Just some helpful, easily condensed Tolkien lore for myself and others hoping to accurately explore Arda in fanfiction.
I, Silz (as ElwingAndEarendil), was part of the SSG (Silmarillion Survival Guide) team on CouncilofElrond.com which put together...
Last chapter I outlined, among other things, the three kindreds of the Eldar: Vanyar, Noldor, and Teleri. Finwë was the first High King of the Noldor, the second kindred. It is his line of descendants that are most vital to the story of the First Age and the Quenta Silmarillion.
Here are this chapter's infographics:
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(The third one is to illustrate the heritage of Elrond and his house)
That being said, Finwë's line is also the most convoluted, mostly because JRR Tolkien left it unfinished and his son Christopher did his best to figure out what was what. It is because of this that the published Silmarillion and the later drafts aren't always the same.
Take for example Ereinion Gil-Galad, last High King of the Noldor. In the published Silmarillion, he is the son of Fingon, son of Fingolfin. However Christopher later says he made a mistake and that actually his father, JRR, was quite clear that Gil-Galad was the son of Orodreth. However we don't even know who Orodreth is. He is either the last son of Finarfin, or the grandson of Finarfin through Angrod. I choose to subscribe to the latter.
Another thing we run into his the twin sons of Fëanor. There are two versions, and in either one the twins are reversed. In the published Silmarillion, Amrod is the elder and is known as Pityafinwë (little Finwë) while his brother Amras is the younger and known as Telufinwë (last Finwë). BUT in the latest drafts, Amrod is the younger, Telufinwë, and dies early in the story while Amras is the elder, Pityafinwë, and lives for a long time in Beleriand. I pick and choose which I want depending on what story I'm writing.
Then there are the missing characters: Findis, Irímë, and Argon. The first two are the daughters of Finwë through Indis his second wife. Then Argon is also the youngest son of Fingolfin, dying early in the first battle upon Beleriand for the Host of Fingolfin. None of the these three appear in the published Silmarillion but did make it to later drafts.
It is further inherently complicated because of Finwë taking a second wife after the death of Míriel, his first. So Fëanor and his house are half-related to Fingolfin and Finarfin and their children.
We also do not know the name of Curufin's wife, just that he had one and Celebrimbor (yeah the guy who made the Rings of Power) is his son.
