Círdan

Círdan the Shipwright is an Elf of the Elder Days in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He is the lord of Mithlond, the Grey Havens, and head of the Falathrim, the Elves who dwelt along the western shores of Middle-earth. Renowned as a master shipwright and seafarer, Círdan is described as among the oldest Elves still in Middle-earth during the later ages, and as a patient, prudent counselor to other Elven leaders and their allies.

For many ages, he and his people maintained the great harbor at Mithlond and built ships that carried Elves across the Western Sea to Aman. In diplomacy and strategy, he is portrayed as a steady presence who counselled leaders such as Gil-galad and others who faced the threat of Sauron.

A notable episode concerns Narya, the Ring of Fire, one of the Three Rings of the Elves. Círdan possessed Narya before Gandalf's arrival in Middle-earth, and recognizing the wizard's true power, he entrusted the ring to Gandalf. Gandalf bore Narya for many years, carrying it through the events of the Third Age; its ultimate fate after the end of the Third Age is not detailed in the surviving writings.

In The Lord of the Rings, Círdan appears primarily as a figure of lore and as the guardian of the western ports. His name and deeds underscore the Elves' enduring connection to the sea and to the voyage to Valinor, which marks the end of Elven activity in Middle-earth.