Orodreth was a prince of the house of Finarfin, and in The Silmarillion he is Finarfin's second son, the brother of Finrod Felagund. Finrod gave him the keeping of the watchtower Finrod had built on the isle of Tol Sirion, to guard the western pass into Beleriand.1,2
In the Dagor Bragollach, and the years after it, Sauron came against the isle and took the tower, and Orodreth fled to Nargothrond. When Finrod went away with Beren on the quest for the Silmaril, he left the realm in Orodreth's hands; but Celegorm and Curufin, sons of Fëanor, had won the hearts of the people, and the real power in Nargothrond was theirs until news came of Finrod's death and their own treachery. Then Orodreth, now king, drove them out.2,3
Nargothrond had always been held by stealth. When Túrin came there, he urged open war, and Orodreth, swayed by him, let a great bridge be built over the Narog so that the host could march out and back. For a time the plan prospered, and the lands about were cleared of Orcs.4
But the bridge showed the enemy the way in. Morgoth sent Glaurung and a great host, and in the Battle of Tumhalad the army of Nargothrond was overthrown. Orodreth fell in the front of the battle, and the city was sacked and his daughter Finduilas carried away.4
Sources
Citations name the chapter rather than the page, so they work in any edition. The colour of each note shows what kind of source it is.
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and Tolkien's late writings on the Elder Days, assembled by Christopher Tolkien from his father's papers.
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, ch. 14, “Of Beleriand and its Realms”
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, ch. 18, “Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin”
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, ch. 19, “Of Beren and Lúthien”
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, ch. 21, “Of Túrin Turambar”