[Legendarium, The Silmarillion] – Background Information Lord of the Rings History of the Legendarium Part 15 - The Children of Turin - Death of Glaurung, Nienor and Turin
Years of the Sun – First Age
The Children of Hurin - Morwen and Nienor and Mablung’s search party
By the evil plot of Glaurung, Turin headed to Dor-lomin while he abandoned the elves of Nargothrond and Finduilas.
However, as some elves have taken refuge in Doriath as Nargothrond had perished by Glaurung, Morwen asks Thingol to send a searching party for Turin. Thingol would put Mablung and his wardens to accompany Morwen.
However, Nienor also secretly caught up with the search party and joined them. Near the Sirion, Mablung would leave Morwen and Nienor with some guards as he took a search party to reconnaissance Nargothrond at a place called Amon Ethir.
The Children of Hurin - Fog of Glaurung, disappearance of Morwen and Nienor’s amnesia
Glaurung, however already received news of the scout party and went on the hunt. Upon reaching Amon Ethir, Glaurung with his magic created a fog that confused Nienor, Morwen and the elves guarding them. Morwen was eventually lost in the fog of Glaurung and Nienor while wandering in the mysterious fog caught up with the dragon Glaurung.
Glaurung instead of murdering Nienor, cast a powerful spell and totally erased all of Nienor’s memory and left her to wander in the wild.
Glaurung returned to his nest that used to be the Realm of Nargothrond. In the thick fog, Mablung and his elves couldn’t find Morwen but found Nienor who has completely lost her memories.
The Children of Hurin - Dor-lomin and Turin
By the magic of Glaurung, Turin arrived at Dor-lomin in search of his mother Morwen and sister Nienor instead of saving the elves at Nargothrond.
Yet, he found nothing and only found that the Easterling lord Brodda had taken all the lands and fortune of Hurin who Turin’s father was. Turin murdered Brodda and left Dor-lomin and he was released from the magic of Glaurung.
Turin then searches for the elves of Nargothrond and searches on the orcs to find Finduilas and heads to Brethil. The easterlings were furious of the death of their chieftain Brodda and the Edain of House of Hador had to suffer from the even more vicious cruelty of the easterlings at Hitlhum and Dor-lomin.
The Children of Hurin - Turin joins Brandir’s men at Brethil and names himself Turambar
Turin headed to Brethil following the orcs and met with the men of Brandir, House of Harleth who had been leading attacks onto orcs.
Brandir and his men told Turin the stories of the massacre of the elf prisoners during their ambush against the orcs and informed Turin that Finduilas was also killed.
They took Turin to Finduilas’s grave Huadh-en-Elleth and Turin moaned on his miserable fate. Turin started to call himself Turambar, the master of destiny after reflecting on his life.
The Children of Hurin - Nienor’s escape and discovery by Turin at the grave of Finduilas Huadh-en-Elleth
While Mablung picked up Nienor who has completely lost all of her memories, the orcs have ambushed the scout party of Mablung that were returning to Doriath.
During the chaos, Nienor caught up with sudden fear, Nienor rushed to the Forest of Brethil. Mablung and his elves, after slaying all the orcs failed to find Nienor and had to return to Doriath.
Mablung felt responsible for the failure to bring Morwen and Nienor and asked for resignation but Thingol refused and dismissed him.
Mablung would spend years searching for Morwen and Nienor for his guilt. Nienor’s clothes were all ripped off and she fainted in front of the grave of Finduilas at Huadh-en-Elleth.
Turin discovered naked Nienor and called her Niniel and brought her to Brethil where Brandir has healed him. Neither Turin nor Nienor knew that Turin and Nienor were sister and brother as they’d never met before and Nienor had lost all her memories because of Glaurung’s magic.
The Curse of Morgoth once again dwells and Turambar (Turin) and Niniel(Nienor) fell in love by the strange feeling of comfort towards each other without knowing both were siblings.
The Children of Hurin - Niniel(Nienor) and Turambar(Turin)’s marriage and the attack on Brethil by Glaurung
Brandir also loved Niniel and tried to persuade Niniel to not marry Turambar and told Niniel that Turambar was the son of Hurin. Yet Niniel who didn’t have any memories because of Glaurung’s magic would still marry Turambar (Turin).
Glaurung started his conquest of Brethil and sent numerous orcs to Brethil. Turambar (Turin) led victories against the orcs and started to threaten Brethil’s place as the lord of Brethil.
Glaurung who was residing at the ruins of Nargothrond nesting decided to take matters by itself and marches to Brethil.
Turin heard word of Glaurung heading to Brethil itself and asks for volunteers to slay Glaurung where he mocked Brandir to not shame the House of Harleth. Niniel(Nienor) was already pregnant bearing a child between her and Turambar(Turin)
The Children of Hurin - Slaying of Glaurung and Nienor’s suicide after learning the truth
Turin with two other volunteers ambushed the dragon Glaurung at the river of Taeglin near a gorge named Cabed-en-aras. Turin with his black sword Gurthang and Glaurung went into fierce battle.
While Glaurung and Turin put a fatal blow onto each other, Glaurung was killed by the final blow by Turin’s sword Gurthang while Turin barely survived but managed to faint.
Niniel who was pregnant was worried of Turambar (Turin) and ran all the way to the banks of the Taeglin river where she found Turin and Glaurung.
Brandir has also followed Niniel to stop her from danger, however Niniel already found the scene of Turin and Glaurung.
Niniel or Nienor was devastated as she thought Turambar (Turin) was dead. Glaurung with his final breath told Niniel that she was Nienor, the daughter of Hurin and the sister of Turin who lies before her. After Glaurung died, Glaurung’s amnesia magic was dispelled and Niniel’s memories as Nienor came back.
Nienor after gaining her memories, realized that she married her sibling Turin and even bore his offspring. Nienor was shocked and horrified and jumped off the to the Cabed-en-aras resisting Brandir and killed herself.
The Children of Hurin - Death of Brandir and Turin, Tragedy of Turin and Nienor
Brandir was lost of words after Nienor killed herself, but soon after, Turambar or Turin who Brandir also thought was dead woke up. Turin asked of what happened and Brandir told Turin the truth that Niniel was Nienor, the long-lost sister of Turin and her death.
Turin in rage and denial killed Brandir in a frenzy. Shortly after, Mablung from Doriath who heard of Glaurung’s advance to Brethil also managed to arrive at the scene.
Turin asks of Mablung about Nienor’s whereabouts as Turin was still in denial of the truth. After realizing that Niniel was his sister that he thought was long gone Nienor from the stories of Mablung, Turin also throws himself onto Gurthang the black sword that finally had the revenge of its master Beleg.
This marked the tragedy of Turin and Nienor, the children of Hurin. Morgoth chuckles as Hurin had to watch every single moment of this tragedy with his own eyes by the magic of Morgoth.
