Gorlim
From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.
The main part of this article relates to the last versions of Middle-earth's history, and as such may controvert parts of The Silmarillion. See Middle-earth canon for a discussion. This subject's portrayal in earlier or alternative versions is discussed in the other versions of the legendarium section.
Gorlim was one of the companions of Barahir.
In the Tale of Beren and Lúthien in The Silmarillion it is described how Barahir, last lord of the Men of Ladros (Dorthonion), remained as an outlaw in his own land after it was lost to the Dark Lords Morgoth and Sauron in the Dagor Bragollach.
He had twelve companions, one of these Gorlim, son of Angrim, but all their kin were scattered or killed. As Barahir and companions were camping at a secret hide-out in southern Ladros, Gorlim went out hunting near the area where he once lived, when he suddenly saw his old house standing as it long had, and through the window he saw his presumed dead wife, Eilinel. He came out of hiding to go to her, when he was captured by Orcs from the fortresses of Lord Sauron and Lord Morgoth.
He was brought captive before Sauron, who tricked him into revealing where Barahir and his companions were hidden, claiming he could reunite Gorlim with his wife. Gorlim accepted, betraying his lord, and then Sauron revealed Gorlim had seen but a spectre devised by him, but that he would keep his word. He had left Gorlim, who was slashed to death by the Orcs, thus "reuniting with his wife".
After Sauron's Orc-warriors had slain all of Barahir's remaining men but for his son Beren, who was out hunting Orcs, Gorlim appeared as a spectre before Beren, and confessed his deeds, giving Beren a chance to reclaim the Ring of Barahir, heirloom of his house, and escape alive.
Gorlim is referred to as Gorlim the Unhappy in the tale.
[edit] Other versions of the legendarium
In the first version of the Lay of Leithian, it was Morgoth himself, not Sauron, that tricked Gorlim into betraying Barahir.
