Beren Ercharmion

Most noble son of Barahir, and indeed of all the sons of the Edain in the First Age, Beren Erchamion was an Outcast, Chieftain and later Lord of the First Adan House. He received the distinction of being the only Man ever to return from death. When his father was betrayed and died at the hands of Gorgol the Butcher, Beren avenged the slaying and recovered the enchanted Ring of Barahir (Finrod's gift to his father). He was the only survivor of Barahir's outlaw band, but he continued to fight Morgoth's terror by carrying on in Dorthonion in a single-handed guerilla campaign that lasted four years. His head-price rivaled that of the Elf-king Fingon by the time Sauron drove him out of Morgoth's territory. During his flight southward from Dorthonion, he crossed the Mountains of Terror and fought the foul Giant Spiders spawned by the Darkness of Ungoliant. He took refuge in the hidden forest of Neldoreth in Doriath, where he wandered for a time before meeting the Elf-maiden Lúthien. Luthien, the daughter of the Maia Melian and Elwe Sindacollo  (Thingol Greycloak), was the most beautiful of Eru's Children and Beren fell in love with her. She reciprocated, and the two pledged their love by the river Esgalduin. Sorrow, hardship, loyalty and enduring love marked their lives together. When Elwe discovered their love and angrily demanded a Silmaril as a bride-price for his daughter's hand, Beren went north into Angband. He was captured and imprisoned at Thangorodrim, but Luthien rescued him by entering the most dangerous place in Endor — Morgoth' s throne chamber. She danced for the Black Enemy, placing an enchantment upon him that, together with the weight of the Iron Crown, put him to sleep. Saving Beren, the two recovered one of the three Silmarils set into the Crown. Beren hoped to it deliver to Luthien's father, but tragedy intervened. As they made their escape, Carcharoth the Werewolf attacked  Beren and consumed the hand  that held the Silmaril. Beren and Luthien escaped with the aid of the Great Eagles, but the Ranger was known thereafter as Erchamion, the "One-handed." Beren retrieved the Jewel during the Hunting of the Wolf. He and Huan, the Hound of the Valar, engaged the deranged Carcharoth in Doriath and slew the fell creature. Carcaroth killed Huan and mortally wounded Beren, however, leaving the Adan with little time. Although he returned to the Court of Elwe and delivered the bride-price he pledged, he fell at the moment he completed the Quest of the Silmaril. Luthien held Beren in her arms as he died. In her sorrow, Luthien followed her beloved in death. As an immortal (half Elf, half Maia), however, she went to the Halls of Mandos In farthest Aman, sundered from Beren. Her love was so strong that she petitioned Namo for mortality, so that she could join Beren. Eru granted her wish and the two became reborn as mortals by the Grace of the Valar. They lived their lives out quietly in Beleriand, raising a son, Dior Eluchil. Despite the harshness of his early life, Beren remained a com- passionate fellow. He was a great friend of animals and refused to partake of flesh.

Beren's Principal Items:

 * Knife (Angrist) — (S. "Iron Cutter") black eog dagger made by Telchar of Nogrod. It cutted iron easily (even Valinorean Iron, of  which Morgoth's Crown  was made.Originally in Curufin's posession, Beren took it and used it on his quest to secure the Jewels. The blade snapped when Beren attempted to cut a second Silmaril from the Iron Crown.
 * Sword (Aedring)  — ("Fell Hammer") ithilnaur (mithril alloy) Bastard Sword. Like many enchanted Elvish blades, it glowed near Morgoth's creations.Beautifully made, it had no other powers.