End of the First Age Notes

At the conclusion of the War of Wrath it was noted that some Elves did not return to Valinor and remained in Middle-earth. Here are a few snippets from Unfinished Tales and Return of the King that give some insight on some Middle-earth people groups at the end of the First Age.

Of Elves:

• Those that did not return to Valinor after the breaking of Angband traveled over the Blue Mountains and settled in Eriador
• Some Sindar settled south. These were Elves of Doriath who still harbored a grudge against the Noldor. After learning of ship building they settled at the mouth of the Morthond River. "There was already a primitive harbor there of fisherfolk, but these in fear of the Eldar fled into the mountains" (p. 247, Unfinished Tales)

Of Dwarves:

• "After the end of the First Age the power and wealth of Khazad-dum was much increased; for it was enriched by many people and much lore and craft when the ancient cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains were ruined at the breaking of Thangorodrim" (p. 352, The Return of the King).
• Through the years, even with the dominion of Sauron, the power of Khazad-dum (Moria) grew even as it's inhabitants dwindled

Of the Folk of Haleth and the Druedain:

• "An emigrant branch of the Druedain accompanied the Folk of Haleth at the end of the First Age, and dwelt in the Forest [of Brethil] with them. But most of them had remained in the White Mountains, in spite of their persecution by later-arrived Men, who had relapsed into the service of the Dark" (p. 383, Unfinished Tales)

Middle-earth timeline: End of the First Age

Today's reading comes from: Unfinished Tales, page 247; The Return of the King, page 352; Unfinished Tales, page 383