On Nellas

Ange1e4e5

Well-Known Member
So I was doing a re-read of the Children of Hurin, and I was wondering: What should we do about Nellas?

Is she Sindar? Green-Elf? And where should we introduce her? Because I think she should be introduced before Turin arrives in Doriath.
 
IF we include her in the story, I think she should be introduced later, most likely during the Beren and Lúthien story.
 
I want to include her because her witness testimony is instrumental in Turin's pardon.

She's also supposed to be his friend when he was a child. So was she also a child, or an adult? Or the equivalent of a teenager? Turin only lives in Doriath for 12 years, so if she is a child at the start of his story she can only grow up a little bit. 12 years for an elf-child is the equivalent of 4.5-5 years of growth for a human child.

It seems suggested she was older than him, and interestingly when Beleg mentions her, Turin either doesn't remember her, or pretends not to remember. That might mean that she only played with him when he was 8-9, and not later.
 
I would like the Idea that they were Friends as children but Nellas Ages slower and she still looks like a pre-teen when Turin already is a young adult.

think of it... had they been older, woulkd Nellas have been a possible love interest? Would we want to play with that idea or rather evade it? I´d say the easiest way to avoid the idea that Nellas has romantic feelings towards Turin would be to imagine her as essentially being a child.
 
besides... reading her quotes from the book she seems to think and talk like a child, and Thingol is pretty much aware and amused by that fact , but not in a nasty way, more in a
heartwarming way, she seems to make him feel endearing.
 
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Ah, true. So, introducing her as (apparently) the same age as Túrin when he arrives in Doriath, and then letting him grow up into a more adult actor, but keeping the same young actress for her would serve to emphasize the difference between elves and men for the audience. I like that idea, and it does prevent her from coming across as a simpleton.
 
could also work... maybe if Nellas was like 10 and Turin 8, but Nellas stays pretty much the way she is while Turin grows up much faster.
 
I would like the Idea that they were Friends as children but Nellas Ages slower and she still looks like a pre-teen when Turin already is a young adult.

think of it... had they been older, woulkd Nellas have been a possible love interest? Would we want to play with that idea or rather evade it? I´d say the easiest way to avoid the idea that Nellas has romantic feelings towards Turin would be to imagine her as essentially being a child.
I have always felt that Nellas DID regard Turin as a possible love interest. When she thinks of him, she thinks of Beren and Luthien. She notices the similar features they have.

I think part of the tragedy in Turin's story he has several women interested in him, but the one he chooses is the only one he should not choose. It could be a theme of Turin rejecting romances, because he has his mind on his family.

As for Nellas I think making her slightly older could work. If she looks say 14/15. Turin if I remember straight was only 17 when he went to fight alongside Beleg.
 
Hello and welcom to the SilmFilm project, Cellardur!

When she thinks of him, she thinks of Beren and Luthien. She notices the similar features they have.
That's a good point which I had completely forgotten about. It does seem to imply that she was old enough to at least have a crush on him, if Elves get crushes.
 
yeah, but Nellas seems -even if infatuated with Turin - did not seem to have a serious sexual interest in him -at last not in my reading.

it was more kind of a child-love, where Turin grew out of being a child and Nellas did not, as far as i´m concerned.
 
*IF* we're still toying with the idea of giving Mablung/Beleg a daughter... I'd briefly considered combining the role with Nellas, with some adjustments. Not something I've really given much thought to, just a wisp of an idea. My memory of Nellas is admittedly a little vague and I mostly remember her speaking up for Turin and some sassy comment Thingol gives her about sitting in trees...
 
Nooooo!

Seriously... I think Nellas is a green-elf.. if you wish to give her parents, make her a daughter of Denethors! If she grew up without parents that could even be a possible backstory for her being the "feral-child" she is. Anyway i think she should be an orphan, her parents possibly been killed by the orcs.
 
Don't worry - it's not an idea that I'm particularly attached to or prepared to fight for, honestly. Just exploring options for an idea from an earlier session.
 
Also, Denethor dies hundreds of years before Túrin comes to Doriath. So, if she were Denethor's daughter, she would be all grown up before this story. Also, and more significantly - the matter she is testifying on concerns the death of Saeros, the most prominent Green Elf in Doriath. If we make her a Green Elf, that naturally brings some level of politics into it. If she is just an elf-child, then she would be trusted for her innocence not to have an ulterior motive in testifying.

Beleg's daughter is an interesting suggestion, considering the later friendship between Beleg and Túrin. It would also explain why she was raised out in the woods. I don't think it's necessary that we connect Nellas to a prominent named character, but at least in this case, I can see how it would work if we did so.
 
Also, Denethor dies hundreds of years before Túrin comes to Doriath. So, if she were Denethor's daughter, she would be all grown up before this story. Also, and more significantly - the matter she is testifying on concerns the death of Saeros, the most prominent Green Elf in Doriath. If we make her a Green Elf, that naturally brings some level of politics into it. If she is just an elf-child, then she would be trusted for her innocence not to have an ulterior motive in testifying.

Beleg's daughter is an interesting suggestion, considering the later friendship between Beleg and Túrin. It would also explain why she was raised out in the woods. I don't think it's necessary that we connect Nellas to a prominent named character, but at least in this case, I can see how it would work if we did so.
Feral seems far too extreme in my opinion. It's Melian that first introduces her to Turin so I don't think we should make her a wild child.

I really don't like the idea of connecting her to Beleg either. Beleg is the best of friends, he loved and looked after Turin from the moment he met him. I don't want to muddy the water by having part of Beleg's friendship be due to Nellas.
 
Beleg's daughter is an interesting suggestion, considering the later friendship between Beleg and Túrin. It would also explain why she was raised out in the woods. I don't think it's necessary that we connect Nellas to a prominent named character, but at least in this case, I can see how it would work if we did so.

Yeah, this is pretty much along the lines of what I was thinking.

I really don't like the idea of connecting her to Beleg either. Beleg is the best of friends, he loved and looked after Turin from the moment he met him. I don't want to muddy the water by having part of Beleg's friendship be due to Nellas.

Right, this was one of my main hesitations. I'm actually pro the idea of Beleg having a daughter - if we could make it work - but I wouldn't want it to dilute the special relationship he has with Túrin ... so, there is that.
 
Right, this was one of my main hesitations. I'm actually pro the idea of Beleg having a daughter - if we could make it work - but I wouldn't want it to dilute the special relationship he has with Túrin in any way... so, there is that.
I wouldn't mind Beleg having a daughter, as long as she was fully grown and very independent.I am biased, but I think Beleg comes across as one of the best (in terms of character) of any of he Children. I wouldn't want him to be abandoning his youngish daughter.
 
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