Brethil
From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.
The Forest of Brethil was a woodland realm of the Haladin during the First Age of Middle-earth. The forest was the northwest border of the Kingdom of Doriath, and lay between the rivers Teiglin (west) and Sirion (east). It was a dense, sparsely populated Beech forest.
The Haladin came to Brethil from the lands of Caranthir by way of Estolad. They had endured much hardship upon their long journey, but began to recover and multiply in the isolated forest. There they formed an alliance with Elu Thingol, King of Doriath. At need Thingol sent Beleg Cúthalion with great force of his Sindarin Elves west to fight alongside Halmir son of Haldan, Lord of the Haladin. The combined force destroyed a legion of Orcs, and the realm had peace for a time. Later, many of the Woodmen of Brethil joined the muster of Húrin son of Galdor, close kin of their lord Haldir, son of Halmir, and took part in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
After the disastrous battle, the Haladin became even more reclusive. Many withdrew to Ephel Brandir, the home of their lord Brandir the Lame, upon Amon Obel. Years later, Túrin Turambar son of Húrin was brought to Ephel Brandir, and became the de facto lord of the Haladin. The tragedy of the Children of Hurin ensnared the Haladin, and the forest was eventually attacked by Glaurung, father of Dragons. He burnt a path directly towards Ephel Brandir, but Túrin managed to slay him at Cabed-en-Aras upon Teiglin with his mighty sword Gurthang. Returning towards Ephel Brandir, Túrin learned the truth about his wife Níniel, and he, Níniel and Brandir all perished. The final stroke of doom for the Haladin in Brethil came when Húrin returned to Amon Obel and sparked a civil war which destroyed the bloodline of the House of Haldad.
The Forest of Brethil was the burial place of Túrin, Níniel and Morwen, as well as the Haudh-en-Elleth, the mound of Finduilas. The grave of Túrin and Morwen, survived the ruin of Beleriand, and thus did a speck of the Forest of Brethil still exist as Tol Morwen.
