Story Info

Title: The Marshes of the Dead

Author: Del Rion

Fandom: The Lord of the Rings

Era: Fourth Age of the Sun

Genre: Drama, AU

Rating: T / FRT

Characters: Gimli, Legolas (, OCs)

Summary: "There are dead things. Dead faces in the water!" "All dead. All rotten. Elves and Men and Orcses. A great battle long ago. Dead Marshes. Yes. Yes, that is their name." Who are those dead warriors in the water, whose lights call the living to join them? Only few truly know. When visiting Legolas briefly in Ithilien, the Three Cousins recall some of their worse memories, and the battle of Dagorlad is only a part of them…
Part of the history of "The Last Journey". Complete.

Warnings: References to violence and death¬. The rating could also be PG, but let's take no risks…

Beta: Kitt of Lindon

Disclaimer: This story is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's stories about Middle-earth (mostly on the Lord of the Rings). The
characters are not mine - except for those whom I have created. The story is slightly alternative universe, but written to honour Tolkien's creations.

Have a good time and enjoy the ride (at least I hope you do!)

Feedback: Yes, please, be so kind! Please review, I would love to know your opinion.

Author's Notes: English is not my mother tongue, so it isn't perfect. Please inform me of spelling and grammar errors, so I can correct them!

"Theme": Shape of Despair: "Fallen" (from the album "Angels of Distress")


About The Marshes of the Dead:Tolkien never told much about the rulers of Mirkwood. In this story I reveal pretty much all that I know about Oropher, and of his deeds in the Dagorlad, but because of the exiguity of further details, I had to invent a lot myself.

This story is but a one way to see how the Battle of Dagorlad ended and the forming of the Dead Marshes begun (and what those two has to do with each other). The dead faces in the water have their own stories to tell…


Chapters and their status: Here below you see the writing process of the story's chapters. If there is no text after the chapter's name, then it is finished and checked (until someone of my dear readers points me out some mistake, or I will do some updating…) so, check this page, because here I will mark the dates of the updates…

01 A Letter
02 Meeting
03 Distant Light in the Night
04 Memory of Dagorlad
05 A Price of Pride
06 Epilogue


OC's Introductions:

The Three Cousins of Hithsîr
Dínnor's father and Thalión's and Asthaldo's mothers were from the same family. Those three young Elves lived in the highlands of Taur-en-Faroth during the years of their youth. In the place called Hithsîr (Mistriver) that ran in the Taur-en-Faroth, south from Nargothrond, was fought a battle long before the destruction of Beleriand and the northern lands. Of that battle only few Elven stories tell, because it wasn't a great one, but the ones who fought in it (The Three Cousins) were named by it for years to come. Nearly hundred of Orcs that were heading to Nargothrond were waylaid there by those three and were slew during that night by them alone. The Cousins were barely adults, but they fought none the less, and the enemy was destroyed before they reached their destination. This battle is known among all the Elves, and the Three who fought in it have gained a great name in the years after, even if this first battle wasn't even near the greatest of all those they later fought.
They were among those few Sindarin Elves who came to the Greenwood the Great with Oropher on the Second Age. They also fought with Oropher on Dagorlad, and were among those few who were led back home by Thranduil, who was made King after his return, for Oropher never returned.
(See my story Hithsîr)
Dínnor
Race: Sindar Elf
Age: Born in the beginning of the First Age
Cousin of Thalión and Asthaldo: oldest of the three Cousins of Hithsîr. Golden long hair that is all braided to small braids. Dun eyes. Good archer and excellent swordsman. Excellent tracker. Also a patient observer, when needed, though quite rush at times.

Thalión
Race: Sindar Elf
Age: Born in the beginning of the First Age
Cousin of Dínnor and Asthaldo, one of the famous Cousins of Hithsîr. Long, silver hair, which upper layer is braided to small braids, blue bands braided among the hair. Powder blue eyes. Excellent archer and good with sword and knives. Strong contact to nature, and can approach his destination without waking any suspicions of his presence. Even more patient observer than Dínnor.

Asthaldo
Race: Sindar Elf
Age: Born in the beginning of the First Age
Cousin of Dínnor and Thalión: youngest of the three Cousins of Hithsîr. Pale golden hair long from the back, short front hair reaches just behind ears. Fallow eyes. Good swordsman and archer. Skilled in swift, close battles with knives or swords. Also a good scout, for he is able to silence any enemy quickly and without a sound.