So this is something I have been thinking and working on for years now.

Firstly I know there are a lot of big Tolkien fans on here, not just movies or even the triliogy but reading the wider collection as well. I started reading the Lord of the Rings when I was 14 and have read it once a year since along with the other books several times each and the history of Middle Earth.

Off an on, whenever I have just read the books and especially the Silmarillion and unfinished tales I think how it would be nice if there was something like the Silmarillion for the second age. A collection of stories and verse covering the major events and characters of the second age. I actually have written over 60k in story form and maybe double that in notes (although those who know my writing know why I havent even attempted to share it).

The idea is to fill out the second age a bit, make it totally canon compatible but give us more about this age.

The stories and events I chose to cover and tell are:

The rise and fall of Gil-Galad: Starting in the First age and his friendship with Cirdan, him losing his wife a kins woman to Cirdan and his choice to stay in Middle Earth to guide his people along with Elrond and Cirdan who he had become close friends with. This covers the brief tale of the first age, him meeting his partner in the willow fields of southern Beleriand, losing her to and Orc raid, and taking up the mantle of leadership of the refugees fo Gondolin and Nargathron along with the Sindar or Doriath after the dstruction of their kingdoms and the departure of Elwing and Earendil. Leading onto the foundation of his realm of Lindon, his rejection of Sauron when he came amoung them, the dark years, his contact with Numenor and the Last Alliance. The longest serving high king of the Noldor but the one we know least about. Also the one of seemingly achieved the most and was the most wise.

The flight of the Sindar: Showing the story of the flight of the Sindar from Beleriand, their rejection of the summons and their choice to reject the high and go back to a simpler life with the Silvan elves. Their establishment of realms down the Anduin away from the Noldor. Culminating in their disastrous part in the last alliance.

Of Celebrimbor: Starting with his rejection of his father, his escape down south after the ruin of Nargathron and then his time in Middle earth. The Founding of Eregion and the friendship of Khazad Dum. The influence of Sauron and the creation of the rings along with the war that followed. In this story I was thinking to trace the rings of power and where they went a bit closer but that may end up being far to involved. Although I have always found the idea that Durins ring was more akin to the three than the seven and was actually the final ring of earth to finish off the elements.

Vinyalonde: The coming of Numenor back into middle earth, their settlements, dealing with men and elves, their part in the wars. I only have notes here and no story as appart from some ideas of their intereaction with the Men who would be Breelanders and the Dunlanders, there isnt much story here. Only when Gil-Galad asks for their aid in war.

The Founding of Rivendell and the story of Elrond: Going deeper into the story of Elrond and his roll in the middle earth, his anguish over seeing the fall of Numernor and the founding of the realms in exile.

Redemption lost: This was actually my first story idea and what then spiralled out into the greater work. Although it mostly falls in the early third age more than the second. The greater idea here is that in the second age the Elves though evil was gone for good and set about healing middle earth to how it should have always been, in the process also the Noldor were attoning for their sins, I would imagin the majority of those who stayed were those who either felt guilty for their parts in the evils of the kinslaying and other events, or a few who loved middle earth and still wanted the freedom that came with it like Galadrial. They realise evil was not wholly conquered with Sauron and set about opposing him, and once he was overthrown, with the settlement of the exiles of Numenor they once again set about to heal middle earth, this time with the aid of the three rings.

The story I had originally in mind is Celebrian, Elronds wife and Galadrials daughter thought to undo one of Morgoths great evils. The corruption of the elves and the creation of the orcs. Celebrian the daughter of Galadrial, bearer of a ring, wife of Elrond bearer of another set out to heal the hurts of the orcs. I have written parts of this story but I still havent decided where to set it, I would like to have her sons involved but that would place it early third age at the earliest and the rings would need to be free so after Saurons downfall. Either way she travels far north with a company and hunts some ancient orcish settlements trying to find a suitable subject. After sometime she finds a ancient orc, obviously not communicative with them when captured she senses this is one of the very first orcs, possibly one of those who was not born to the orcish life but corrupted to it. Over a long time, with the aid of her husband, mother and others she seeks to heal the orc, the power of the rings and themselves at set to the task, to show that no act of Morgoth cannot be in the end undone and turned to rights. While traveling with it between Rivendell and Lorien she is ambushed and captured, and tormented by the orc she had set to heal. Her sons rescue her but her spirit is spent and she departs to the west.

Those are the main stories I have thought to develope and tell. As i said this is more of a slow personal project that I never intent to publish, but I thought it would be interesting to hear any thoughts people have on it and the tales involved or other tales untold in the second age.

 

It is a great and interesting idea and something I myself sometimes think about and you certainly picked the high points to explore/write about. Yet I have to say that your selection of characters/plots is a bit on the tragic side, which I guess is a bit unavoidable if you focus on the Eldar as well as the longtime development but which in my eyes would get a bit depressing/tiring. It may be a nice idea to mix in some more optimistic stories to lighten the mood a bit.

 

Yeah well considering its the second age there isnt a lot of Happy. The years leading up to the making of the rings could be considered nice. Numernor was pretty sweet for 2000 years. Valinor Obviously. But in terms of Middle Earth, there just wasn't much good shit.

And its like they said in the Silmarillion, good times are good to have but short in the telling. Pretty much all tails in Tolkien focus on the bad, or the struggle.

That being said I am more than happy to hear some ideas or flesh out a few of the ones I stated.

The only tail I have written more than 20k on is the Story of the Orc redemption, but its also the one giving me the hardest time in terms of canon and keeping it with in the story narrative.