Glorfindel

Character Information:

Name: Glorfindel, Laurefindil, Fin, Findel

Date of Birth/Age:  Older than the Sun and the Moon... at least 7,000 years old

Place of Birth: Tirion the Fair, in Valinor

Gender: Male

Race: Noldo, but with significant Vanyar blood

Nationality and Current Home: Currently resident in Imladris

Occupation: Balrog-slayer and Seneschal of Imladris

Physical Appearance:

Glorfindel has wavy, brassy blond hair that is rather long, even for elves.  His eyes have been described as 'too blue'. While official descriptions say he 'was tall and straight; his hair was of shining gold, his face fair and young and fearless and full of joy; his eyes were bright and keen, and his voice like music; on his brow sat wisdom, and in his hand was strength', most people are drawn in by his winning smile, easy, understated strength and sometimes dubious dress-sense; he has been known to wear a kilt, much to Elrond's dismay.  His too-blue eyes sometimes look as if they’ve seen too much.

Abilities and Talents:

Glorfindel is a powerful warrior, a skilled tactician, and (although it’s often overlooked) has considerable healing skills.  He occasionally displays prophetic insight, and is filled with the Light of Valinor, which makes him unafraid to face the Servants of the Enemy; he is one of the few inhabitants of Imladris who can openly stand against the Nine.  Having been alive for a very, very long time, there’s not a lot that can shock him, and he’s known as a good confidant.

Personality:

Glorfindel has Far Too Much personality...  He laughs easily, and is generally friendly and likeable.  Although he has a reputation for wisdom, mostly he deals with common sense, and lets Elrond and his advisors sort out the diplomatic stuff where possible.  He is fond of bright colours, and his horse’s harness has bells attached.  While this is usually done to soothe horses which may have to go into battle, really, Findel just likes the sound.  From this it can also be gathered that stealth is not one of his favoured tactics; he would rather face an enemy head-on than creep up on them, and this open-handed, honest approach is echoed by his general integrity.  He is, if anything, too loyal; his sweetheart is waiting for him in Valinor, but he feels unable to leave Imladris while Elrond and his family need his services.  

His best friends in Imladris are Asfaloth, his horse, and Erestor, Elrond’s distant kinsman and advisor; their differing skills sets complement each other and they have great respect for one another.  Findel also has an easy friendship with Elladan and Elrohir, Elrond’s twin sons, whose battle training was one of his main concerns.  

He has periods of depression where he can go missing for sometimes days on end, usually to be found in the stables surrounded by wine bottles and protected by Asfaloth, his horse.   The Helcaraxe, the horrors he saw in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, and other events from the violent past through which he lived, have all left their mark, but he usually rallies and after a few more days, and hides his pain well.
Life History (so far):

Glorfindel was born long, long ago, in Tirion in Valinor, during the Years of the Trees.  He is unusual in that he has died and been re-imbodied.  He took no part in the kinslaying at Alqualonde, but from loyalty followed his lord Turgon across the Helcaraxe to Middle Earth where he served his lord in Gondolin, a hidden city modelled on Tirion the Fair.  This enclosed world, the secrecy with which its inhabitants had to live, may explain Glorfindel’s aversion to subterfuge to some degree.  He was one of Turgon’s captains in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, and during the Fall of Gondolin, was responsible for enabling the escape of Idris and her young son Earendil (who would grow up to great renown when he sailed to Valinor to ask for aid against the Enemy).  However, protecting their retreat, Glorfindel had to fight a Balrog, a creature of darkness and flame, a Maia who served the Enemy.  Although he killed the demon, Glorfindel was himself slain when the Balrog, in its last dying act, dragged him to his doom by the hair.

But Glorfindel had played such an important part in the fight against the Enemy that after a comparatively short time in the Halls of Waiting, he was sent forth again, taking ship across to Middle Earth to serve Elrond, son of Earendil and Elwing in the fight against Sauron.  Together, under the High King of the Elves, Gil-Galad, he fought his way across Eriador and assisted in the founding of Imladris.  He harried the Witch-King from Fornost, and prophecied that he would not fall by the hand of man.  It is unclear whether he arrived circa SA 1200 alone, or SA 1600, with the Maia who would work as wizards in Middle Earth.
It has been suggested, but is not certain, that Glorfindel went back to Valinor for a time, returning TA 1000 with Olorin (also known as Mithrandir or Gandalf).  It may be that Glorfindel simply wanted time with his sweetheart, or there may have been another reason.  Whatever it is, Glorfindel does not discuss it.

Important Changes Compared to Canon:

This Glorfindel perhaps has a much deeper bond with his horse; Asfaloth's harness has bells, which by tradition are there to distract the animal in battle conditions, but, really, Glorfindel just likes the jangle.  His dress sense is perhaps rather more outre than expected - oh, that kilt...  He speaks less formally than is reported in canon, and his predilection for wine, and episodes of something resembling PTSD are not usually mentioned.  



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