Eärendil was the son of Tuor and Idril Celebrindal, and thus was of the
blood of both Men and Elves. He was born in Gondolin, and spent his childhood
there until the treason of Maeglin. After that, he lived at the mouth of
Sirion, where he met Elwing and wed her. In his ship Vingilot he travelled
across all known seas in the world searching for his father who had set sail
for the west, and for Valinor. But winds and mists obscured the blessed lands
from his gaze, until Elwing came to him in the shape of a bird, Silmaril
shining at her chest.
Together they set sail for Aman and at last reached it. When there, Eärendil chose to alone face Valar's wrath and set foot upon the deathless lands to ask the Valar for help against Morgoth's hosts. A great dispute arose among the Valar at his request, but in the end Manwe decided that it be granted, and all beings in Valinor prepared for the final war. Due to his double nature, Manwe also decided that all of the pereldar would be given a choice; to be man or to be elf. As Eärendil was tired of the world, he let Elwing decide first, and he followed her choice to become an elf though in his heart he was closer to his father's people, the Men. Then Valar set Eärendil in the sky as a symbol of hope for the people of Middle-Earth. In the War of Wrath, Eärendil battled the great dragon Ancalagon over Angband, and struck him down. The dragon then fell upon the summits of Thangorodrim, which broke under his weight. After the war was over, Eärendil sails the skies in his ship, the Silmaril shining on his forehead.
Eärendil possessed the beauty and strength of both Elves and Men. He was smaller than most men, though swift-footed and an able swimmer. He is known as Eärendil the Blessed and Eärendil the Mariner. As a star he is known as Gil-Estel, The Flammifer of Westernesse, Rohinzil, and to later people as Venus, the morning star.
