The Journal of Alatáriel, Missionary by Clodia

Introduction

The Journal of Alatáriel, Missionary

INTRODUCTION

ALTHOUGH the Writer is naturally hesitant to expose herself for public consumption, she feels that some brief account of this, her private Journal, and her purpose in making it more widely available may benefit the Reader. She is the daughter of Finarfin and Eärwen, a princess of the Calaquendi, whose Noldorin wisdom has from her earliest days been allied to the noble and Valar-fearing spirit of her foremother, Indis of the Vanyar. She was in Valinor considered of equal stature to Fëanor himself,[1] although her endowments even then inclined towards not the crafter’s skill but rather the intuition of hearts and minds, through which arts she early became aware of Fëanor’s inner darkness and set herself in every way opposed to him.[2] At the earnest solicitation of her Silvan followers, who have long been eager to absorb every particle of lore she can offer, she is induced to attempt a brief narrative of her journey to Middle-earth, in company with her beloved husband Teleporno,[3] and to offer such information relative to the First Age as her role at the centre of events will enable her to communicate. She will feel highly gratified if what she writes should in any degree contribute to a more widespread awareness and understanding of the Valar and the Blessed Realm among the Silvan populace, whose ignorance of such matters is deeply to be regretted, even while it must be attributed to the distrust and fearful hesitance of their original leaders.[4]

Without farther apology, she proceeds to recount the history of her travels, and commences with her departure from Tirion.

[1] An obvious exaggeration. In Valinor, Lady Galadriel was accorded the respect due to the youngest scion of the third son of the King of the Noldor; she first came to prominence in year 4995 of the Trees, when she was the only woman of Finwe’s house (a family admittedly not overburdened by females; cf. A Genealogical Account of the Noldor, M. of Ered Luin [1720 S.A.]) to join those who led the Noldor into exile.

[2] This attractive notion unfortunately has little basis in fact. It is generally accepted that any antipathy exhibited by Galadriel towards her kinsman Fëanor prior to the ship-burnings at Losgar stemmed from the hostility between Fëanor and her father Finarfin.

[3] It should be wholly unnecessary, even had this very point not been clarified in the Preface, to observe that Lord Celeborn has at no time been known as ‘Teleporno’. The issue of nomenclature is by no means the most peculiar aspect of Lord Celeborn’s presentation in the Journal, as will become apparent.

[4] A clear indication that the Journal could not have been written by Lady Galadriel, who would never express such an uncomplimentary opinion either of the Silvan people (who are by no means ignorant on Valarin matters) nor of the former rulers of Lórien (whose choice to refuse the summons of the Valar was made on the grounds of their people’s love of Middle-earth).