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The story of Finduilas Faelivrin
induilas
Faelivrin, a child of Gondor, was born nearly 150 years ago, a happy & carefree
child of a Captain of Gondor, Andúrmir, and her elvish mother, Silwen.
Findy’s memories of her family are vague. Father was a soldier, and she recalls
dreamily running her tiny Fingers across the white tree on his chest and poking
at his chainmail. The child, Finduilas, who was named for the daughter of Orodreth (the latter
having been so well-loved by Gwindor that he gifted her second name, Faelivrin, which means “The Gleam of the Sun on the
Pools of Ivrin.")
ragedy struck one spring day as she pranced happily in some tall lavender
chasing butterflies and picking the fragrant flowers without a care in the
world. Her parents relaxed nearby on a blanket within view of The White City as
they were set upon by a band of minions. Finduilas had wandered off into the
brush to add to the bouquet she was making for her mother and was startled by a
shrill scream, the ring of iron against steel, and a loud thump. She recalled
seeing her carefree life being dragged away, her father’s once strong body now
hanging limply over the shoulders of one of the fierce creatures. Her mother’s
terrified screams are Findy’s last memory of her.
The helpless, bewildered child was found by some soldiers and returned to Gondor,
where she was treated kindly her whole young life by the people in the
orphanage. They all spoke highly of her parents and she eventually pressed
into a book the sprigs of flowers that were clenched in her tiny fists when she
was found.
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a young woman, Findy was betrothed to a handsome soldier named Eärnil, and
received news of his death at sea. In an act of desperation, Findy decided to
distance herself from the White City. She found solace with a group of Grey
Elves in the forests and plains, who taught her many things, not the least being
herbal lore and tracking & hunting with a bow and arrow. However, even in her
newfound life, her mind was always drawn back to The White City from whence she
came.
Over time and after some research she finally discovered her lineage. She was a
very distant relative of Orodreth, and learned she had been named after his
daughter, also called Finduilas Faelivrin. She discovered these things
gradually, though she knew not how. This was the case many times during her
life—she saw fractions of the past and future. This would come into play later
on in her life.
fter the Wars of the Ring, the male population had decreased and the White City
was sorely in need of protection. Gondor sent out a call to women to train as
soldiers, and without hesitation, Findy bid her Elvish friends farewell. Their
numbers had also been dwindling steadily as more and more heed the call to the
last Ships to Valinor.
With only her legs to carry her cross-country to the Fields of Pelennor where
the magnificent White City, tucked majestically against Mount Mindolluin, came
into view for the first time in many, many years. There were large burn-marks
dotting the field, where countless Orcs and Mûmakil carcasses had lain. By that
time, tufts of new grass poked up amongst the dry, burnt grass patches. Before
the burning, the Mûmakil hides had been put to good use by the tanners to
construct more armour coats, and the tusks insure that ivory will be plentiful
for many years to come throughout the Kingdom.
induilas worked hard at her Ranger training, working her way up quickly through
the ranks under the tutelage of both the King and Captain Starrick Greaves.
This was where Findy learned, quite unexpectedly, that the dreams and
premonitions by which she had been plagued her whole life were more than just
happenstance. The way this was revealed was thus:
Findy, Umbardacil and Jian were together in the Fifth Circle of Minas Tirith
just going about their standard, uneventful guard duties, when a man called out
to them as he pointed at the well-to-do house. He proclaimed a robbery had
taken place there so they went to inspect. They ended up in a nearly fatal
scuffle with some strange black-robed men who left each of them seriously
wounded before they were finally able to subdue them. During this disturbance,
Finduilas suffered a large slash from her left shoulder down her back to her
waist. They were then misled into going to Harlond Harbour to meet with a
“healer” who could take care of their wounds.
pon their arrival at the harbour village, they were then led to a Pub there
called The Mermaid’s Embrace. There they were met by a man of infamy called Landorn of Linhir. He’d called out, “Bring out the witch!” after which a
decrepit old woman was brought forth. The woman’s eyes locked with those of
Finduilas immediately as she made her way towards the Reserve, reaching out with
icy cold fingers to grasp the sides of Findy’s head. After whispering
something, Findy fell in a dead faint at the woman’s feet only to wake up tied
to a bed in a filthy room of the dilapidated Inn upstairs.
The old woman appeared at the door and spoke to Finduilas, informing her that
she was, in fact, her mother taken those many years ago by minions. The woman,
Silwen, was marked with the identical tattoo that Findy carried on her right
shoulder blade: a celeborn and a telperion, intertwined. Silwen collapsed and
died in Findy’s arms a short time later in the ramshackle room. At that moment,
Findy had another vision and was now able to discover what had happened to her
mother those years past. She had been imprisoned before being tortured until
her will was no longer her own.
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it turned out, they Corsairs were looking for a replacement for Silwen—and that
replacement was to be Finduilas. The Pirate ship was about to set sail when she
was rescued by the rest of the Ranger Reserves, who were on duty at the time,
led by Captain Starrick Greaves. They risked life and limb to get to her on
time before she was carried off to become a prisoner for the rest of her life.
One even gave his life in the scuffle to rescue her.
During her stay afterwards in the Houses of Healing, she developed what would
turn out to be lifelong friendships with the rest of those Reserves who were
there with her—especially Pellaadarion and Dirion Telpelen. They stayed up
well-past lights-out time, when the stern attendants were out of earshot,
playing cards and joking until all hours.
hese special friendships would become steadfast and the
group members were for bonded for life. A few others became part of this
close-knit group: Dunnottar, Taranuen, Etharei, Ibiralian, Earendur and Devin.
The only one of those who remains in the White City is her dear friend, Taranuen.
Eventually, after many ups and downs, Findy met and fell in love with Garayán, brother of Taranuen,
and they now plan to live out the rest of their days on a comfortable homestead just outside of
the Rammas Echor, where she will continue to take new Rangers through basic training as Major and Commander of
the Ranger Reserve Force.
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