Locations

[Haakon]

This is just a first (but wow how late!) thread about possible locations for season five. So, let’s brainstorm: what do we have to look for?
Harad, obviously. Anything in Beleriand? Nan Elmoth?

 

[Ange1e4e5]

Unless we visited Nan Elmoth at any point before now, it seems to be the only new location (minus Harad and the Anfauglith).

 

[MithLuin]

I don't believe we've talked about the Forest of Brethil before. Dor-lomin also appears in this season, as does Ladros. The stockade of the Haladin should be at a very specific location - where two rivers join, but where the bank is high.

 

[Haakon]

In season three, we had Hithlum, Forests of Beleriand and Dorthonion. Brethil was discussed, and Dor-Lomin should be similar to Hithlum, and Ladros something like Dorthonion.

 

[MithLuin]

Right, Ladros should be set within Dorthonion. We're adding that particular site this season, as well as Tarn Aeluin. So, if anyone has suggestions for those, we can discuss. Dorthonion was set in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia in Season 4.

For Hithlum/Mithrim, we decided to use the Scottish Highlands in Season 3. So, Dor-lómin should either be a location in Scotland, or look similar to the Scottish Highlands to fit those adjacent locations. I don't think we get any detailed description of the Land of Echoes.

What did we decide about the Forest of Brethil?

 

[Haakon]

Right, Ladros should be set within Dorthonion. We're adding that particular site this season, as well as Tarn Aeluin. So, if anyone has suggestions for those, we can discuss. Dorthonion was set in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia in Season 4.

For Hithlum/Mithrim, we decided to use the Scottish Highlands in Season 3. So, Dor-lómin should either be a location in Scotland, or look similar to the Scottish Highlands to fit those adjacent locations. I don't think we get any detailed description of the Land of Echoes.

What did we decide about the Forest of Brethil?

I’m not sure if any real decisions were made about Brethil but you posted a number of good pictures of beech forests:

Forests of Beleriand (again)

So let's have another go at the many forests of Beleriand, and what they might look like. This is what we've done so far... https://forums.signumuniversity.org/index.php?threads/forests-of-beleriand-and-earlier.144/ It's a small thread, but if you don't want to open it, here's a summary: Birch...

forums.signumuniversity.org

 

[MithLuin]

Brethil apparently means 'silver birch', so I think this is an opportunity for a birch forest!

 

[Haakon]

Brethil apparently means 'silver birch', so I think this is an opportunity for a birch forest!

Apparently (according to Encyclopaedia of Arda) Tolkien isn’t super clear if it’s beech or birch https://www.glyphweb.com/arda/b/brethil.php
But I think that birch would be lovely. We had a few wonderful pictures of birch woods in the season three thread.

 

[MithLuin]

Hmmm, true....Tolkien apparently translated "Fimbrethil" as both 'slender beech' and 'slim birch' in the Appendices of Lord of the Rings, so I can see the arguments either way.

In the appendix of the Silmarillion, 'brethil' is specifically translated as 'silver birch' (but of course this appendix was arranged by Christopher Tolkien, not JRRT), and on the map of Beleriand, it's the 'birchwoods' of Nimbrethil. So that was why I was thinking birches, but I think that Tolkien himself would have given more weight to the version he published first, so the fact that both are in the Appendices of LotR means there is strong justification for either.