____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Appearance:
Eyes - Blue right eye, grey left eye.
Hair - Long and straight, dark brown. Usually worn loose, often with small sections braided or twisted in intricate fashion.
Height - 5'10½'' (179 cm)
Skin - Very fair and flawless, except for unusual dark markings bordering the hairline and extending from her right temple almost to the centre of her forehead. This is where evil ash touched her during the sack of Eregion. Though the tiny scars could have been healed by one such as Elrond, Eledhwen chose to bear them so that all who look upon them might remember the loss of Eregion and the great Elven-smiths.

Personality:
Rather quiet and self-sufficient, she enjoys good company (especially that of individuals who make her laugh), but is also very content to be by herself. She is occasionally prone to melancholy moods (stemming from incidents earlier in her life) that can frustrate those around her. She has a habit of always thinking the best of people, which is both a blessing and a curse.

The profound loss that Eledhwen experienced during the Second Age (the deaths of her husband, child and father) makes her feel alienated from her kindred. She feels more empathy with the race of Men and their mortal lives than with the Firstborn (Elves). Surprisingly, throughout devastating events in her life she has managed not to succumb to despair. Perhaps from her mother she has inherited an innate sense of optimism, and a belief that the true order of things in nature is good ... and that nature will always prevail.

Strengths:
The daughter of a River-woman, Eledhwen has a special gift for divining water, tracing the path of rivers and streams, and tracking creatures across water obstacles that would confound even Rangers and other Elves.
She is known amongst Elves and Men for her level-headedness and impartiality (earning her the Epessë/After-name of Failaquéndë 'fair-minded one'). Though she doesn't consider herself wise in the sense that she possesses great knowledge, she does, however, have the ability to see the crux of an issue and appreciate all eventualities.
She will never impose her own opinions on someone, or force them to come to a particular decision or course of action. She will always guide them to seeing all sides of an argument and let them make up their own minds, for better or worse.

Weaknesses:
As mentioned above, Eledhwen often takes people at face value and likes to think the best of people's natures and motives. She is unwilling to be distrustful, which is unusual considering her age and past experience.
Physically, she is particularly sensitive to lack of water. This is usually not a problem as she can always find a water source wherever she happens to be. However, if she is in a situation where water is withheld from her for any reason, she can quickly become very ill - dehydration affects her much faster than it normally would another Elf or human.

Weapons / Companion:
When ranging away from home comforts Eledhwen carries only a couple of small knives on her person, to be utilised in cooking and eating in the wild. She is averse to using weapons, though she has received archery training from the Lindon Elves, and her father taught her the use of spears in general, and Aiglos (Gil-galad's mighty glaive) in particular.
In an unavoidable close-range conflict, she is capable of defending herself efficiently without the use of weapons, instead relying on her speed and agility to avoid her opponent's blows and to deliver an incapacitating stroke with her hand or foot.

Faronnauth is a male goshawk: bird of prey and sometime companion of Eledhwen.
She came across the injured bird in the Pinnath Gelin and consequently tended to his wounds and fed him. From that day on he was at her command, and yet she did not dominate the bird, nor cage it, nor treat it as a possession. The magnificent creature came and went of his own will but seemed to sense her mind so that he was always at her side when she had need. Eledhwen would often talk to the hawk as if to her dead husband, sure that the bird's mind connection to hers was a sign that Celebrimbor was still watching over her always. She named the bird Faronnauth - 'thought hunter' - in recognition of this connection.
A hatchling of that bird was chosen and instructed by its father without Eledhwen's provocation. The young bird seamlessly took its elder's place at her side when the old bird died. Eledhwen greeted her new, unfailingly loyal, friend with great joy and kindness - and secretly shed a tear for an old friend's passing. In this manner many individual birds faithfully attended the Noldorin princess in the wild, all under the name of Faronnauth. All had the original bird's impressive size, immaculate plumage, quick senses and speed on the wing. And so Faronnauth's line became the most respected lineage among the birds of prey of Middle-earth, aside from the great Eagles.

History:
Eledhwen's early years were spent with her mother, roaming the peaceful banks of the Seven Rivers of Ossir (the Gelion and its six tributaries).
In II 1075 Eledhwen's parents agreed that she should reside with her father, for her protection. Gil-galad was troubled by Sauron's presence in Mordor and the rumoured construction of an immense dark tower, Barad-dûr.
Always with Gil-galad's consent (and frequently with armed escort - to her secret dismay) Eledhwen enjoyed frequent journeys all over her father's realm. Her favourite places were the Ered Luin (Blue Mountains) and Mithlond (Grey Havens), the home of her father's great friend Círdan, who still keeps premanent rooms for her within his dwelling so that she is free to come and go as she chooses.

In II 1421 she married Celebrimbor and dwelt with him in Eregion for 276years until his death during the War of the Elves and Sauron. Their young daughter Sídhaew
(b. II 1692) was also lost in the fall of the city Ost-in-Edhil. Celebrimbor was captured, tortured and slain by Sauron. Eledhwen herself was only delivered from the slaughter by the fact that she was parted from Celebrimbor at the moment of his demise. He reached out to her with his mind - attempting to confirm her well-being and to communicate a farewell. The suddenness and inadvertent violence of her husband's thoughts appearing in her own mind, without warning, in such circumstances, toppled her as if she was struck by a sword, and she fell from the sights of the enemy archers. She lay prone and stunned for a long while, hidden amongst the debris of the battle.
Elrond, sent by Gil-galad, arrived with reinforcements too late to prevent the destruction of Eregion. He retreated with the remnant of the Noldor and founded the refuge of Imladris (Rivendell). Eledhwen was among the survivors but slipped away from the company and, overcome by grief, wandered south. Elrond was compelled to report to his king that Celebrimbor and Sídhaew were dead and that his daughter was missing.
Four years later Aewennen informed Gil-galad that Eledhwen was living among the Pinnath Gelin in the realm of Gondor. Later he personally sought her out and entreated her to return with him to Lindon. At this time she sorrowfully refused, but after the fall of Númenor she finally returned to her homeland, answering a direct summons from her father.

In II 3431 she marched with the Last Alliance of Elves and Men as far as Imladris and remained there while Gil-galad and Elrond led the force against Sauron in Mordor. Her father was destroyed by Sauron near the end of the battle. Eledhwen resides at Imladris from this time until III 2600 when she returns to the Pinnath Gelin.

While travelling home through Rohan in III 2758, after taking counsel with Galadriel and Celeborn in Lothlórien, she offered to care for two children orphaned by the hardships of the Long Winter - a brother and sister, aged 10 and 8, named Hæfwereð and Beorht. She raises them in Dol Amroth and even after they have moved away she lives there for the duration of their lifetime, returning to the Pinnath Gelin in III 2821.