The Laiquendi (Quenya; IPA: [laɪˈkʷendi]; singular Laiquendë; [laɪˈkʷende]) also known as the Green-elves were a group of Nandor under Denethor, son of Lenwë. These elves passed westward into the Beleriand over the Ered Luin (Blue Mountains) and came to reside in Ossiriand, the Land of Seven Rivers, and were quite secretive there.
Culture
The Laiquendi had vast knowledge of nature and preferred living in forests besides waterfalls and streams, probably living off of simple hunting and gathering. They made no weapons of steel, had only bows and arrows - which they were experts at handling. They dressed in forest-like green attire during the spring and summer months, therefore becoming known as the Green-elves. They were also fond of singing during the daylight hours. Their culture remained unique and distinct for many hundreds of years as they were for the most part a simple, peaceful, and reclusive people.
History
The Laiquendi can be traced to the Telerin Elves of the host of Olwë, who coming upon the Great River Anduin and seeing the seemingly impassable peaks of the Hithaeglir or Misty Mountains, forsook the westward journey and became a separated people. These elves followed Lenwë (in their language Denweg) down the banks of the Anduin and once again became separated. The fate of many of these elves is uncertain; what is certain though is that some wandered into Eriador making contact with the dwarves, probably learning from them about the great Sindarin King Thingol ruling peaceful territories in the rich lands of the Beleriand, prompting them to cross the Ered Luin. Following their King Denethor, they made permanent settlement in the Ossiriand, which was after named Lindon, or Land of the singers after these elves. They quickly made friends with Thingol, who recognized them as long lost kin of old.
Morgoth, returning to Middle-earth with the Silmarils before his pursuers the Ñoldor, quickly occupied his strongholds of old in the far north and resumed his plans for conquest. He invaded the Beleriand. Seeking aid, Thingol called on the Laiquendi and Denethor answered leading an army against their enemy’s eastern host, but were driven off and surrounded at Amon Ereb before they could be rescued by Thingol's army. Their simplistic weapons were little to no match for the servants and beasts of Morgoth, thus they suffered heavy losses and Denethor was slain. Afterwards they became a secretive people never again naming a lord or a king and played no further part in the Battles of the Beleriand again, until the latter days of Beren and Lúthien.
When men had begun migrating west looking for new lands, the Laiquendi feared them greatly and hid themselves away threatening to attack them if Finrod didn’t lead them away from the Ossiriand. They are not mentioned again in the First Age until the later days of Beren and Lúthien who lived in their lands on Tol Galen between the river Adurant. They had a great respect for them and their friendship with Beren led them to take up arms for one last time when they helped him and his son ambush the dwarves who sacked Menegroth. After the destruction of the Beleriand, the surviving Laiquendi merged with the elves of Lindon and the peoples of the elven realms of Lothlórien and Mirkwood over the next few ages.
Etymology
Laiquendi is a Quenya word and is translated into "Green-elves". The Sindarin form was Laegrim.
