Histories part 1

Feandor was of the Noldorin Elves. A very old Elf, he had come with the Eldar on the great journey from Cuivienen. He was a friend of Finwe and high amongst the Noldor of Tirion.

When Finwe's son Fingolfin was come of age, the prince took Feandor as a high advisor since he was very learned. However, Feandor was ever more like minded to Feanor's people than Fingolfin's, though he loved Fingolfin the greater and he often mediated between the two, as there was some strife between the brothers.

Feandor took no wife, and lived alone devoting his time to his Lord. He delighted in the bliss of Valinor and often wandered alone on the plains in the mingling light of the two trees.

When Melkor stole the Silmarils, and Feanor resolved that the Noldor follow him and take the Jewels back by force, Feandor counseled Fingolfin to follow Feanor and his sons. So strong was his counsel, that even when Mandos pronounced the doom of the Noldor, Fingolfin resolved to lead his people across the Grinding Ice back to Middle Earth.

Fingolfin lost many of his people in that crossing, and many of those who lost loved ones grew bitter towards Feandor and his counsels. Soon Feandor was disliked by most of the Elves and Figolfin was forced to dismiss him as an advisor. He left Fingolfin and lived in Hithlum where he married and had a son, whom he named Feandil.

Feandil grew up fast in the safety of Hithlum, but was much estranged from the other Elves because of his father. But he was tall and strong and the light of the High Elves burned brightly within him.

When Morgoth made the assault of the Dagor Aglareb, Fingolfin called on Feandor to help marshall his armies, for he valued his tactical skills and courage. Feandil went with his father and went into battle by his side, where Feandor won great renown for his brilliant flanking manouveres which allowed the Elves to wipe out the Orcs by the hundred.

On the second day of the battle, Feandil, still young and not to his ful stature, was grievously injured, but escaped from the battlefield alive, and was taken back to Hithlum. Feandor vowed revenge. In the later stages of the battle, when the armies of Fingolfin and Maedhros came together, crushing the forces of Morgoth, Feandor, in his wrath rode at the front of Fingolfin's host and drove deep into the ranks of Orcs, and killed dozens singlehandedly, but was outnumbered and eventually slain.

The victory of the Elves was complete, and though overshadowed by his earlier mistakes, some said, Feandor was moreoften remembered for his valour and his brilliant battle strategies. Feandil, however, returned home to his mother who, heraing the news of Feandor's death, perished since she was stricken with grief.

Fingolfin then called Feandil to his service, saying "Your father can not be rewarded in death, so I should honour his memory by taking his son into my service in his place." Feandil refused the offer, saying, "I am not my Father, nor will I be able to replace his counsels. I wish for now to rest in solitude and remembrance of my parents who have passed, until my heart is swayed another way."

And so Feandil lived alone in Hithlum, in the house of his father. Until on day, many years later, there came to the door, as beggars, a beautiful, though tired and wayworn Elf Maiden by the name of Tapestry, and her son who was called Cusarn.

Histories part 2

Feandor welcomed them heartily. Tapestry slept in a comfortable bed for the first time in many months, and Cusarn told Feandil of the long journey they had made to his land to seek the hospitality of the King of the Noldor, but had been turned away.

"My mother Tapestry," related Cusarn "Is of the Sindar of Doriath, but was captured by Orcs soon after Morgoth returned to Middle Earth. She escaped from imprisonment in Angband but was not allowed to return to her people, for they fear that the escapees are spies. So we lived alone in a small hut beneath the eaves of the mountains east of Sirion. I never new my father, but mother said he was a High Elf like yourself, who was journeying through our land. Maybe one day I will find him. Maybe not."

"And what brings you to the realm of Fingolfin?" asked Feandil, and Cusarn replied,

"It was a few months before we left, that I saved the life of the great Noldo, Fearod" and Feandil gasped, for though he had never met Fearod, he, as did all the Noldor, new what a great warrior he was, and could not at first believe that Fearod would need a saviour such as young Cusarn. But Cusarn told him of their meeting, and Feandil wondered at the blood that must be within Cusarn, but said nothing of it, instead enquiring as to Cusarn's name.

"'Bow-stone', I would take it to mean, and from what you say you live up to it quite well. But you are young, as am I, and I forsee you to be a friend among friends to me. So i shall call you 'Cuzza', and your friends shall know you as such for ever on."

And so they did, and Cuzza and Tapestry stayed with Feandil many months, and regained their strength. And Feandil tired of the siege of Angband, wishing to leave Hithlum in search of adventure.

It was during this time that rumours came through the Noldor that Prince Turgon son of King Fingolfin was preparing a great exodus from Nevrast and moving all of his people, and many others of the Eldar, to a new place of fastness he had prepared. Feandil, Cuzza and Tapestry joined one of the small parties that left the settlements of the Noldor, and by that secret way they came, as did many others, to the newly built city of Gondolin, amidst the Encircling Mountains.

Here they made their homes in the realm of King Turgon. Cuzza lived with his mother still, and Feandil met and wedded Nenar, a young Noldorin maiden who like him was born in Middle Earth, and her parents had been lost. During this time Tapestry fell ill and passed away, and with her last words she told Cuzza what she had realised when they came to Gondolin; that King Turgon was Cuzza's father. So Cuzza then left Gondolin against the will of the King, to take revenge on Morgoth, who had sent the plague that killed Tapestry. Of his tale much is told elsewhere, but he never returned to Gondolin or saw his dear friend Feandil again.

Histories part 3

Feandil and Nenar lived on in Gondolin, and Feandil looked after Cuzza's house in the hope of his return. He held a funeral for Tapestry, which to the surprise of many, King Turgon attended, saying, "It is not often that one of the Gondolindrim passes, as we are protected by our secrecy, let alone one of our women folk, and as the King I feel the loss as greatly as you do," although he did not diverge his true reason for being there, and was forced to continue this custom for the remaining years of Gongolin, for which he gained even greater love from the people.

Tapestry's urn was placed in Cuzza's house and awaited his return, whence her ashes should be buried. But that day never came. However, an Elf named Cusarn did come to live in Gondolin again. He was born by Nenar to Feandil, and they named his in the memory of Cuzza the lost, as the people had come to remember him.

Young Cusarn was much like his Father, eager for adventure, and had inherited his grandfather's head for tactics and battle. Tall and strong he grew, ever more proficient with bow than with sword. He followed in the footsteps of Cuzza the lost, and was taken into the service of Ecthelion of the Fountain (who had taken Samovuk's place as chief of Guard in Gondolin). When news came to Gondolin of the massing of the Elven armies from all over Beleriand to the purpose of the rescue of Prismcat (the most beautiful Elf Maiden from Valinor), Cusarn willed the King into joining the battle, but Turgon would not be swayed, saying, "The time was not yet come for the overthrow of Morgoth. And when that time does come, the ranks of the Gondolindrim must be at full capacity. We cannot spare our fighters at this time."

So only a few Elves were dispatched from Gondolin to watch over that battle, which was later known as the Dagormel, and they watched the might of the Eldarin forces approach Angband, and gain the upper hand in the battle. But many of the Elves lost heart at a crucial stage of the battle, and gave up the fight and left the battlefield to be ravaged by Morgoth's armies. And the Noldor once again had final victory snatched away from right under their noses, and they also Fled as soon as Prismcat was freed from the dungeon.

But Prismcat was wounded in the escape, and died, so the best efforts of the Eldar combined had come to naught. Fearod had played a major part in the battle, and with Prismcat in the dungeon of Angband he had found again the Elf to whom he owed his life, Cuzza, son of Turgon. Through many torments he had come, and had been imprisoned by Morgoth. But he had survived and saw the light of the sun once more as he emerged onto the battlefield of the Dagormel, where he was slain by a stray arrow. Fearod took his body from that horrible placed and travelled alone to Gondolin, where he found the house of Tapestry. And she and her son Fearod buried in a private garden planted in their memory. So Cuzza was reunited with his mother both at home, and in the halls of Mandos.

Young Cusarn meanwhile had grown in standing in Gondolin. His skills had increased markedly, and Fearod noticed this. King Turgon showed great favour to him, though no one really new why, and Maeglin, the King's sister-son, despised this greatly. He spoke out against Cusarn, saying he was merely a commoner, and undeserving of special treatment. This only served to increase the tention between Turgon and his heir to the throne, but when Fearod offered Cusarn the chance to leave Gondolin and become his apprentice (of sorts, for Fearod never truly trained Cusarn as such), Turgon gladly obliged and the bliss of Gondolin was to some degree restored.

So Cusarn went forth from Gondolin with one companion, as had Cuzza before him. Together with Fearod they travelled far and wide, and wherever the plight of the Elves was greatest (especially after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad), the two would give aid to fight off attackers that came their way, Cusarn with spear and bow singing, and Fearod with Alkarang glowing briliantly in the light of Anar the day star. But Fearod wondered about Cusarn, and believed that his destiny would lead him towards fulfulling the inspiration of his name, bow-stone.

Histories part 4

Fearod was of course closest of kin with the Sons of Feanor, so whenever he was not abroad in the wilds he usually resided with Maedhros upon Himring. Of all the Elves of Beleriand the people of the Sons of Feanor were closest in friendship with the Naugrim of the Blue Mountains, and much trade of jewels and of weapons took place between those peoples.

It came a bright spring day when Fearod was journeying alone in Beleriand, that he came to the ford of Sarn Athrad over the river Gelion. The sun shone brightly that morning and the shadows of the trees were still long to the north of the ford, as Fearod's horse picked its way carefully across the stones, and as he turned to avoid a deeper patch, a beam of light struck the sheath of Alkarang, and something beneath the water hidden in the shadows glinted back at him. "What was that?" Fearod wondered, as he ascended the far bank of the river. He was in a hurry but could not stop thinking about that which had caught his attention, so he tethered his steed to a nearby willow and removed his heavy gear. He peered into the water, but could see nothing, so he dove into the chilly depths and swam down to the spot where he had seen the flash of light.

Here he found a small stone, about the size of his fist, though it was no ordinary rock. Parts of the surface were as metallic mirrors, others were like gems. It sparkled at him, and the refracted light in the water it scattered into a miriad of hues. Fearod could feel the power of it, and he surposed that it had fallen from the sky during the depths of the past, only to be uncovered by the mighty waters of Gelion.

Fearod took the stone and decided that although it could make some rather spectacular effects, overall it was misshapen and ugly, and that it would be of more use if it's power could be converted into the form of a weapon its power could be put to better use. So he rode to Nogrod, the Dwarf city in the Blue Mountains, and brought the stone to the smithies of Telchar.

Telchar was one of the greatest Dwarven smiths (he forged the knife Angrist and the sword Narsil to name only two), but when Fearod asked him to transform the rock from the river into a powerful weapon (for a great reward of Noldorin Jewels, of course) Telchar was at a loss.

"We Dwarves work with stone like no other race," he said, "but our weapons are our axes, which we forge from steel, and this rock does not contain enough metal to make any blade."

"You must try," Fearod told him, "for there is a light of goodness within this stone that I foresee will crush the spawn of evil, if we can find a way to weild it." So Fearod offered Telchar more gems, and Telchar chipped and heated and ground at the rock, but his hottest fires could not melt it. Then in frustration he took up a great hammer and smote the stone with all his might, and with a blinding flash it shattered.

Into twelve evenly sized pieces it broke, and they fell around the anvil in a near perfect circle, each glowing brightly, but of a slightly different colour. Then it dawned on Telchar that these pieces should be cut into arrowheads and given to an archer of great renown, for the Elves were great warriors with bow and arrow. He painstakingly carved them sharp, and using great skill, applied to each the thinnest layer of Mithril silver - Mithril sourced from Khazad-Dum far away, of which he had very little. That layer served to harden the surface, but also to magnify the glow of light from the arrowheads and spread it out in fine beams.

Fearod was greatly pleased, and Telchar then made a small pouch of the finest steel chain mail, coated in gold, and placed the twelve arrowheads in it, and gave them to Fearod, saying,

"These arowheads shall penetrate all but the strongest thickest armor, and will vaporise any foul flesh that they touch and devastating the enemy ranks. Give them to a brilliant but sensible archer, for there are but twelve of them, and reckless use will waste their power." And Fearod took the pouch and rewarded Telchar greatly, and rode forth from Nogrod. He wondered at how light the pouch was, considering the amount of metal with which it was made, but his thoughts soon turned to just whom this great archer would be.