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The Silmarillion: Nirnaeth Arnoediad

The Nirnaeth Arnoediad was the most tragic battle of the first age, I personally think it was the most tragic of all 4 ages, along with the Battle of the Five armies and the Third Kinslaying. Here is a quiz about my favorite battle on Middle Earth, and the most tragic one, as well.
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Maedhros
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Last updated: November 16, 2025
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First submittedOctober 19, 2025
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1. When did the Nirnaeth Arnoediad happen?
F.A 495
T.A 2941
F.A 468
F.A 538
2. What was formed prior to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, in attempt to drive Morgoth underground forever?
The Land of Bow and Helm
The Oath of Feanor
Dunedain
The Union of Maedhros
3. What was one of the main reasons why the plan of (answer to the last question) didn't work?
Finrod Felagund forbade his armies to help them, and this ended in the many tragedies of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad
The plan did not have enough support from other kingdoms due to the acts of foolishness of the other sons of Feanor
Curufin, Celegorm, and Caranthir attacked Doriath, Nargorthrond and Numenor all at the same time, which meant that three sons of feanor could not help the cause of the (answer to the last question)
Nargorthrond was too busy selecting a new king, and Doriath was busy defending itself from Beren.
4. How did Morgoth figure out and avoid being defeated by the battle plans that the (answer to number 2) had developed?
He sent spies
Orcs attacked the elves, and stole the battle plan
Fingolfin betrayed the trust of the elven kingdoms and told Morgoth everything
Celegorm was captured and forced to confess every detail about the battle plan
5. Who were the leaders of those who decided to help the (answer to number 2) and help try to defeat Morgoth?
Haleth, Beren, Amrod, Amras, Barahir, Maedhros, Celegorm, Curufin, Finrod, and Finarfin
Fingolfin, Curufin, Amrod, Amras, Glorfindel, Maedhros, Ecthelion, Haleth, Haldir, and Gelmir
Hurin, Gwindor, Fingon, Ulfang, Maedhros, Huor, Turgon, Haldir, Malbung and Beleg, Maglor, Bor, Caranthir, and Azaghal.
Turin, Neithan, Agarwaen son of Umarth, Mormegil, Turambar, Dagnir Glaurunga, Naeramarth, and Thurin
6. Why were the armies of Maedhros delayed?
the war was canceled
Morgoth attaked Maglor at his gap and Maedhros went to aid him, leaving the other armies alone
Ulfang lied to Maedhros and told him that orcs were going to attack him
Nobody wanted to come
7. When Turgon came from Gondolin, what did Fingon, High King of the Noldor, cry out to him?
"Aurë entuluva"
“Utúlie’n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie’n aurë! The day has come! Behold, people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!”
"A! Elbereth Gilthoniel! silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath"
'It is a gift'
8. What did the orcs do to try and infuriate Fingon and Gwindor from hiding?
They mocked and said untrue things about them to get them to come out
They brought in the trolls and ravaged the entire area were Fingon hid to kill them
The orcs showed off their army like they were salesmen
The orcs threw the heads of fallen elven soldiers at Fingon's hiding place to cause pain and fear and get them to come out
9. What finally caused Gwindor to run out with his men in blinded by anger and pain?
The orcs said they were going to kill Finduilas, who was betrothed to Gwindor at the time.
The orcs said something that was incredibly disrespectful about Nargorthrond, and this angered Gwindor.
The orcs brought in the bodies of fallen elves and hung them on sticks.
The orcs by ill chance brought in Gelmir, Gwindor's brother, who was their prisoner, and dismembered Gelmir cruelly, and killed him, to say what would happen to all the elves who attacked the orcs.
10. When Gwindor ran out in anger, what did Fingon do?
He waited while Gwindor's host was slaughtered, and then ran out, also nearly soiling Morgoth's plans.
Fingon and his men made a retreat, and were not seen again during the battle.
He placed on his helm and sounded his horn, and desperately attacked the orc host along with Gwindor, nearly soiling Morgoth's plans.
He sent half his men one side, and half the other, and cornered the orcs, and fought against them each on one side, nearly soiling Morgoth's plans.
11. When Maedhros was going to attack, if he hadn't been delayed, what was his plan?
Ulfang was to attack the north side of Angband, and when they were successful, Maedhros would come from the western side to corner the orcs more, and once they were in station Fingon would come and end the orcs and then drive Morgoth underground
Angband was to let out its western armies and attack Ulfang before Maedhros attacked
He was to wait until Fingon destroyed the armies of the eastern area of Angband, and when Fingon gave the signal, Maedhros and his elves would attack
He was to attack Anfauglith, and there Morgoth would attack him, and Fingon's armies would wait till a beacon was fired,and they would attack the orcs of Morgoth, and kill them all.
12. What happened to Gwindor's host in the end?
Gwindor was slain, and some of his men were taken captive, but most were killed.
He and all his host never lived to see Nargorthrond again
His host was trapped and entirely slain, and he himself was captured
Gwindor and his men narrowly escaped with barely anyone, returning desperatly to Nargorthrond
13. When Maedhros arrived, how was he welcomed?
Bor and his sons betrayed Maedhros. Maedhros slew Bor in single combat, and Ulfang, Ulfwarth and Uldor faught Bor's sons, and although Bor's sons were killed Ulfang, Ulwarth and Uldor were slain. The Balrogs and Dragons massacred the armies of Maedhros, and they were forced to retreat.
Not well. Before he could talk to Fingon his friend, and Turgon, Fingon's brother, he was attacked with Angbands last forces, Balrogs, wolfriders, wolves, and dragons. He was then given the welcome present of Uldor betraying them and attacking from the rear, and Ulfast and Ulfwarth along with them. This is what caused the (answer to number 2) not to prevail in the war.
Horribly. Fingon and his host had fled, Gwindor and his host had been slaughtered, Turgon and his armies were barely there, and Hurin and Huor were dead. Maedhros had no aid whatsoever, and was outnumbered. He and all the elves and easterlings were utterly slain.
Very well. He was given the best food by Morgoth, but was then poisoned, for the armies did not see it coming.
14. How did Maedhros and his elves escape getting killed by the easterlings and Morgoth's minions?
Fingon and Turgon swept to the eastern side with their men to help them
Fingon managed to get to Maedhros and they replanned their battle
The dwarves made a sacrifice
Hurin sent his men to aid them
15. What happened to Azaghal, leader of the dwarves, and what did he do before his death to the beast Glaurung?
Dwarven legends say he killed Glaurung with one sweep of a golden dagger, but then was trampled by Glaurung
He wounded Glaurung by piercing his belly with an iron dagger, before Glaurung trampled him.
He didn't do anything. He was killed by Ulfang.
He hurled Glaurung away by the tail, and then died.
16. For context, what did Morgoth do once all his orcs were getting worn?
He released his last 100000 Uruk Hai
He took out his last defenses. Angband was emptied. He brought out wolves, wolfriders, Balrogs, and Dragons. Among them, Glaurung, Lord of Dragons.
He used his last resort power. He used his power to turn the dwarves against Maedhros, and brought out the chief of balrogs, and chief of dragons.
He didn't do anything, really. Just released more orcs, and Gothmog and Glaurung
17. Meanwhile, with Gothmog on the western side, he made a trail towards Fingon, and decided to challenge him to one-on-one combat. Who prevailed?
Neither. Both got distracted, Fingon against Glaurung and Gothmog against Turgon
Neither. Both were mortally wounded and died.
Fingon. He smote Gothmog in the chest, and Gothmog was run over by the feet of the fighting orcs and elves.
Gothmog. Although Fingon fought fiercly, another balrog held Fingon with his whip, and Gothmog raised his black axe, and hewed his head with it. He then pounded his body to the ground.
18. Once Fingon died, what did Hurin beg Turgon to do, once he realized they didn't stand a chance, and were on their own?
To go back to Gondolin, for Turgon was not only the king of the hidden city, but the last of the House of Fingolfin.
Keep Hurin safe, and allow him to escape
To fight to the death.
Neither. Hurin would never speak to Turgon
19. When Turgon obeyed, what did Hurin and Huor do to help them?
Used his men to create a wall across Fen of Serech to allow Turgon and the remaining host of Fingon and Gondolin to escape to Gondolin.
Neither. No plan was made.
Hurin and Huor escape swiftly so Turgon could protect himself.
They allied and fought to the death
20. How did Huor die?
Poison arrow to the eye
Deadly Javelin to the chest
Morgul Blade to the Shoulder
A dragon killed him.
21. When Hurin was the last left, what did he do to the orcs attacking him?
Kill them with a black axe
Kill them with an arrow
kill them with a javelin
Kill them with a long sword
22. What was he crying out every time he killed an orc?
"Aurë entuluva"
Utúlie’n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie’n aurë! The day has come! Behold, people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!”
"It is a gift"
"A! Elbereth Gilthoniel! silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath"
23. How many times did he cry it out?
He killed every orc
No more then 70 times did he cry it out until his (weapon) withered away
He didn't cry out very many times. He was outnumbered
No less then 70 times did he cry it out until his (weapon) withered away
24. What happened to Hurin after he was restrained?
He was captured
He was left to starve in the forest
He was brutally killed
He was released
25. What did Morgoth do to Hurin and all his kin?
He killed them
He left them alone
Captured. He captured and tortured them
He laid a curse upon them
26. What tale did what Morgoth did to them lead to?
The Tale of the Fall of Gondolin
The Lord of the Rings
The Tale of Beren and Luthien
The Tale of Turin Turambar
27. What king out of these died in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad? (Just so you don't forget this death was a very, very sad one)
Hurin
Turgon
Maedhros
Fingon
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2 Comments
+1
Level 74
Nov 9, 2025
Excellent quiz! But it needs more time to solve, perhaps. Not everyone of us are native English speakers, and your questions are rather tricky!
+1
Level 16
Nov 16, 2025
Thank you! Yes, it did need more time, I noticed. I will edit that immediately! Thanks for the feedback. Glad to help another Tolkien fan