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MoriquendiIn J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, the Moriquendi (the Elves of Darkness, singular Moriquende) are, in essence, the Elves that did not join the Great Journey over the sea and behold the light of the Two Trees in Valinor. They lingered on the shores of Middle-earth or, indeed, never passed the Blue Mountains on the east of Beleriand or the Misty Mountains further to the east. Those Moriquendi who originally started on the journey but for some reason did not finish it are known as the manyar, "Those not of Aman". What became of them later is almost a mystery. It is possible that some of them may have secretly dwelt in the mountains of Ered Luin and remained there up until the beginning of the Fourth Age. It is a term for Avari, Sindar, and Nandor, but in practice is only applied to the Avari. An exception to the hiarachy of Elvish peoples is Thingol, who, though he did not complete the journey, had earlier been to Valinor. Thingol was therefore considered manya but not Moriquende. - "Those Elves the Calaquendi call the manyar, since they came never to the land of Aman and the Blessed Realm; but the manyar and the Avari alike they call the Moriquendi, Elves of the Darkness, for they never beheld the Light that was before the Sun and Moon." -- The Silmarillion, chapter 3, "Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
The term "Dark Elf" in Tolkien's writing seems to hold an additional special (not explained) meaning, as it is given as a special title of El of Nan Elmoth. It is also used as an insult by the sons of Fanor to Thingol (which is incorrect, since Thingol alone of the Sindar was reckoned under the Calaquendi).
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