Círdan's Guide to sailing the Straight Road by daughterofshadows

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Introduction & Chapter One - The Straight Road

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Introduction

The time of the elves in Middle-Earth may have come to an end, but not all have chosen to depart for the Blessed Realm.

Some never will.

But there are those that only wish to enjoy a world finally freed from evil before joining their kin across the sea, and it is for them that I write this book.

Mithlond is almost deserted, and soon, I, too, will depart these shores, and few will be left here who know the way to Aman.

It is my hope that this text will be a guide to those who still wish to sail the Straight Road, even after the Havens have been deserted.

It is not a map, for mapping the way to Aman is nigh impossible. Instead, I hope to provide you with all the skills necessary to safely make the journey to the West.

I have included instructions on how to build a boat capable of surviving the journey, a list of creatures one might encounter on their travels (especially those that should be avoided at all costs) and many more useful titbits that hopefully will ensure that those who set sail will arrive at their destination unharmed. Should you use this guide, I would be pleased to hear from you in the Blessed Realm and receive a report of its usefulness.

 

Wishing you a swift and peaceful journey,

Círdan, Lord of Mithlond, Shipwright

 

As you leave Middle-earth behind, never to return ere the world breaks, there are a few places you should visit at least briefly, because even the lands buried beneath the waves are not without beauty. Without my Lord’s knowledge, a list has been included for your perusal at the end of this text. Take a moment to stand at these shores and sink your consciousness deep into the land one final time. May you have a safe journey and may the wind be always in your favour.
 

Aerchen of Mithlond

 

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Chapter 1 – The Straight Road

It has come to my attention that there might be those among you who do not know what I mean when I refer to the Straight Road.

If this book reached you, I cannot possibly see how you could not have heard of the Fall of Númenor and the reshaping of the world, but since this is supposed to help you make it safely to the Blessed Realm, I suppose it is for the best if I ensure that we are all on the same page.

I will try to keep the history lesson as short as possible, and if you are already aware of the Straight Road, I advise you to continue to Chapter 2 – Basics in Boatbuilding. I doubt the first chapter will teach you anything new.

 

The end of the First Age brought many a change to these lands. Not only had the scourge that was Morgoth been defeated, but his destruction had cataclysmic consequences. Beleriand sank below the waves, and in its stead the isle of Númenor was raised, halfway between Middle-Earth and the blessed Realm.

Men settled on this new land, and for a time, there was peace and happiness across the lands.

There were many great sailors among the Númenóoreans, and they often returned to these shores, bringing news from Tol Eressëa with them, but unfortunately the good times did not last.

They grew too prideful, wishing for what they could not have. It angered Eru and in his wrath, he once again reshaped the world.

A great storm arose, and Númenor sank back into the depths of the ocean. The subsequent loss of life was tragic and regrettable, but what would prove to be far more devastating for the elves was the reshaping.

It might sound difficult to believe, but Arda once was flat, and all its lands were located on the same plane of existence.

And then. And then! Eru sank Númenor, removed the Blessed Realm from our plane, and reshaped the world. And it has been a sphere ever since.

You cannot imagine the confusion this caused.

Centuries of mapping the seas, the stars, wasted! Constellations I had known since my childhood during the Great March, gone from the skies.

We had to begin all over again!

 

Truly, those were some of the most frustrating years of my long, long life. But we managed, even if there were some mishaps along the way.

The first ships to sail to Valinor after the calamity found lands on the other side of the world instead of the shores of Tol Eressëa! If it was the eastern shore of Rhûn, or another continent altogether, we were unable to determine at the time, and it has remained a fascinating mystery ever since.

But that is not where you wish to go, so I shall do my best not to stray too far from our goal.

It took many tries before we finally discovered the Straight Road, and even then, crossing through the void was a terribly difficult undertaking.

There are no winds in the Sea of Stars, only the slow current of the waters to pull you ever onward, closer and closer to your destination.

Be sure to never stray far from the centre of the path! We have never dared to find out what happens if you fall off the edge of the Straight Road, but I cannot imagine it will be pleasant.

So when you sail the sea of stars, the place between worlds, look to Eärendil to guide you across.

I hope to provide you with all the tools and knowledge you need to make it safely to Valinor, but it will be him who will lead you home.