Minor Places in Middle-earth - S

S

Sarn Gebir

A hilly area just west of the Falls of Rauros on the river Anduin.

Sea of Núrnen

An inland sea in Mordor. It held bitter water not suitable for drinking, but the area around it, Núrn, watered by a river system coming from the Ephel Dúath, was fertile enough to feed the entire armies of Sauron in Mordor.

Sea of Rhûn

A large saltwater lake or sea in the region of Rhûn. The Sea of Rhûn, according to Tolkien's maps, covers roughly 400,000 square miles (1,000,000 km²). The Celduin (River Running) flows from the northwest through Dorwinion into a northwestern arm of the sea, while several unnamed rivers flow from the northeastern shore.

Silvertine

See Celebdil

Stair Falls

A waterfall outside the West-gate of Moria. They were formed by the stream Sirannon, which flowed from the valley in front of the West-gate and over a cliff about 30 feet (9.1 m) high and then continued southwestward to join the Glanduin. There was a flight of stone steps carved into the cliff on the northern side of the falls, but the main path wound up the cliffside a bit north of the stairs. The Stair Falls were once strong and full, but by the time of the War of the Ring the waterfall was cut off when the Sirannon was dammed, forming a pool where the Watcher in the Water lurked.

The Fellowship came to the cliff where the Stair Falls had been on January 13, 3019. Gandalf, Gimli, and Frodo climbed the Stair, discovered that the pool blocked their path, returned and used the main path up the cliff and around the pool. It seems possible that after the War and reoccupation of Moria, the Sirannon may have been unblocked and the Stair Falls may have flowed once more, but this is nowhere stated.

Starkhorn

A snow-clad peak that rose in the inner regions of the White Mountains. From its feet sprang the Snowbourn River, whose widening valley ran northwards through the mountains to emerge onto the plains of Rohan. The Rohirrim called that valley Harrowdale, and built their courts of Edoras at its mouth, from where the lonely white peak of the Starkhorn could be seen along the straight length of the valley.

Swanfleet

(S. Nîn-in-Eilph) A marshy area in Eriador. Formed where the Glanduin (mistakenly labelled as "Swanfleet river" on some maps) joins the Gwathló (Greyflood), the Swanfleet is effectively an inland delta, with uncertain streams and a very uncertain difference between land and water.

It strongly resembles the Gladden Fields on the other side of Hithaeglir, and as such many Stoors felt right at home here after their migration into Eriador. These Stoors remained here until the Great Plague nearly wiped them out, and the remainder then went to the South Farthing of the Shire. Near the Swanfleet was a ford over the Glanduin, from where led a road to the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil, the ruined city of Eregion.