Mablung

Captain of Doriath

Mablung was a Grey-elf of Doriath and, with Beleg, the foremost of Thingol's warriors. His name means Heavy Hand, and he was the king's chief captain for most of the First Age. He and Beleg were the only Elves of Doriath who went out to fight in the wars of the Noldor; they served in the host of Fingon at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad in F.A. 472, and both came back alive from a field where few did.

The wolf and the Silmaril

When Carcharoth broke through the Girdle of Melian with the Silmaril burning in his belly, Mablung rode with Thingol, Beren, Beleg and the hound Huan to hunt him. After Huan killed the wolf and Beren was mortally hurt, it was Mablung who opened the beast with a knife and drew out the Silmaril in Beren's severed hand. He set the jewel in Beren's living hand for a moment before Beren died, and afterwards laid it in Thingol's.

Morwen and Nienor

The household of Húrin was Mablung's charge more than once. He was at the king's table on the night Saeros taunted Túrin, and it was he who came upon Túrin driving Saeros through the woods and saw the Elf fall to his death in the gorge of the Esgalduin; he tried to bring Túrin back to Thingol for judgement and failed. Years later, when Morwen rode from Doriath to seek news of her son in fallen Nargothrond, Thingol sent Mablung with a company to guard her, and Nienor followed in secret. On Amon Ethir above the ruined city the fog of Glaurung came down; the horses bolted, Morwen was lost, and Nienor, meeting the dragon's eyes, forgot her name and everything she knew. Mablung found her wandering naked and led her for Doriath, but Orcs scattered the party on the borders of the realm and she fled from him into the forest. He returned to Menegroth ashamed, and afterwards spent long seasons hunting the woods for the two women.

The last meeting with Túrin

Mablung came at last to Brethil in F.A. 499 seeking word of Morwen and Nienor, and found Túrin on the bank of the Teiglin, newly awake from the swoon that had followed the killing of the dragon. Túrin demanded news, and Mablung, not knowing what had happened at Cabed-en-aras, told him truthfully that Nienor had been lost near the borders of Doriath and had known nothing of herself. In that moment Túrin understood that Níniel, his wife, had been his sister, and he turned on Mablung and his company as bringers of doom before running to his death. Mablung carried the news to Doriath and mourned Túrin, whom he judged to have been ruined not by his own faults alone.

Death

When the Dwarves of Nogrod slew Thingol and, after Melian's departure, stormed Menegroth itself, Mablung was among those who stood in the treasury to defend the Nauglamír and the Silmaril. He fell before the doors of the treasury and the necklace was carried away, though Beren won it back at Sarn Athrad.

Slain in the treasury of Menegroth when the Dwarves of Nogrod sacked the Thousand Caves, around F.A. 502.