole story since he never wanted to keep anything from his men but beyond us no one else knows the full truth." "Do not heed all rumors concerning sneak night attacks and flying nazgul returned from the grave for that is undoubtedly all nonsense." "Yet if I was to divulge one peace of information I would tell you of that small slimy creature but I won't since I don't have the patience or time to spend on a great tale this evening." Thus end all shadowy remarks from those who knew the knife barer best not including any outlandish rumors now disclaimed by the house of Elendur and Elrohir.
