Imlach

	Marach
Malach Aradan		Imlach
		Amlach

A son of Marach, Imlach was the younger brother of Malach Aradan, and a member of the early generations of the family that would later become famed as the House of Hador. History records almost nothing about Imlach's life, but based on what little dating information we have, he seems to have been born on the great westward journey of the forerunners of the Edain, just a few short years before his father Marach led his people over the Blue Mountains into Beleriand.

Marach and his people settled in the land of Estolad on the banks of the river Celon, but as time passed dissent began to arise among them. We do not know whether Imlach himself was one of the dissenting voices among the first Edain, but his son Amlach certainly was. Amlach and his party were aggrieved that their long westward journey, made in search of a rumour of hope in the West, had done no more than bring them into lands threatened by Morgoth and to the shores of a vast ocean.

Amlach - it was thought - spoke strongly against the Eldar and Valar at a great debate in Estolad, and afterward many Men abandoned Beleriand and departed back across the mountains. It was only later learned that Amlach himself had not in fact been at the debate, and that the speaker was a counterfeit sent by Morgoth. Amlach therefore abandoned his opposition to the Elves, and went on to join the forces of Maedhros.

We are not told what part, if any, Imlach played in the debate at Estolad. The dating of the debate is not specifically given, but based on Amlach's age, Imlach would probably have been somewhere between fifty or sixty years old at the time. Given the significance of the debate, and the fact that his son played an important role in the discussion, it seems quite plausible - or, indeed, likely - that Imlach was present. If so, Morgoth's imposter must have been similar enough to the real Amlach to fool even Amlach's father Imlach.