In the fictional

Fiction

Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...

 works of J. R. R. Tolkien

J. R. R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...

 the Laiquendi (Green-elves) are an ethnic group of Elves, so named because their attire was often green.

History and origin

The Laiquendi are Elves of the Third Clan who passed westward into Beleriand

Beleriand

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...

 over the Ered Luin or Blue Mountains and came to reside in Ossiriand, the Land of Seven Rivers. In Sindarin

Sindarin

Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....

 these Elves were called Laegrim.
The Green-elves can be traced to the Telerin

Telerin

Telerin is a constructed language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is one of the many fictional language set in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth....

 Elves of the host of Olwë, who coming upon the Great River Anduin

Anduin

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Anduin is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland, the longest river in the Third Age . The ancestors of the Rohirrim called it Langflood. It flowed from its source in the Grey and Misty Mountains to the Mouths of Anduin in the Great Sea...

 and seeing the seemingly impassable peaks of the Hithaeglir or Misty Mountains, forsook the westward journey and became a separated people. These Elves followed Lenwë (in their language Denweg) down the banks of the Anduin and once again became separated. Of the fate of many of these elves, that story is uncertain. What is certain though is that many wandered into the lands of Eriador

Eriador

Eriador is a large region in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth. In the Second Age, and possibly much earlier, it was largely forested, but the Dúnedain felled most of the forests to build ships. Much of it was encompassed in the early Third Age by the kingdom of Arnor, which...

, between the Eastern slopes of the Ered Luin and the Western side of the Hithaeglir. These Elves became a wild and simple people in comparison to the Calaquendi

Calaquendi

In the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Calaquendi means in Quenya "Light-folk", but was often translated "Elves of the Light". This name has a long history....

 or the Sindar

Sindar

In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the fictional Sindar are Elves of Telerin descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin...

 of Menegroth. As Morgoth

Morgoth

Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...

's treachery began to extend eastward over the Blue Mountains, the simplistic weapons of the scattered Elves of Eriador were no match for the servants and beasts of Morgoth. Through the mediation of the Dwarves

Dwarf (Middle-earth)

In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Dwarves are a race inhabiting the world of Arda, a fictional prehistoric Earth which includes the continent Middle-earth....

 of the Blue Mountains and those passing to and from the Misty Mountains, some Elves of Eriador came to hear of the might and power of King Elu Thingol's realm in Menegroth. Hearing of the peaceful territories of the King, Denethor, son of Lenwë, collected as many of his scattered people as he could and finally ventured westward over the Ered Luin, where he was accepted by the King as ancient kindred (King Elu Thingol being in fact Elwë, brother of Olwë) and were given Ossiriand to reside in. Although there are some instances where the Green-elves of Ossiriand did participate in the battles and strife concerning Morgoth (the First Battle of Beleriand

First Battle of Beleriand

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the First Battle of Beleriand is the first battle of the Wars of Beleriand, fought by the Sindarin Elves, led by Elu Thingol, King of Doriath and Lord of Beleriand, against the armies of Morgoth, the Great Enemy, the Dark Lord.-History:Morgoth,...

for example), they were for the most part a simple, peaceful, and reclusive people.