# Gondolin or Doriath: where would you have preferred to live?



## Sons of the Woodland King (Oct 19, 2022)

Assume you're an elf who would be welcomed by either ruler and would enjoy relatively the same status and quality of life. Take into account all the characteristics of each kingdom: their rulers, their laws, their famous residents, and all the victories or tragedies they endured up until their eventual falls. 

What are your reasons? That's the real meat of the discussion I'm most interested in! There are no right or wrong answers since it's all about preference!


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## ZehnWaters (Oct 19, 2022)

Well they both end up destroyed so you're not going to avoid that. Gondolin. I like the fresh mountain air.


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## 🍀Yavanna Kementári🍀 (Oct 20, 2022)

I'd say Doriath. Melian and Lúthien resided there, and I love forests and trees.


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## Erestor Arcamen (Oct 20, 2022)

Doriath. Beleg is one of my favorite characters in the Silmarillion.


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## Sons of the Woodland King (Oct 20, 2022)

Erestor Arcamen said:


> Doriath. Beleg is one of my favorite characters in the Silmarillion.


The canon purists might hate me for this, but the moment I discovered the character of Beleg, I was convinced that he's an ancestor of Legolas, since they sound so much alike in skills and personality. Just look at their devotion to friends from different races! 

And so in my fanfiction (head)canon, I made Beleg Thranduil's maternal uncle. 

Sorry, that's just how popcorn-cotton candy fanfic writers like myself roll. At least I don't sell my nonsense to Amazon.


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## Rivendell_librarian (Oct 20, 2022)

I would feel hemmed in in Gondolin: Doriath would have plenty of lovely bird and animal life, wildflowers, dappled shadows etc.


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## Maeglin (Oct 20, 2022)

I voted for Gondolin because I love the mountains, but reading everyone's responses I'm reminded of how much I love the woods and realize that the mountains of Gondolin were bare and snow-capped. I love mountains with trees on them for the most part, so...I think I would change it now to Doriath. Then again, I might just be saying that based on how much I am enjoying the beautiful leaves around my home in the New England autumn right now.


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## Sons of the Woodland King (Oct 20, 2022)

I'm really enjoying everyone's answers! For some reason I thought glamorous Gondolin with its high towers would be the bigger draw, but Doriath's forest setting does sound beautiful.

I myself haven't cast a vote yet cause I still can't decide! I'm thinking of basing my choice more on the residents and rulers rather than the location... and Thingol and Turgon both have their pros and cons.


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## ZehnWaters (Oct 20, 2022)

Rivendell_librarian said:


> I would feel hemmed in in Gondolin:


One might call that protected. Especially in context.


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## 🍀Yavanna Kementári🍀 (Oct 21, 2022)

ZehnWaters said:


> One might call that protected. Especially in context.


Indeed. Once one enters, they cannot leave (generally).


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