The Battle of Unnumbered Tears

In the years following the Dagor Bragollach, Maedhros son of Fëanor recognized the need for a united front against Morgoth's growing power. Through careful diplomacy and shared purpose, he formed what became known as the Union of Maedhros, bringing together the scattered forces of the Noldor, the Edain of East Beleriand, and the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains. This alliance represented the greatest coalition of Free Peoples since the First Age began, with even the Green-elves of Ossiriand joining the cause.

Morgoth's dominion had grown considerably since his victory in the Dagor Bragollach, with his forces occupying much of northern Beleriand. His armies of Orcs raided freely across the lands, while his spies and agents worked to undermine the remaining Elven realms. The Dark Lord's power had reached such heights that many believed this would be their last chance to challenge his rule before he overwhelmed them completely.

The planning for the assault spanned several years, with Maedhros carefully coordinating the roles of each allied force. The strategy called for a massive pincer movement, with armies advancing from both east and west to trap Morgoth's forces between them. The western host would be led by High King Fingon, while Maedhros himself would command the eastern forces, timing their attacks to catch the enemy in a devastating crossfire.

The armies of the Union gathered in tremendous numbers across the plains of East and West Beleriand, representing the greatest military force the Elves and their allies had ever assembled. From the west came the hosts of Hithlum under Fingon, joined by the men of Dor-lómin led by Húrin and Huor, while from the east marched the sons of Fëanor with their followers and the Eastern forces of Men, including the people of Bór and Ulfang.

Morgoth's response to this gathering threat was to amass an army of unprecedented size within Angband. His forces included countless Orcs organized into specialized units, armor-clad Trolls bred for war, werewolves, and most terrifyingly, a host of fire-drakes led by Glaurung the Golden, now grown to full magnitude of his terrible power. Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, would serve as the supreme commander of these dark forces.

The Union positioned its forces strategically across the plain of Anfauglith, with Fingon's host concealed in the western valleys of the Ered Wethrin, while Maedhros and his allies took position in the eastern regions near the hills of Himring. The plan called for Maedhros to signal the start of the battle with a great fire, at which point both armies would advance and crush Morgoth's forces between them.

The carefully laid plans began to unravel when Morgoth, aware of the Union's strategy through his spies, sent a force to provoke Fingon's army. Upon seeing a small group of Orcs seemingly torturing Gelmir, brother of Gwindor of Nargothrond, Gwindor broke ranks and charged with his company, forcing Fingon's hand before the agreed-upon time. This premature assault disrupted the entire battle plan and sent thousands of warriors rushing across the plains of Anfauglith.

Maedhros and his forces, still preparing their advance from the east, were caught unaware by the western attack. The delay proved costly, as it allowed Morgoth's forces to engage the two armies separately rather than being caught between them as planned. This separation would prove to be a crucial factor in the battle's eventual outcome.

Despite the premature nature of the attack, the initial western assault achieved remarkable success. Gwindor's charge, followed by Fingon's host, broke through the first lines of Morgoth's defense with such fury that they reached the very gates of Angband. The Orcs fled in terror before the onslaught, and for a brief moment, it seemed victory might be possible.

The tide of battle turned catastrophically when Uldor the Accursed, leader of the Easterlings who had sworn allegiance to Maedhros, revealed his true loyalty to Morgoth. At a crucial moment in the battle, Uldor and his followers turned their weapons against their allies, attacking the sons of Fëanor from behind while they were engaged with Morgoth's forces. This betrayal threw the eastern flank into chaos and prevented Maedhros from joining with Fingon's forces.

The treachery of the Easterlings had devastating consequences for the eastern front of the Union's army. Many of Maedhros' best warriors fell in those first moments of betrayal, caught completely by surprise as their supposed allies attacked them. The confusion and disorder spread rapidly through the ranks, making any coordinated response impossible and leaving the eastern flank vulnerable to Morgoth's counter-attack.

Not all the Easterlings proved false, however, as Bór and his sons remained loyal to their oaths. They fought valiantly against their kinsmen, engaging Uldor's forces in fierce combat. Bór and his sons fought to the death defending their Elven allies, proving that even in this darkest hour, some Men remained true to their word. Their sacrifice, though noble, could not stem the tide of disaster that the broader betrayal had unleashed.

The arrival of Glaurung the Golden, Father of Dragons, marked another turning point in the battle. Leading a host of fire-drakes from Angband, Glaurung emerged onto the battlefield with devastating effect. His massive form and the heat of his presence alone caused panic among the troops, while his fire brought death to hundreds with each breath. The dragons' assault completely changed the dynamics of the battle, introducing a level of terror and destruction that the Union's forces had not prepared for.

The disciplined formations of the Elvish armies, maintained even through the chaos of betrayal, finally broke under the dragons' onslaught. Glaurung and his brood drove deep wedges between different sections of the army, isolating units from each other and preventing any coordinated response. The careful battle plans of the Union crumbled as commanders lost contact with their troops and entire companies were scattered across the battlefield.

The effects of dragon-fire transformed the battlefield into an inferno. The intense heat made it impossible for warriors to maintain their positions, while the smoke and ash obscured vision and choked the air. Armor became too hot to wear, weapons too painful to grasp, and many soldiers fell not to the dragons' teeth or claws, but to the unbearable heat and toxic fumes that swept across the plain of Anfauglith.

In one of the battle's most memorable moments, Lord Azaghâl of Belegost and his Dwarven warriors directly confronted Glaurung the Dragon. The Dwarves of Belegost, wearing great masks that allowed them to withstand the dragons' fire better than Elves or Men, formed a steel ring around their lord as he faced the Father of Dragons. Their unique armor and natural resistance to heat enabled them to stand firm where others had fled.

During this confrontation, Azaghâl managed to strike Glaurung with his powerful weapon, inflicting a serious wound that forced the great dragon to flee the battlefield. This remarkable feat marked one of the few successful attacks against the mighty dragon in all his years of terror. The wound, while not fatal, proved that even the mightiest of Morgoth's creatures could be hurt.

The victory came at a terrible cost, as Glaurung in his pain and fury crushed Azaghâl beneath his bulk. The Dwarf-lord's sacrifice inspired his followers to recover his body in a display of desperate courage. The Dwarves of Belegost, carrying their fallen lord's body, withdrew from the battle in a slow, orderly fashion, singing deep dirges that echoed across the battlefield. None of Morgoth's forces dared to interfere with their departure.

As the battle turned against them, Fingon's forces began a fighting retreat toward the Pass of Sirion and the Fen of Serech. The withdrawal quickly became chaotic as different units tried to maintain cohesion while under constant attack from Morgoth's pursuing forces. The armies of Hithlum fought desperately to prevent their retreat from becoming a rout.

In this dire situation, Húrin and the Men of Dor-lómin demonstrated extraordinary courage by positioning themselves as a rear guard. These valiant warriors held their ground against overwhelming odds, allowing thousands of their allies to escape through the pass. Their sacrifice bought precious time for the retreating forces, though at a terrible cost to themselves.

The last stand at the Fen of Serech became legendary in the annals of the First Age. Húrin's men formed a living wall against Morgoth's forces, refusing to yield even as their numbers dwindled. They fought with such ferocity that the enemy had to pay dearly for every step of advance through the marshland.

Even as his men fell around him, Húrin's defiant cry of 'Aurë entuluva!' ('Day shall come again!') rang out across the battlefield. He repeated this cry seventy times before being finally overwhelmed, each shout a declaration of hope in the face of darkness. This act of defiance would be remembered as one of the most powerful moments in the entire history of the First Age.

High King Fingon found himself cut off from the main body of his forces as Morgoth's armies drove wedges between the allied units. His personal guard fought valiantly to protect their king, but they were gradually surrounded by enemies pressing in from all sides. The isolation of the High King from his troops marked a critical moment in the battle's final phase.

The arrival of Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, with his company of fire-demons shifted the balance decisively. The High Captain of Angband personally led the assault on Fingon's position, bringing with him the most terrifying of Morgoth's servants. The presence of multiple Balrogs on the battlefield created a nightmare scenario for the already beleaguered Elven forces.

The combat between Fingon and the Balrogs was one of the most dramatic encounters of the entire battle. Though Fingon fought with incredible skill, matching Gothmog blow for blow, the arrival of a second Balrog sealed his fate. The High King was finally struck down from behind while engaged with Gothmog, and the Lord of Balrogs ended his life by cleaving his helmet. Thus fell the valiant High King of the Noldor, his body beaten into the dust by the Balrogs' weapons.

The eastern forces under Maedhros, already reeling from Uldor's betrayal, found themselves in complete disarray as news of the western army's defeat reached them. The carefully planned pincer movement had failed entirely, and now Morgoth's forces threatened to encircle them completely. The sons of Fëanor and their remaining loyal troops faced the real possibility of total annihilation.

Maedhros, recognizing the battle was lost, ordered a withdrawal toward Mount Dolmed. This retreat, while necessary, was costly and difficult, with many warriors falling to pursuing enemies or becoming separated from the main force. The sons of Fëanor fought desperately to keep their remaining forces together during the withdrawal.

Various Elven groups managed to survive by scattering into smaller bands and using their knowledge of the land to evade capture. Some found refuge in the forests of Ossiriand, while others made their way south to Nargothrond or east over the mountains. These scattered survivors would carry the tale of the battle's horror to all corners of Beleriand.

The losses suffered by the Free Peoples in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears were catastrophic and far-reaching. The flower of the Noldorin warriors was destroyed, with countless noble houses losing their lords and heirs. The armies of the Edain were virtually annihilated, with the exception of a few scattered survivors. The military might of the Elves and their allies in Beleriand would never recover from this devastating defeat.

Among the most significant outcomes was the capture of Húrin by Morgoth's forces. Brought before the Dark Lord in chains, Húrin refused to reveal the location of Gondolin or submit to Morgoth's will. In response, Morgoth placed a terrible curse upon Húrin and his family, forcing him to watch through Morgoth's own eyes as tragedy befell his children. This curse would lead to some of the most tragic tales of the First Age.

Morgoth's victory in the battle allowed him to consolidate his dominion over Beleriand more firmly than ever before. The Dark Lord's armies now moved freely across the northern regions, and his influence spread further south than ever before. The remaining free peoples were forced to adopt increasingly defensive positions, abandoning any hope of directly challenging Morgoth's power.

The battle's outcome had immediate and severe consequences for the remaining Elven realms. Hithlum fell under the dominion of Easterlings who had served Morgoth, while the sons of Fëanor were driven to the margins of Beleriand. The hidden city of Gondolin became even more isolated, and Nargothrond adopted a policy of secrecy and guerrilla warfare. The proud kingdoms of the Noldor were reduced to scattered refuges and hidden strongholds.

The Battle of Unnumbered Tears stands as the most catastrophic defeat in the history of the First Age, marking the point where the power of the Noldor was irrevocably broken. This battle demonstrated the futility of directly challenging Morgoth's military might and showed how deeply his corruption had spread among Men. The betrayal of the Easterlings would long be remembered as a bitter lesson about the frailty of alliances.

The long-term effects of this battle would shape the remainder of the First Age and beyond. The defeat led to the abandonment of large-scale warfare against Morgoth, with future resistance taking the form of individual heroic deeds and small-scale operations. The battle's outcome convinced many Elves that victory over Morgoth could only come through divine intervention, leading to Eärendil's eventual journey to seek the aid of the Valar.