Giniriel living in Emyn Vorn.
"Where there is love, hope never falters."
- Giniriel to Radagast the Brown.
Giniriel is the sister to Mageth and one of the Vanyar. She was also a companion of Mageth, Chellon and Bolin during their quest to slay the sorceress Kashaka.
Birth and childhood[]
Giniriel was born in the forest of Emyn Vorn south of Lindon, living with her mother in a small encampment there. Her mother, Nidril, taught her how to heal, cook and do many other things. These skills would later become of much use during the Third Age.
Giniriel and Nidril were travelling through Minihiriath when one of the Nazgul came upon them. The Nazgul perceived her as no threat, but left Nidril to suffer from the Black Breath, an ailment that would slowly weaken a person before killing them. For many years, Giniriel was forced to care for her dying mother, and her healing skills were extraordinary, even for an Elf, so Nidril survived. With her mother, Giniriel moved to Bree, becoming seclusive and working as a healer for the town, occasionally helping injured Dunedain rangers who came to the town after recieving wounds fighting brigands and Orcs.
Meeting Mageth and beginning the Quest[]
Six years after the War, Giniriel came to the town after travelling to find that all of the townsfolk were gone, all except for an Elf, a Dwarf and a ranger inside the Prancing Pony, along with their steeds. These three were Mageth, Bolin and Chellon, three wanderers themselves. The trio told Giniriel about Kashaka, the sorceress that had caused the town's citizens to vanish, although a new discovery later came. After a lengthy observation, the group learnt that Giniriel and Mageth were siblings, and that Nidril had come to Middle-earth to search for Mageth after he left Valinor during the Noontide of Valinor.
The group decided to go after Kashaka, travelling through Eriador, Rohan and Gondor towards the mysterious land of Khand. Whilst in Minihiriath, Giniriel learnt about the Dwarves from Bolin and more about the Eldar from Mageth. At this time, Chellon started to gain feelings for her, feelings which he kept secret. The group met a very lost Hobbit by the name of Brillin, who they assisted, before carrying on southwards.
They arrived at Tharbad during the sunset, finding the harbour ablaze. Bolin, Mageth and Chellon went to fight the brigands who were attacking the town (who were under Kashaka's control) while Giniriel went to heal the wounded guards and townsfolk, revealing her extraordinary skill in healing. She recieved great praise from the townsfolk and also started to like Alca, a large hawk that Mageth had taken as a pet.
The group carried on southwards to Dunland, where they were ambushed by Dunlendings being led by a chieftain called Anroch. Mageth killed Anroch and the group carried onto Galtrev, which was under attack by Kashaka's men. The Dunlendings inside the settlement let Giniriel in so she could heal the injured soldiers, but they actually knocked her out, revealing themselves to be under Kashaka's control as well. Mageth killed the Dunlendings, before deciding to ride to Isengard under the cover of night, as Galtrev was not safe and Giniriel needed to recover.
Arriving at Isengard in the middle of the night, Treebeard allowed Giniriel and Mageth to rest within the forest, but barred Chellon and Bolin. the next morning, the group travelled to Aglarond, the new name of Helms Deep which was under the command of Gimli. Giniriel went to rest once more, but Kashaka had tracked the group. While Giniriel slept, Kashaka abducted her, taking her to an unknown location.
Decieving Kashaka and reuniting with Mageth[]
Giniriel managed to break from Kashaka's control and was able to trick Kashaka into thinking that she still controlled Giniriel. Giniriel told Kashaka that the Silmaril located in Giniriel's staff (which Mageth, Chellon and Bolin now had) was in the Ettenmoors. During this time, she travelled in secret to her former home in Emyn Vorn, finding a letter to her mother from Mallien, one of the Maia and brother to Melian. After learning that she and Mageth were half-Vanyarin and half-Maiar, she fled eastward with a horse, finding the Alliance just east of the Brown Lands.
There, she reunited with Mageth, Chellon and Bolin, telling Mageth of who their father was. This explained why Giniriel was such a skilled healer, even as a child, and why Mageth also posessed some Elf magic of his own, even though he had not trained. The Alliance moved on, and Giniriel became a healer for the army alongside the maidens of the Avari, tending to the wounded from the Battle of the Dust.
She travelled southwards with the army towards Ithilien, and healed the wounded soldiers of Legolas Greenleaf after Kashaka's forces tried and failed to destroy Legolas' colony in the forest. She also travelled with the Alliance to Osgiliath, where she rested for sometime and went with Chellon to explain to the citizens of Osgiliath (who had broken from Kashaka's spell) what had happened to them and why.
Giniriel healed the wounded Alliance soldiers following the Battle of the Dust, with help from Avari maidens who has travelled alongside the male members of their kindred. She also healed the wounded on all sides following the Siege of Ithilien. She also aided the confused former thralls of Kashaka when the Alliance reached Osgiliath, although it was in the city that she volunteered for a dangerous task.
Reclaiming Gondor[]
While Mageth, Elladan and Elrohir spoke with Faramir, Giniriel revealed herself to be able to use a weapon, and said that she wished to sneak inside Minas Tirirth and kill Kashaka's general, Malku, who had tormented her when Kashaka controlled her and who currently kept the populace of Minas Tirith under Kashaka's control. Mageth accepted after some reluctance, and gifted Giniriel with a black cloak and galvorn mail like his own, both of which he revealed were for another woman he had known in Beleriand. He spoke no more of the woman, instead rallying some Avari warriors to be led inside the city and eliminate Malku and his captains.
While Mageth, Chellon, Elladan and Elrohir snook inside the city to kill Malku's captains, Giniriel pretended to be under Kashaka's control once more so she could come face-to-face with Malku. She met Malku before the White Tree, but Malku knew that Giniriel still had a free will, and so tried to kill her. However, Giniriel was able to kill Malku. With Malku and his captains dead, the Gondorians were free, but fell into a short slumber as a result. Meeting the others at the gate, Giniriel realized that she hadn't searched the Citadel for King Aragorn II Elessar or the royal family. Mageth, Giniriel and Chellon set off to the Citadel, hoping to find the King, and free him from Kashaka's control if needs be.
Arriving in the Throne Room, they found Aragorn completely unaffected.
After King Eomer was rescued by the Great Eagles from Isengard, the leaders of the Alliance decided that it was time to march on Edoras and Aglarond and liberate Rohan. It was in Rohan that Mageth and Elrohir discovered Lady Eowyn, Faramir's wife and Eomer's sister, who had been missing since Kashaka's thralls attacked her new home of Cair Andros. Giniriel cared for Eowyn before the latter was taken back to Minas Tirith.
When Eowyn was taken back to Minas Tirith, Giniriel returned also, realizing that there was no need for her to be with the attacking force of the Alliance, and instead chose to devote her time healing Aragorn and Eowyn back to strength. Speaking with the King of Gondor multiple times, Giniriel learnt a lot about Mageth from Aragorn, who had worked with Mageth for years, the Elf being a close friend to the Dunedain.
One day, Thorondor came to Minas Tirith, carrying a message for Giniriel. Giniriel learnt that the message was from Chellon, telling of his love for her. Giniriel returned with a message of love also, before being greeted by Radagast, who had remained in Minas Tirith alongside Eomer and Faramir. Radagast told Giniriel that the Dunedain were good men, comitted to their cause and loyal beyond belief. Giniriel thanked Radagast for his counsel, before the two returned to the Houses of Healing to find Faramir and Eowyn together once more.
Meeting Mallien[]
When the Alliance, after liberating Rohan, reached Eriador, Giniriel travelled with Eomer, Faramir and Radafast to Bree, where the Alliance had met with the Dúnedain, led by Gelen, the Hobbits of the Shire led by the Took family and the Elves of Lindon, led by Cendrolom, Mageth's closest friend. After Kashaka used the ancient magic of the WItch-King to construct a wall around Angmar, the Alliance chose to fortify Evendim, creating a staging area for their armies.
During one night, Mageth recieved a letter from Círdan the Shipwright, alongside a poem in Elvish Nidril had written and sung to Mageth and Giniriel as children. Deducing that the only person who could know the poem was Mallien, the siblings travelled to Lindon. Meeting their father for the first time, the pair discovered that Mallien had travelled to Middle-earth on behalf of the Valar alongside two other Maiar: Olórin, who came to Middle-earth before as Gandalf, and Ilmare, the handmaiden to Varda. Mallien told the pair he wished to travel to Giniriel's childhood home in Emyn Vorn. When Mageth informed Mallien of the Alliance's Silmaril, the Maia revealed it was no Silmaril, but rather another gem made by Feanor, given to the other kindreds as gifts. Now realizing that the gem could be used as a weapon, the group then travelled to Evendim.
Arriving at the ancient Dúnedain outpost of Tinnudir, Mageth went alone into the catacombs of the ancient citadel as Giniriel followed. There, Mageth found the tomb of Halbarad, his best friend during the Elf's days with the Rangers. As he paid his respect, Chellon and Bolin arrived, Chellon also wishing to visit Halbarad's tomb. With the Man and Dwarf now knowing Mallien and the plan against Kashaka, they exited the tomb, finding the Dúnedain on the isle, ready to fortify it once more. However, when news came that Kashaka's armies had ambushed the Alliance in the North Downs, the plans for Evendim were stopped. While Mageth, Mallien and Giniriel travelled to Weathertop to meet with Cendrolom and the rest of the Maiar, Chellon would go and lead the Alliance in their final fight. As they left, Giniriel gave a farewell kiss to Chellon.
Ending the War[]
When the group of Elves and Maiar were together, they set off towards the Wall. While the Elves and Eagles protected the Maiar, the latter 3 brought down the wall with Valarin magic, harnessing their power through the Gem. With the wall collapsed, Carn Dum, the ancient fortress Kashaka had inhabited, was now defenceless. The group rode the Eagles to Carn Dum, where Kashaka made her presence known. While she dueled with the Maiar, the three Elves fought a band of Morgoth's Orcs that had lived for milennia and a cave troll, hoping to save Queen Arwen, who was imprisoned at the fortress.
After a lengthy battle, the troll and Orcs were defeated and Arwen was saved. As Cendrolom healed her, Giniriel and Mageth went to help the Maiar. However, Kashaka was then almost defeated.
Finding the Dark Maia in the Weather Hills, Kashaka was confronted by both the group and Chellon, alongside his fellow Dúnedain, the Alliance winning the battle in the North Downs. While the Maiar pleaded for Kashaka to be spared, the Alliance, primarily Chellon and the Blue Wizards, wished for her to die, with Kashaka being behind a massacre at the Dúnedain outpost of Esteldin. In a fit of pure rage, Mageth beheaded Kashaka on the spot, bringing an end to the War. Giniriel then approached the silent Mageth, telling him that Nidril would be proud of both of their actions, a statement that touched Mageth more than anything else anyone had ever said.
Personality and characteristics[]
Giniriel was young for an Elf, being an old teenager in Elvish standards at the time she first met Mageth, Chellon and Bolin. She had a fair face, long hair which was coloured just like Mageth's and blue eyes. She was quite tall, even for her age due to her Vanyarin and Maiar blood and she spoke with a soft, gentle voice. It should be noted that when she was younger, her hair was much lighter, as shown in the photo above. This trait came to her from Mallien, her father, although the same trait did not carry onto Mageth.
Giniriel wore a green cloak and green tunic with silver mail underneath for protection, although this changed to white robes with a gold and white cloak when she was with the Alliance. She also carried an ornate silver staff, topped with a Gem of Fëanor. The staff was normally used for self-defence, although she also recieved a crystal from the Elves of Ithilien so that she could use the staff to harness her healing abilities and increase the power of her healing.
Giniriel was known to be quite shy, although she was also very curious and loved to learn about pretty much anything, from Mageth's past to the history of the Dwarves. However, her young age made her less resilient to mind control than other Elves, although she could take a lot of pain for her age, recovering from her trauma at Galtrev relatively quickly. However, this could just be due to the fact that she was an Elf, who were known to have very strong self-healing abilities.
It should also be noted that for her age, Giniriel was very mature, speaking like an adult a lot of the time. Despite her soft voice, she could at times sound quite commanding, as shown during her request to the Dunlending soldier to let her heal their wounded at Galtrev.
Giniriel's name should be pronounced with the G sounding like the name George, not like the name Gordon. So, it should be pronounced as Gi-ney-ree-ell.
Giniriel in Minas Tirith.
Quotes[]
"I can fight, and I will fight should the need arise."
- Giniriel revealing that she can use a blade effectively in Osgiliath.
"Do well, sister."
"That is what I intended to do."
- Mageth and Giniriel before the raid on Minas Tirith.
“She is cruel, my lord, more so than most. But cruelty cannot be met with more cruelty, lest we show ourselves as both heroes and hypocrites.”
- Giniriel advising Aragorn as the King healed in Minas Tirith.