Why do they call it.. The Last Bridge?

[Witch-king of Angmar]

z3.invisionfree.com/The_Northern_Kingdom/index.php?showtopic=25

Valandil

I decided to keep this out of the Geography Thread, where Gordis mentions "the Last Bridge".

My thought about this is that this was probably not it's original name. It seems like a handy name for the LOTR story - because it's the last bridge that Strider and the Hobbits have to cross on their way to Elendil. But otherwise... why should it be called that?

I avoid the term in my own fanfic, since most of my settings are pre-LOTR. I think I've used "Mitheithel Bridge" or something - but I'd love to have something "snappy" - like "Stonebows Bridge" or something. Any ideas? Maybe something that refers to its Three Arches (I forget the description in the book, but I imagine them as very high arches - very light and elegant - and the river roaring by in a deep gorge far below).

What do you guys think? Anything in particular we should call it for our games?

[Witch-king of Angmar]

Gordis

I mentioned "Last bridge, because on the MERP map I was discussing, the place is marked "Iant Methed" Iant means "Bridge" and "Methed", most likely "Last".

Actually it had always been the LAST bridge for those who travelled from the Havens or the Blue Mountains to Rivendell or to the High Pass (in case of Dwarves, for instance).

I don't think there was EVER a bridge over the Bruinen, instead of the Ford - at least it was never mentioned. Also it Elrond used his flood-trick from time to time, building a bridge there would be useless, or, it it were a stout bridge, it would imperil Rivendell's main defence.

But if you dislike "Last", no problem - call it something else. Only "Stonebows' is reserved for the Baranduin bridge.

[Witch-king of Angmar]

Valandil

I only gave "Stonebows" as an example of a better name. I certainly know where THAT bridge is! Also - I agree that there was never a bridge over the Bruinen.

I'm trying to remember now if there was ever one over upper Anduin - with one of the older roads over the mountains and on through the forest. Or was there always only a ford there too?

[Witch-king of Angmar]

Gordis

QUOTE (Valandil @ Jun 10 2006, 05:38 PM)
I only gave "Stonebows" as an example of a better name. I certainly know where THAT bridge is! Also - I agree that there was never a bridge over the Bruinen.

I'm trying to remember now if there was ever one over upper Anduin - with one of the older roads over the mountains and on through the forest. Or was there always only a ford there too?


I have no doubt you knew where "Stonebows" bridge is. Only in your post it looked as a name proposed for the Mitheithel one, so I only meant to avoid possible confusion if someone here doesn't know this. (Probably it was not necessary, as here there are no blanc-becs , but habit is habit ).
Anyway, it you can invent another name, why not? Iant Mitheithel is good, though, IMHO.

As for upper Anduin, I am not sure if there were remnants of a bridge at Carrock - one has to consult the Hobbit. I suppose, there might have been a bridge.

By the way, it looks like Isildur meant to cross there when going to Rivendell.
Curious, how he tried to avoid Lorien, though.

[Witch-king of Angmar]

Alcuin

QUOTE (Gordis @ Jun 10 2006, 04:03 PM)
As for upper Anduin, I am not sure if there were remnants of a bridge at Carrock - one has to consult the Hobbit. I suppose, there might have been a bridge.

By the way, it looks like Isildur meant to cross there when going to Rivendell.
Curious, how he tried to avoid Lorien, though.


The Silverlode had no bridge. It was deep and swift: passing to the west of Anduin would have required Isildur to march along the foothills of the Misty Mountains, where he might have crossed at the pass over Caradhras, or through Khazad-dûm; but an easier route to the west would have been by the road through Calenardhon and over the bridge at Tharbad. I believe the Gladden was marshy far from its conjunction with Anduin, so there was no good route along the west side of Anduin. His intention was to pass through Imladris on his way to Arnor to take counsel with Elrond and meet his wife and youngest son, Valandil, who remained there during the war, so going through the Gap of Rohan (I cannot find its original Númenórean designation at the moment) or over the Redhorn Pass would have taken him out of his way: he would have had to double-back to Rivendell with his escort. Besides, Isildur thought that all the orcs were killed or in hiding, and he had only a small force of about 200 men with him. The attack upon him came as a surprise.

I believe there were the ruinous remains of a bridge south of the Carrock along the old Dwarf Road that became the East Road in Eriador, but I cannot find a citation to confirm that. If there were no bridge, there must have been an excellent ford there.

[Valandil]

I just happened to wander upon this thread... and I have just recently re-read "Disaster of the Gladden Fields" in Unfinished Tales.

It's Note #14 to this story that tells of a former bridge over Anduin on the Old Forest Road - still in existence at the time that Isildur was heading that way (for he intended to cross there) - but gone 3000 years later when the story in "The Hobbit" occurs. The note goes on to say that there was no place further south where the Anduin could be bridged... but I suppose that's excepting a huge Numenorean-style undertaking at Osgiliath.

Incidentally, an earlier note in that same story (Note #4) is referenced from an Elven name of "The High Pass" - it is called Cirith Forn en Andrath.

[Gordis]

Very interesting, Val!

But I somehow prefer to keep the name "Last Bridge" for the one over Mitheithel. It is known to people and it is canon - and we have so little canon landmarks in our story.

Let us count it was the last bridge before the Misty Mountains - or the Last bridge in Eriador... What do you think?

[Valandil]

Yes - we could call it that. Though I wonder if the Rhudaurians would call it "The First Bridge" - since that's what it is in their own frame of reference.

Still - it makes the most sense for us to call it as we have - and our excuse can be that in making our translations, we rendered various other useages into the name which would be most familiar to our readers... an editorial decision.

[Alcuin]

I grew up in a town called Columbia. 30 miles north of it is a town called Franklin. A highway runs between them. In Columbia, it is known as the Franklin Highway. In Franklin, it is known as the Columbia Highway.

If you live in the Shire, the “Last Bridge” is the last bridge before you reach your destination, which, until Bilbo Baggins came along, was probably Rivendell. Even if you were an Elf from Lindon, it was the last bridge you’d find, even if you went to Thranduil’s Realm or Lórien. I may be mistaken, but I think the only other intact bridges mentioned are at Laketown and in Gondor, Moria, and Mordor.