Tuor and Idril

Tuor is a Man of the House of Hador who, after hardship and wandering in Hithlum and Dor-lómin, is chosen by the Vala Ulmo. Ulmo causes a spring to overflow near Tuor's cave, guides him by a stream and swans, and appears to him on the seashore; Ulmo appoints Tuor as his messenger and gives him the Elf Voronwë as guide to seek King Turgon in the hidden city of Gondolin. Tuor reaches Gondolin, falls in love with Idril, daughter of Turgon, and they marry. Their son Eärendil becomes the progenitor of later important lineages. During the sack of Gondolin, Idril's prior decision to construct a secret passage enables their escape; Tuor kills Maeglin after Maeglin attempts to throw the child Eärendil from the city wall. After the escape to the Mouths of Sirion, Tuor builds the ship Eärramë and, longing for the Sea, he and Idril sail West; the peoples of Beleriand believed they arrived in Valinor.

The supplied sources give little direct physical description. Idril is identified as the only child of King Turgon of Gondolin and a High Elf (byname Celebrindal recorded), implying an Elven princess of noble bearing in the narrative context. Tuor is presented as a great hero of the Third House of Men (epithets include Eladar and Ulmondil), a hardened leader and warrior whose portrayal emphasizes deeds, comportment, and destiny rather than detailed bodily features. Specific garments or precise physiognomy are not provided in the cited summaries.

The sources attribute to them exceptional destiny and notable practical achievements rather than supernatural powers. Tuor is chosen and guided by Ulmo—he follows divinely provided signs, finds the hidden city, proves an accomplished warrior who kills many enemies in battle, kills Maeglin during Gondolin's fall, leads survivors, and builds the ship Eärramë. Idril demonstrates foresight and initiative: she perceives Maeglin's dangerous intentions, commissions the construction of a secret passage out of Gondolin, and acts to preserve lives during the betrayal. Their story is embedded in Valar intervention and prophetic history rather than depicting them as intrinsically divine beings.