dramadramaduck Information
Player Nickname: Emma
Player LJ: atraphoenix
AIM: atravenenum
Email: atraphoenix@hotmail.co.uk
Character: Faramir of Gondor
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Current Canon Point: Shortly after releasing Frodo and Sam during a skirmish in Osgiliath. Faramir has since been updated to the beginning of The Return of the King, when Gandalf and Pippin arrive in Minas Tirth and light the beacons.
History: Faramir was born in the Third Age of Middle-Earth, the second son of Denethor II, the Steward of Gondor, and his wife Finduilas. His brother, Boromir, was five years his senior. The two siblings were always close, but, as their father began to grow cold and distant following the premature death of their mother, the bond between them grew even tighter. Boromir began to take on the role of both mentor and friend and, although the elder brother was obviously favoured by Denethor, Faramir did not hold that against his brother. Frequently, they worked together to lead the soldiers of Gondor and to keep the kingdom safe.
Gandalf the wizard was also a friend and mentor to Faramir during his youth. However, although their relationship allowed Faramir to explore his love of history and lore, it also widened the gulf between Faramir and Denethor, who didn’t trust Gandalf and had detested the idea of his son as “some wizard’s pupil”.
As an adult, Faramir was granted the position of Captain of the Rangers of Ithilien, a military group that fought on the front lines to keep Minas Tirith and her immediate territories safe from Sauron. His role in the War of the Ring changed, however, when the night before a battle against Sauron’s forces was disturbed by a prophetic dream. The dream, which he shared with his father and brother the next morning, spoke of “Isildur’s bane”, “the sword that was broken” and a council that was to be held at the elvish city of Imladris. When he joined them after their victory in Osgiliath, Denethor announced that he intended to send Boromir to Imladris - also known as Rivendell - to attend the meeting that had been called by Elrond, the lord of that city, and to find out the true meaning of the riddle. Although Faramir offered to go in Boromir’s place - both for the sake of Gondor and to prove his worth to his father - he was merely laughed at by Denethor. The Steward had realised that Isildur’s bane referred to the One Ring and believed that, if Boromir could reclaim it from the elves, it could be used to save Gondor.
With Boromir gone, Faramir was left to lead the men of Gondor against the forces of Mordor and to ride out his father’s turbulent moods alone. It was not until a few months later, however, that he realised that his beloved brother would not be returning at all. While on guard duty at the shore of the River Anduin, he discovered a boat the contained the body of Boromir. Denethor began to slip further into the madness that had threatened to claim him since the death of his wife and Faramir had no choice but to take on Boromir’s responsibilities.
A short time afterwards, Faramir encountered Frodo Baggins - the ring bearer - and his companion, Sam Gamgee, while on patrol with the rangers. Like all mortal men, Faramir was tempted by the One Ring. He saw it as a way to finally win his father’s love and respect and, consequently, began to take Frodo and Sam to Minas Tirith. It was only when he learned how and why his brother had died that he changed his mind. He was not Boromir. He would never be Boromir. As much as he loved his brother, he would not allow himself to make the same mistakes and, although he loved his father, he knew that Denethor was wrong about the Ring. It wouldn’t save Gondor. It would destroy it. He couldn’t allow that to happen.
Without further hesitation and with some understanding of the struggle that Frodo was enduring, Faramir set the captives free and wished them luck on their quest. When he returned to Minas Tirith, he was able to tell both Gandalf - who, accompanied by Peregrin ‘Pippin’ Took, another of Frodo’s former companions, had recently arrived in the city - and his father about his encounter with Frodo. Denethor was furious with Faramir for allowing the Ring to leave Gondor and wished aloud that he had died in Boromir’s place. He also sent Faramir and his men back to Osgiliath to hold it against the forces of Mordor. The city was on the edge of being overwhelmed and, although he disagreed with father’s strategy, Faramir risked his like to obey the foolhardy orders.
In the end, Faramir was one of the few survivors of the fall of Osgiliath, but he was gravely wounded and taken straight to the Houses of Healing. In a fit of madness, Denethor came to believe that his only remaining son was dead rather than injured. Pippin, serving the steward to try and make amends for Boromir’s death, alerted Gandalf and helped to save Faramir’s life. Denethor was not so lucky. Burning alive, he ran from the remnants of the pyre and jumped off the edge of the citadel to meet his end on the rocks below.
Faramir was returned to the Houses of Healing where, following the Battle of Pelennor Fields, he encountered Aragorn, who was both a friend to his brother and the rightful king of Gondor. Unlike Boromir, Faramir had no doubts about Aragorn’s right - or, indeed, his ability - to rule. Rather than fighting against his claim, Faramir elected to taken on his hereditary role of Steward to the King and to remain at Aragorn’s side.
As well as meeting the future king in the Houses of Healing, Faramir encountered Éowyn of Rohan for the first time during his convalescence. She was recovering both from her depression and the wounds she sustained during the fight against the Witch King. They weren’t able to participate in the Battle of the Black Gate - Aragorn’s final desperate attempt to give Frodo time to destroy the Ring and defeat Sauron - but they fell into the habit of walking together in the gardens on a daily basis, waiting for the black clouds of Mordor to lift from the kingdom. When it finally did so, Middle-earth was at peace at last. Although there was much left to do, they now had something that had been missing from Gondor for a long time. Hope.
Personality: In many ways, Faramir is the opposite of his elder brother. Since childhood, his fondness for scholarly pursuits and thirst for knowledge - encouraged by the wizard, Gandalf, on his visits to Minas Tirith - have contrasted sharply with Boromir’s warrior persona. Although he is brave and highly skilled in battle, Faramir is also a lover of history, lore and music, and, most importantly, does not live for the fight or feel the need to seek glory in battle as many warriors do. In the appendixes to The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien stated that Faramir “did not seek glory in danger without a purpose”. Essentially, he won’t fight without a cause. During the War of the Ring, he fought to defend Gondor, not to earn esteem or write his name in the annals of history. In fact, he doesn’t see anything noble or valiant in war, only unpleasant necessity.
Faramir is modest, gentle and wise - a “captain that men would follow” - and his loyalty to his men inspires loyalty in return. The idea of betraying his loved ones is abhorrent to him and he has a reputation in Minas Tirith for being fair minded and just, making swift and shrewd decisions both on and off the battlefield. He has a good heart and will always do his utmost to help those in need. For example, he went out of his way to befriend Pippin when he was serving in Gondor, doing his best to make the hobbit’s life in the citadel pleasant and comfortable despite his Denethor’s behaviour. He is also something of an optimist, believing in a better future for Middle-earth during the darkness of war and unable to accept that the shadow hanging over the land would remain there forever.
His father, however, did not see his son’s bravery or worth while he lived. Faramir has spent his entire life in his brother’s shadow, always viewed as second best by Denethor. With the love of his mother, who died when he was very young, only a vague and distant memory, he grew up without any real parental love or support. Although this has obviously affected him, the situation would have been a lot worse if it hadn’t been for Boromir. It would have been easy for him to be jealous of his father’s obvious favourite, but they ended up forging a bond of close friendship and brotherly love instead. Kind hearted Faramir does not have it in him to hate anyone, least of all his noble brother. In fact, despite everything, he even loved his father. This could be seen most clearly when he risked the fate of Middle-earth to bring the One Ring to Denethor. Because he was always treated as second best and somewhat worthless by his father, Faramir is used to hiding his true feelings and following orders. In the case of the Ring, however, he defied Denethor’s wishes in favour of doing what he knew to be the right thing.
Additional Links: The Tolkien Wiki and Tuckborough. (As well as both the book and film versions of The Two Towers and The Return of the King, of course.)
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Player LJ: atraphoenix
AIM: atravenenum
Email: atraphoenix@hotmail.co.uk
Character: Faramir of Gondor
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Current Canon Point: Shortly after releasing Frodo and Sam during a skirmish in Osgiliath. Faramir has since been updated to the beginning of The Return of the King, when Gandalf and Pippin arrive in Minas Tirth and light the beacons.
History: Faramir was born in the Third Age of Middle-Earth, the second son of Denethor II, the Steward of Gondor, and his wife Finduilas. His brother, Boromir, was five years his senior. The two siblings were always close, but, as their father began to grow cold and distant following the premature death of their mother, the bond between them grew even tighter. Boromir began to take on the role of both mentor and friend and, although the elder brother was obviously favoured by Denethor, Faramir did not hold that against his brother. Frequently, they worked together to lead the soldiers of Gondor and to keep the kingdom safe.
Gandalf the wizard was also a friend and mentor to Faramir during his youth. However, although their relationship allowed Faramir to explore his love of history and lore, it also widened the gulf between Faramir and Denethor, who didn’t trust Gandalf and had detested the idea of his son as “some wizard’s pupil”.
As an adult, Faramir was granted the position of Captain of the Rangers of Ithilien, a military group that fought on the front lines to keep Minas Tirith and her immediate territories safe from Sauron. His role in the War of the Ring changed, however, when the night before a battle against Sauron’s forces was disturbed by a prophetic dream. The dream, which he shared with his father and brother the next morning, spoke of “Isildur’s bane”, “the sword that was broken” and a council that was to be held at the elvish city of Imladris. When he joined them after their victory in Osgiliath, Denethor announced that he intended to send Boromir to Imladris - also known as Rivendell - to attend the meeting that had been called by Elrond, the lord of that city, and to find out the true meaning of the riddle. Although Faramir offered to go in Boromir’s place - both for the sake of Gondor and to prove his worth to his father - he was merely laughed at by Denethor. The Steward had realised that Isildur’s bane referred to the One Ring and believed that, if Boromir could reclaim it from the elves, it could be used to save Gondor.
With Boromir gone, Faramir was left to lead the men of Gondor against the forces of Mordor and to ride out his father’s turbulent moods alone. It was not until a few months later, however, that he realised that his beloved brother would not be returning at all. While on guard duty at the shore of the River Anduin, he discovered a boat the contained the body of Boromir. Denethor began to slip further into the madness that had threatened to claim him since the death of his wife and Faramir had no choice but to take on Boromir’s responsibilities.
A short time afterwards, Faramir encountered Frodo Baggins - the ring bearer - and his companion, Sam Gamgee, while on patrol with the rangers. Like all mortal men, Faramir was tempted by the One Ring. He saw it as a way to finally win his father’s love and respect and, consequently, began to take Frodo and Sam to Minas Tirith. It was only when he learned how and why his brother had died that he changed his mind. He was not Boromir. He would never be Boromir. As much as he loved his brother, he would not allow himself to make the same mistakes and, although he loved his father, he knew that Denethor was wrong about the Ring. It wouldn’t save Gondor. It would destroy it. He couldn’t allow that to happen.
Without further hesitation and with some understanding of the struggle that Frodo was enduring, Faramir set the captives free and wished them luck on their quest. When he returned to Minas Tirith, he was able to tell both Gandalf - who, accompanied by Peregrin ‘Pippin’ Took, another of Frodo’s former companions, had recently arrived in the city - and his father about his encounter with Frodo. Denethor was furious with Faramir for allowing the Ring to leave Gondor and wished aloud that he had died in Boromir’s place. He also sent Faramir and his men back to Osgiliath to hold it against the forces of Mordor. The city was on the edge of being overwhelmed and, although he disagreed with father’s strategy, Faramir risked his like to obey the foolhardy orders.
In the end, Faramir was one of the few survivors of the fall of Osgiliath, but he was gravely wounded and taken straight to the Houses of Healing. In a fit of madness, Denethor came to believe that his only remaining son was dead rather than injured. Pippin, serving the steward to try and make amends for Boromir’s death, alerted Gandalf and helped to save Faramir’s life. Denethor was not so lucky. Burning alive, he ran from the remnants of the pyre and jumped off the edge of the citadel to meet his end on the rocks below.
Faramir was returned to the Houses of Healing where, following the Battle of Pelennor Fields, he encountered Aragorn, who was both a friend to his brother and the rightful king of Gondor. Unlike Boromir, Faramir had no doubts about Aragorn’s right - or, indeed, his ability - to rule. Rather than fighting against his claim, Faramir elected to taken on his hereditary role of Steward to the King and to remain at Aragorn’s side.
As well as meeting the future king in the Houses of Healing, Faramir encountered Éowyn of Rohan for the first time during his convalescence. She was recovering both from her depression and the wounds she sustained during the fight against the Witch King. They weren’t able to participate in the Battle of the Black Gate - Aragorn’s final desperate attempt to give Frodo time to destroy the Ring and defeat Sauron - but they fell into the habit of walking together in the gardens on a daily basis, waiting for the black clouds of Mordor to lift from the kingdom. When it finally did so, Middle-earth was at peace at last. Although there was much left to do, they now had something that had been missing from Gondor for a long time. Hope.
Personality: In many ways, Faramir is the opposite of his elder brother. Since childhood, his fondness for scholarly pursuits and thirst for knowledge - encouraged by the wizard, Gandalf, on his visits to Minas Tirith - have contrasted sharply with Boromir’s warrior persona. Although he is brave and highly skilled in battle, Faramir is also a lover of history, lore and music, and, most importantly, does not live for the fight or feel the need to seek glory in battle as many warriors do. In the appendixes to The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien stated that Faramir “did not seek glory in danger without a purpose”. Essentially, he won’t fight without a cause. During the War of the Ring, he fought to defend Gondor, not to earn esteem or write his name in the annals of history. In fact, he doesn’t see anything noble or valiant in war, only unpleasant necessity.
Faramir is modest, gentle and wise - a “captain that men would follow” - and his loyalty to his men inspires loyalty in return. The idea of betraying his loved ones is abhorrent to him and he has a reputation in Minas Tirith for being fair minded and just, making swift and shrewd decisions both on and off the battlefield. He has a good heart and will always do his utmost to help those in need. For example, he went out of his way to befriend Pippin when he was serving in Gondor, doing his best to make the hobbit’s life in the citadel pleasant and comfortable despite his Denethor’s behaviour. He is also something of an optimist, believing in a better future for Middle-earth during the darkness of war and unable to accept that the shadow hanging over the land would remain there forever.
His father, however, did not see his son’s bravery or worth while he lived. Faramir has spent his entire life in his brother’s shadow, always viewed as second best by Denethor. With the love of his mother, who died when he was very young, only a vague and distant memory, he grew up without any real parental love or support. Although this has obviously affected him, the situation would have been a lot worse if it hadn’t been for Boromir. It would have been easy for him to be jealous of his father’s obvious favourite, but they ended up forging a bond of close friendship and brotherly love instead. Kind hearted Faramir does not have it in him to hate anyone, least of all his noble brother. In fact, despite everything, he even loved his father. This could be seen most clearly when he risked the fate of Middle-earth to bring the One Ring to Denethor. Because he was always treated as second best and somewhat worthless by his father, Faramir is used to hiding his true feelings and following orders. In the case of the Ring, however, he defied Denethor’s wishes in favour of doing what he knew to be the right thing.
Additional Links: The Tolkien Wiki and Tuckborough. (As well as both the book and film versions of The Two Towers and The Return of the King, of course.)
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