Among the many characters in the universe of The Lord of the Rings, one was intended to be the centerpiece of an unfinished novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. While the reasons remain unclear, this character’s story hints at the arrival of the Númenóreans in Middle-earth.
Expanding Tolkien’s Lore Through Unfinished Works
Although The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion are the three primary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, the British author produced several other writings that enrich his fantastical universe and its rich lore. Notably, his collection The Unfinished Tales provides additional information on the Istari, the founding of Rohan, and elements that connect the plotlines of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
In addition, Tolkien penned several other novels that reconstruct narratives from the First Age based on ancient legends, with Beren and Lúthien and The Fall of Gondolin being particularly well-known. Other contributions include a collection of poems titled The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, along with The History of Middle-earth, a twelve-volume compilation of notes and drafts assembled by his son, which further serves to deepen his iconic works and enrich the lore.
Who is Tal-Elmar and What is His Story?
Tolkien is renowned for his sketches, drafts, and unfinished texts, creating a remarkable body of material for scholars to analyze how the novelist intended to flesh out his lore. This treasure trove offers dedicated fans numerous opportunities to connect various storylines.
Tal-Elmar is one such unfinished story. This tale revolves around a lesser-known character in Tolkien’s universe and explores the distrust of the indigenous peoples of Middle-earth towards the Númenórean expansion during the Second Age, a time when the mighty kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan had yet to be established, and the race of Men was represented chiefly by tribes of warriors, some of whom had ancestral ties to the Dúnedain who still existed in the Third Age.
Young Tal-Elmar’s appearance notably contrasted with that of his people, who were characterized as short and dark-haired. Tal-Elmar, by contrast, was tall and blond, due in part to his grandmother’s heritage from the eastern peoples who had been captured by the leader of a hill tribe in an area that would later become Gondor in the Third Age. One day, Tal-Elmar and his father spotted several ships on the horizon, one adorned with an ominous black sail. The Númenóreans, arriving on their “ship of darkness,” were rumored to capture members of the tribes for consumption and sacrifice, as the legend goes.
The village chief then ordered Tal-Elmar to spy on the intruders near their camp. To his surprise, he understood their language, prompting him to engage with them, only to realize it was the same language he had heard in his dreams. After being captured, he discovered that the black sails of the ship symbolized the night of Elbereth, a Valar and Queen of the Stars frequently invoked by the Elves in their songs and prayers.
Unfortunately, Tolkien’s narrative abruptly ends with Tal-Elmar’s capture. The Númenóreans were not portrayed as evil but rather as men seeking to conquer Middle-earth and establish their empire at the expense of the indigenous peoples. This perspective contrasts sharply with traditional tales of Númenor, where men are often depicted as heroes rather than invaders. Following J.R.R. Tolkien’s death, his son Christopher published this fragment in The History of Middle-earth.
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