When the Elves left Middle Earth

[ghosty]

I'm trying to figure out the best time period for my game. Originally I intended to set it about a decade after the end of the War of the Ring. But due to the bits and pieces in the ROTK novel, the history of Middle Earth is pretty much set until Aragorn's death. So I'm thinking of setting the game after his death during the reign of his son Eldarion (sp?).

Anyway in order to give PCs the widest possible choice of races, when did the last Elves leave Middle Earth? From what I've read almost all the Noldor left at the end of the 3rd Age but when did the Sindar leave and would the Sylvans leave?

[Scottomir]

It is true that few Noldor remained in Middle-earth by the time of the War of the Ring at the close of the Third Age, and even the Sindar Grey-elves were becoming few in number. However, there were plenty of Silvan-elves in Lorien and Mirkwood. Also, if we go by Tolkien's description of Rivendell in The Hobbit, there were likely some number of them there as well (the Valley-elves in that book do a lot of singing, and the Telerin Elves were renowned singers).

Surely all of the Noldor and virtually all of the Sindar were gone from Middle-earth by Year 120 FA, when the last ship departed from the Grey Havens. We know that Cirdan, Lord of Mithlond since its founding in the Elder Days, departed on this last ship, and with him went Legolas (and his friend Gimli). Celeborn had departed sometime before that, unable to dwell happily in Lorien without Galadriel. The sons of Elrond remained in Rivendell for some years into the Fourth Age; Celeborn stayed with them for a time, and it is reasonable to presume that Elladan and Elros left Middle-earth along with Celeborn. However, this does not mean all Elves left Middle-earth by that time. Although Lorien seems to have emptied out after Celeborn departed, we do not know where the Silvan-elves went: perhaps some went across the sea, others lingered and drifted. The Silvan-elves of Mirkwood apparently remained there in their happy little Woodland Realm--and nowhere does Tolkien say that the Sindarin Thranduil departed Middle-earth, so presumably a handful of Sindar remained there.

Ultimately, though, it was not the fate of the Elves to remain in Middle-earth. In his later unpublished writings Tolkien hinted that Elves who lingered in Middle-earth "faded away" throughout the Fourth Age, eventually dissolving into unseen shadows of the woods and glades...

[Helegond]

Just a comment...Elrond's son was Elrohir, not Elros. Elros was Elrond's brother, who choose mortality...

With that being said, I would say...very, very few of the elvenkind would be around.For all will fade, since it's not their time anymore.

Cheers,

Helegond

[ghosty]

Originally posted by Scottomir
In his later unpublished writings Tolkien hinted that Elves who lingered in Middle-earth "faded away" throughout the Fourth Age, eventually dissolving into unseen shadows of the woods and glades...

Hmm...something interesting I can do with this. Part of my new campaign will deal with the final fate of the Elves. As the campaign progresses the elves learn about their final fate. Perhaps this was the long defeat that they are fighting. That in the end everything is fleeting, even immortality.

[vgunn]

Originally posted by Scottomir
Ultimately, though, it was not the fate of the Elves to remain in Middle-earth. In his later unpublished writings Tolkien hinted that Elves who lingered in Middle-earth "faded away" throughout the Fourth Age, eventually dissolving into unseen shadows of the woods and glades...

Generally speaking, Tolkien imagined that some Elves were indeed reluctant to leave Middle-earth. In Morgoths Ring he writes about some Elves who would eventually 'fade' ('fade' in body at some point, the Lingerers), and some who, even upon becoming 'houseless' spirits, yet refused the summons West.

But that time period would indeed be long. Certainly a good portion of the 4th Age would still have a number of visible Silvan (Avari) elves. There would still be over 3000 years for the Elves to linger until the end of the 4th Age. I see the fading of the Avari to be the greatest in the 5th Age.

Quote:
" I doubt if there would have been much gain; and I hope the, evidently long but undefined gap* in time between the Fall of Barad-dûr and our Days is sufficient for 'literary credibility', even for readers acquainted with what is known or surmised of 'pre-history...I imagine the gap to be about 6000 years: that is we are now at the end of the Fifth Age, if the ages were of about the same length as S.A. and T.A.. But they have, I think, quickened; and I imagine we are actually at the end of the Sixth Age, or in the Seventh." JRRT 1958

[Sarge]

I believe the sons of Elrond were Elladan and Elrohir. They rode to Gondor with the Rangers during the War of the Ring.