Mithril

Mithril is an ore recently discovered by the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm. Located in an old mine under the Mirrormere, mining the mithril was extremely dangerous due to the risks of rockfall and cave-ins.

Prince Durin IV thought the dangers were worth the risk given the properties of mithril as it was lighter than silk and harder than iron; however King Durin III restricted efforts to mine it. The Elves believed that mithril was created when an Elven warrior fought a Balrog on the Misty Mountains over a tree that contained the light of the last Simaril. Lightning struck the tree during the battle, sending tendrils of the Simarils' power into the mountain below, where it created mithril.

Official Description[]

Stronger than steel, with a shimmer as though lit from within, this newly discovered ore is rumored to only be found in the depths of Khazad-dûm where it is perilous to mine. But it is believed to contain unique properties that could make it a vital resource for the Elves.

History[]

Roots of Hithaeglir[]

According to the apocryphal The Song of the Roots of Hithaeglir, a battle - not over honor or duty, but over a tree - was fought atop highest peaks of the Misty Mountains. The tree was believed to have hidden the last of the lost Silmarils. On one side of the battle was an Elven warrior, with a heart as purse as Manwë, who poured all of his light into the tree to protect it. On the other, was a Balrog of Morgoth, who channeled all his hatred into the tree to destroy it. Amidst their unending duel, lightning ensnared the tree. A power was forged from their conflict as pure and light as good, and as strong an unyielding as evil. The power seeped down the roots into the mountain depths, where it waited for centuries to be found.^[1]

Mining Mithril[]

102 Mithril-Light — The light of Mithril emitting from a box

The Elf Elrond visited his long-time friend Prince Durin in the Dwarf kingdom of Khazad-dûm to create an alliance that would see the Dwarves and Elves working together build a new forger, as the Elves hoped to complete it in record time. Durin was initially skeptical of Elrond and mistrusting, though they settled personal quarrels quickly. King Durin was concerned Elrond knew of the existence of Mithril. Prince Durin had known Elrond for half a century and believed he would sense if he was hiding something. The King was more concerned about Elrond sensing Durin was hiding something, but Durin trusted his friend. They stood over an old box that emitted a white light.^[2]

As time passed, Elrond grew suspicious of Durin's whereabouts in Khazad-dûm and eavesdropped to learn Durin had led a secret expedition in an old mine beneath the Mirrormere. Elrond went to investigate, but was spotted by Durin who accused Elrond of only coming to the Dwarves for the ore. Elrond insisted he knew nothing of what his friend spoke, so Durin made him swear on the stone that he wouldn't tell another living soul about the secrets of the Dwarves. He then showed Elrond a chest containing a new ore that Disa detected during a routine gold-seaming. It was lighter than silk, harder than iron, and would beat even the Dwarves' hardest blades. It would be dearer than gold, signaling a new beginning for their people of strength and prosperity. Unfortunately, the ore is perilous to mine, so the King restricted their efforts in the name of caution. The Dwarves called it “gray glitter”, but in Elrond's, it was Mithril. Durin gave Elrond a piece of the ore as a token of their friendship.^[3]

The mine collapsed with four Dwarves trapped inside, which solidified the King's decision not to allow further mining.^[3] However, Elrond learned the power in the Great Tree was fading quickly and would take with it the lives of all Elves. His High King, Gil-galad, believed the Ore beneath the Misty Mountains was the key to saving their people. Elrond shared this with Durin who agreed to take the matter up with his father, but warned that the King might not be receptive.^[4] Despite Elrond and Durin's pleads, King Durin refused to mine any further and condemned the Elves to face the repercussions of their impending mortality.^[5]

In a moment of anger, Durin threw a piece of Mithril next to a contaminated leaf from the Great Tree, then watched in awe as it healed the corruption. He and Elrond secretly mined for more of the Ore against the King's wishes, and found more than they could have ever imagined. The mountain was rich with the ore and they finally had access to it.^[5] For mithril lodes lead deeper into the darkness under the mountains that any other veins of ore yet found in Khazad-dûm.^[6] The King learned of their expedition and stopped them before they could obtain more of the Ore. He banned Elrond from Khazad-dûm and forbade his son from ever mining it again. He then had his Dwarves seal up the shaft. He threw a leaf into the pit, unaware of the Balrog that awakened below.^[5]

Rings of Power[]

Elrond refused to give up on saving his people and the city of Lindon. He, Celebrimbor, Galadriel, and Halbrand decided to stay behind in the city to forge a power from their last piece of Mithril to save the Elves. After many failed attempts and blocks, they finally decided to fuse the Ore with pure gold and silver from Valinor. They melted Galadriel's dagger so the purity of all three Ores could fuse together to create three individual rings that would be worn by Elves to heal Middle-earth.^[7]