A First Age Post

[Echthelion]

Greetings folks,

Before I post what I am about to post, I just wanted to get a bit of feedback about what you all enjoy reading. What I have written, and subsequently submitted to Benjamin for review and comment (when he gets back from Juliard, that is) is a First Age story.

It revolves, surprisingly, around a dwarf, descended from one of the other Dwarf Lords forged by Aule (Mahal) before the coming of the Elves. His is a strangely fated life, for with each work he forges, he pours out a little bit of his soul, though with such an outpouring of his life into his works, they become greater than most others forged by the dwarves of Tumunhazar (Nogrod). As he fears that he will soon die if more and more of his works accept larger and larger pieces of his soul until at last he can no longer forge great works as he once could and will die with little soul other than that which shall accept judgement after death, he wishes to gain as much knowledge and skill as he can as his mortal life allows. In his heart, knowledge is his greatest treasure, rather than gold and gems, and he is rewarded for his efforts...with a perilous quest that will take him through the gates of Hell itself.

He is searching for the Ruins of Utumno, first realm of the Dark Lord, whose pits were bared with the coming of the Valar during the Second War of Beleriand. Nevertheless, though it was destroyed, who is to say that whatever evil lingered in those caves was eradicated? What, if any, works lie still in its bowels? What creatures still lurk there, waiting for prey to take back to their Dark Master? What forged items or graven works reside in that dungeon that could, perhaps, offer strength or wisdom to those who would seek to conquer the Dark Lord?

All of these questions shall be answered in what will probably be a five or six-part story. However, I know the Silmarillion can be a difficult work to read, and a lot of my writing is derived from it - olde English and what not (lots of thees and thous, etc) because I enjoy that type of writing, and it seems that antiquity is something that most fantasy readers prefer. I never like to write in the vernacular - it's just too...modern.

Anyway, Please respond with some feedback and let me know what you're looking for...or if this is something you'd like to read. Thanks very much.

Yours in the glory of the Valar, I remain
Echthelion
Elf-Lord of Gondolin
Slayer of Gothmog
Namesake of the Father of Denethor, he of the White Tower of Minas Tirith in the Waning Years of the Eldar