"For for this were you brought out of the Wrack of Gondolin."

[falathrim]

Let's be honest here; we know next to nothing about Eärendil. The chapter within The Silmarillion was mostly based upon the text of the first Quenta Silmarillion, found in HoMe V. This dates to around the 1930s; a good twenty or so years earlier than the material that Christoper used to write just about the rest of the published Silmarillion. The first Quenta Silmarillion was barely more than a scheme or an outline, and because of this we know jack about the life of, arguably, the most important of all Incarnates.

The following is an outline that incorporates details from HoMe II: The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two. The texts within this volume are, undisputably, those that go into the most details regarding Eärendil -- and yet, incredibly, they're still only outlines! So why did put it together?

Because, even if its validity is highly debatable, I still wanted to know more about the life of one of my favorite characters in the drama of Arda. This scheme is tantamount to fan fiction. It has a loosely legitmate basis, but I think you'll see why I doubt it was Tolkien's final vision on the matter after you've given it a read. That said, it is probably the best shot at understanding Eärendil's life that we have available to us.

This is, by the way, the first time I've posted this online. Enjoy.

~*~*~
 
Before the Voyages

• 503: Ardamírë Eärendil is born in Gondolin; Elwing is born in Doriath.
• 505: Maedron demands the Silmaril from Díor, but he sends no response
• 507, Yule: Second Kinslaying and the Ruin of Doriath. Maedron, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin, and Amrod attack the Kingdom of Doriath, resulting in the deaths of (amongst many others) King Díor Eluchíl, Queen Nimloth, Celegorm, Curufin, and Caranthir. The twin princes, Eluréd and Elurín, are captured and abandoned in Region by Celegorm’s folk, where they eventually die. Elwing flees to the Havens of Sirion with the Nauglamír.
• 510: The Fall of Gondolin.
• 511: The Exiles of Gondolin come to the Havens at the Mouths of Sirion, where Círdan eventually takes Eärendil on as his apprentice.
• 525: Eärendil and Elwing are wed. Tuor, Idril, and Voronwë depart over the Sea on Eärámë. Idril gives to Eärendil the Elessar that Celebrimbor had made for her.
  

The First Voyage

• Eärendil sails north, and is wrecked by Ossë, who is following Manwë's command of letting no Ñoldo come near Valinor. He is rescued by Ulmo and is brought to Cirith Ninniach. Ulmo entreats Eärendil to seek Eldamar telling him: “For for this were you brought out of the Wrack of Gondolin.” Eärendil begins his return home to the Mouths of Sirion by foot.
• 532: Birth of Elros and Elrond while Eärendil is hiking home.
  
• Eärendil returns to the Havens; he and Círdan build the boat Wingelótë.
• At around this time, the Eagles of Gondolin return to Valinor, bringing news of the fall. Ulmo entreats the Valar to war, but they are unmoved

The Second Voyage

• 534: Eärendil begins his second voyage, and last on Ambar, upon Wingelótë with Falathar, Airandir, and Erellont; the North Wind arises, blowing him off course and to the south. He encounters volcanoes, Ents, Pygmies, the Sarqindi or Cannibal-ogres, and Ungoliant. He does battle with Ungoliant, and successfully slay her.
• Eärendil and his crew begin to sail eastward.
• Eärendil is driven at sudden to return immediately home
• 538: Third Kinslaying. Maedron, Maglor, and Amrod descend upon the Mouths of Sirion. Elros and Elrond are captured by Maglor’s folk. Elwing, recalling the fates of Eluréd and Elurín, despairs and casts herself into the Sea with the Nauglamír, not knowing that although Maglor abandoned Elros and Elrond, Maedron repented of this action and personally rescued them. At about the same time, Michael wrote one doozy of a run-on sentence. Amrod also dies at this time.
• Ulmo bears Elwing up as a seabird, and she carries the Nauglamír to Eärendil.
• Not knowing their sons are still alive, Eärendil and Elwing lose their love for Endor. Therefore, they and their crew ( Falathar, Airandir, and Erellont) turn westward and attempt to come at last to Valinor.
• Eventually, Maedron and Maglor abandon Amon Ereb and join King Gil-galad at the Isle of Balar

The Appeal Before the Circle of Doom

• Through the divine light of the Silmaril, Eärendil passes the Enchanted Isles and the Magic Isles. He comes to the Tower of Pearl, where Tuor and Idril sleep, but its gates do not open. He passes Tol Eressëa but tarries not.
  
• 542: And in this year, Eärendil comes at long last to Valinor.
• Eärendil and Elwing disembark; Eärendil comes to Tirion and finds it abandoned. But Eonwë cries out to Eärendil and summons him to Council
• Before the Circle of Doom and the Valar there seated, Eärendil makes his appeal before the Valar upon the Circle of Doom in Sindarin, Quenya, Bëorian, and Hadorian. He speaks not the tongue of the Haladin, whose people have since perished.
• Simultaneously, Elwing comes to Alqualondë and befriends the Teleri, of whom she is related through her great-grandfather Elu Thingol.
• The Valar deliberate upon Eärendil's plea; they summon Elwing and him to the Circle to pronounce their Doom. At Elwing's behest, the two choose the life of the Eldar, though Eärendil would have been more inclined to accept the Gift.
  
• Falathar, Airandir, and Erellont are bid to return to Endor in a new boat. Wingalótë is hallowed; Eärendil rises into the firmament and is seen as a sign of hope amongst the peoples of Middle-earth
• Elwing’s tower in Araman is built; and she fashions for herself wings so that she might once more fly amongst the seabirds.

The War of Wrath

• The Host of the Valar is led by Eonwë, squire of Manwë. The Host is comprised of Maiar, Vanyar, Valinorean Ñoldor and the survivors of the Edain. Tulkas is thought to have participated, as it was in his nature, but otherwise the Valar remain in Valinor for the entirety of the war. The Teleri, recalling the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, would not at first participate, but are convinced to ferry the soliders to Endor, if nothing else. The Endorian Ñoldor and Sindar do not participate.
• 545: The Host of the Valar comes to Endor.
  
• Battle of Nan-Tathren (Valley of Willows) occurs. After the battle ends, the Host of the Valar made their encampment about the Nan-Tathren.
• Battle of the Pools of Twilight: Tulkas’s host, including Salmar and Valwë, sought to release the Ñoldor that had been captured by Morgoth throughout the War of the Jewels. They are personally met by Morgoth at the Pools of Twilight. Tulkas is victorious in open combat, but is waylaid by Easterlings out of Hithlum, allowing for Morgoth to escape back to Angband.
• Slowly, over the course of fouty years, the Host of the Valar push their way towards the Anfauglith; the Balrogs are destroyed or scattered. During this time, Beleriand is rent asunder by the sheer scale of the battles, but it isnot destroyed.
• 587: Morgoth looses the winged dragons, which pushes back the Host of the Valar. But Eärendil and Thorondor’s host appears; Eärendil drives Ancalagon into Thangorodrim, and Túrin (returned from the dead to avenge the House of Hador) slays him. And so once more, Morgoth is captured and chained with Angainor. The silmarils are wrested from the Iron Crown, which is bent about Morgoth so as to bind him even tighter.

The Pardon

• Eonwë summons forth all Elves in the western lands and declares their pardon on behalf of the Valar. Galadriel, alone of all Elves, rejects this pardon, though others choose to delay their eventual return to Valinor.
  
• Maedron and Maglor sneak into the encampment of the Host of the Valar and seize the Silmarils wrested from the Iron Crown. But the Silmarils reject their unclean hands and become a torment to them. Maedron, in agony, casts himself into a gaping volcanic chasm, while Maglor casts his Silmaril into the Belegaer and begins to wander the shores until his fading. He never returns to Valinor.
• 590: The Elves return to Tol Eressëa while Eärendil guides the surviving Fathers of Men come to Númenórë, the Land of Gift. His son, Elros, becomes its first king and he takes up the name Tar-Minyatur. Elrond, meanwhile, becomes the squire to King Gil-galad.
• And then, somehow, Eärendil ends up on Venus! Sucks to be him, that planet’s a shithole.