Middle-Earth Tours

The Prequels Tour

Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin
The best versions of the Tuor/Gondolin story are not always in The Silmarillion, but rather in Unfinished Tales and part 2 of The Book of Lost Tales. The quotes below come from all three of these sources.

Our story begins with escaped slave Tuor wandering aimlessly near the shores of northwest Beleriand....

Tuor at the Gate, by Ted Nasmith		 Then Tuor followed the Noldor down the steps and waded in the cold water, until they passed into the shadow beyond the arch of stone....Now by the light that Gelmir held above his head Tuor saw that the river began to go suddenly down a smooth slope into a great tunnel, but beside its rock-hewn course there ran long flights of steps leading on and downward into deep gloom beyond the beam of the lamp. --Unfinished Tales
And looking down Tuor saw a great marvel, as it seemed to him; for a wild flood came up the narrows and strove with the river that would still press on, and a wave like a wall rose up almost to the cliff-top, crowned with foam crests flying in the wind. --Unfinished Tales
The Incoming Sea at the Rainbow
Cleft, by Ted Nasmith
Then he came at length to the deserted halls of Vinyamar beneath Mount Taras, and he entered in, and found there the shield and hauberk, and the sword and helm, that Turgon had left there by the command of Ulmo long before; and he arrayed himself in those arms... --The Silmarillion

Thus armed he went forth from Turgon's hall, and stood upon the high terraces of Taras in the red light of the sun. None were there to see him, as he gazed westward, gleaming in silver and gold, and he knew not that in that hour he appeared as one of the Mighty of the West, and fit to be the father of the kings of the Kings of Men beyond the Sea, as it was indeed his doom to be; but in the taking of those arms a change came over Tuor son of Huor, and his heart grew great within him. --Unfinished Tales


Tuor of Valinor, by Ted Nasmith

Ulmo Appears Before Tuor,
by Ted Nasmith		 A tall crown he wore like silver, from which his long hair fell down as foam glimmering in the dusk; and as he cast back the grey mantle that hung about him like a mist, behold! he was clad in a gleaming coat, close-fitted as the mail of a mighty fish, and in a kirtle of deep green that flashed and flickered with sea-fire as he strode slowly towards the land. --Unfinished Tales

Ulmo, the Lord of the Waters,
by John Howe
Ulmo, Lord of the Waters,
by Roger Garland

Tuor Reaches the Hidden City
of Gondolin, by Ted Nasmith		 And at last by the power that Ulmo set up them they came to the hidden door of Gondolin.... Then they were led up the mighty ravine of Orfalch Echor, barred by seven gates, and brought before Echthelion of the Fountain, the warden of the great gate at the end of the climbing road; and there Tuor cast aside his cloak, and from the arms that he bore from Vinyamar it was seen that he was in truth one sent by Ulmo. Then Tuor looked down upon the fair vale of Tumladen, set as a green jewel amid the encircling hills; and he saw far off upon the rocky height of Amon Gwareth Gondolin the great, city of seven names, whose fame and glory is mightiest in song of all the dwellings of the Elves in the Hither Lands. --The Silmarillion
Then Tuor stood before Turgon son of Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, and ... and all that heard the voice of Tuor marvelled, doubting that this were in truth a Man of mortal race, for his words were the words of the Lord of the Waters that came to him in that hour. And he gave warning to Turgon that the Curse of Mandos now hastened to its fulfilment, when all the works of the Noldor should perish; and he bade him depart, and abandon the fair and mighty city that he had built, and go down Sirion to the sea.
    But Turgon had become proud, and Gondolin as beautiful as a memory of Elven Tirion, and he trusted still in its secret and impregnable strength, though even a Vala should gainsay it. --The Silmarillion
The Battle of Gondolin,
by John Howe
The fall of Gondolin can be traced to two events, the first being Morgoth's release of Húrin. Not knowing that Morgoth's spies were following him, Húrin came to the hidden entrance of Gondolin and called in vain for Turgon's help. This told Morgoth the city's approximate location. Next, Turgon's sister Aredhel became lost in the woods of Nan Elmoth. She was rescued by Eöl, whom she married and to whom she bore a son, Maeglin. Eventually she and the boy returned to Gondolin, and when he was grown, Maeglin was captured by Morgoth and betrayed his city to save his own neck.

Morgoth Punishes Hurin,
by Ted Nasmith
Turgon, Idril and Maeglin,
by Catherine Karina Chmiel
Eol Welcomes Aredhel,
by Ted Nasmith
At last, in the year when Eärendil was seven years old, Morgoth was ready, and he loosed upon Gondolin his Balrogs, and his Orcs, and his wolves; and with them came dragons of the brood of Glaurung, and they were become now many and terrible. The host of Morgoth came over the northern hills where the height was greatest and the watch least vigilant.... --The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin,
by John Howe
And now came the Monsters across the valley and the white towers of Gondolin reddened before them; but the stoutest were in dread seeing those dragons of fire and those serpents of bronze and iron that fare already about the hill of the city....
    But now Gothmog lord of the Balrogs ... gathered all his things of iron that could coil themselves around and above all obstacles before them. These he bade pile themselves before the northern gate.... --The Book of Lost Tales
Fall of Gondolin,
by Roger Garland

Echthelion, by Dan Govar		 "[B]ut Echthelion shore through two captains of the goblins at a sweep and cleft the head of Orcobal their chiefest champion to his teeth; and by reason of the great doughtiness of [Echthelion and Tuor] they came even unto the Balrogs. Of those demons of power Echthelion slew three...
   But so it is that few cannot fight always against the many, and Echthelion's left arm got a sore rent from a whip of the Balrog's and his shield fell to earth even as that dragon of fire drew nigh amid the ruin of the walls." --The Book of Lost Tales

No, the Elf in the picture below isn't Echthelion; but that is indeed Gothmog. And Fingon's pointy helmet works perfectly with this quote. Besides, Dan Gover has given us an absolutely wonderful picture of the real Echthelion.

Tuor stood then in the way of that beast, but was sundered from Egalmoth, and they pressed him backward even to the centre of the square nigh the fountain. Then he became weary from the strangling heat and was beaten down by a great demon, even Gothmog lord of Balrogs, son of Melko. But lo! Echthelion, whose face of the pallor of grey steel and whose shield-arm hung limp at his side, strode above him as he fell; and that Gnome [Noldo] drave at the demon, yet did not give him death, getting rather a wound to his sword-arm that his weapon left his grasp. Then leapt Echthelion lord of the Fountain, fairest of the Noldoli, full at Gothmog even as he raised his whip, and his helm that had a spike upon it he drave into that evil breast, and he twined his legs about his foeman's thighs; and the Balrog yelled and fell forward; but those two dropped into the basin of the King's fountain which was very deep. There found that creature his bane; and Echthelion sank steel-laden into the depths, and so perished the lord of the Fountain after fiery battle in cool waters. --The Book of Lost Tales


Fingon and Gothmog, by Ted Nasmith

Glorfindel and the Balrog,
by John Howe		 Then Tuor and Idril led such remnants of the people of Gondolin as they could gather in the confusion of the burning down the secret way which Idril had prepared; and of that passage the captains of Angband knew nothing, and thought not that any fugitives would take a path towards the north and the highest parts of the mountains and the nighest to Angband.....
    Along that narrow way their march was strung, when they were ambushed by Orcs, for Morgoth had set watchers all about the encircling hills; and a Balrog was with them. --The Silmarillion

Then Glorfindel leapt forward upon him and ... he hewed at that demon that it leapt again upon a great boulder and Glorfindel after. Now there was a deadly combat upon that high rock grown so close that well nigh all could see, yet was it over ere Glorfindel's men could leap to his side....Then sprang the Balrog in the torment of his pain and fear full at Glorfindel, who stabbed like a dart of a snake; but he found only a shoulder, and was grappled, and they swayed to a fall upon the crag-top. Then Glorfindel's left hand sought a dirk, and this he thrust up that it pierced the Balrog's belly nigh his own face (for that demon was double his stature); and it shrieked, and fell backwards from the rock, and falling clutched Glorfindel's yellow locks beneath his cap, and those twain fell into the abyss. --The Book of Lost Tales

Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien.