Glorildor is one of the Iathrim, a Sinda of Doriath, son of Malendir and Gílrinel. He holds few peaceful memories of his childhood, but most memorable are his walks with his sister Sílamirel on her forays into the woods. Every now and then she escaped to the tranquilty of the forest with her little brother. He would sometimes leave his sister's watch and run off into the woods on his own, for the protected forest realm of Doriath was free from the dangers lurking outside its borders. One day his sister found him in the woods, sitting by the riverbank, wearing a circlet he made of autumn leaves. A ray of sunlight was coming among the thick branches of the trees, reflecting a golden light upon his fair head, "Glorîldor!" she called her brother, "radiant goldenlight". She kept calling him with that name from that day on, which he later decided to use it along with his father name Malenion, in memory of his sister.

The quiet days of his youth did not last long, for Doriath was attacked by the Dwarves of Nogrod, who slew King Thingol and sacked the city of Menegroth. Queen Melian then left and took with her the protective Girdle which kept the land safe. Although the peace was restored under Dior Eluchíl's rule, it was only for a few brief years. Gloridor was still very young when Doriath was attacked by the Sons of Fëanor. He managed to flee only barely and ironically by the help of another Noldo, a friend of his father who delivered him to a small group of survivors. Together they escaped to the Havens of Sirion in Lisgardh. However, they were delayed on the road and his family was scattered. His sister was lost during the chaos and never heard from again. His parents were with another group which arrived at the Havens first. They were told that they had been the only ones who survived the journey. His father Malendir succumbed to his wounds soon after hearing the ill news about his children. His mother could not bear the loss of her family and sailed to Valinor. Glorildor learned the fate of his family later, and insisted on staying until he found his sister. However, his search had been in vain, because the Havens of Sirion had been attacked in the following years by the Sons of Fëanor. The defences were no match against the might of the Noldorin warriors, Glorildor reached the refugee ships with the rest of the survivors and they sailed to the Isle of Balar, the realm of Círdan the Shipwright.

After the destruction of Beleriand, Glorildor came to Lindon and settled in Harlindon. He tried to find out if his sister survived, but now that Beleriand was gone, it was almost impossible to find any trace of her. As the years passed, he grew restless with old memories. More and more he longed to live in a forest realm, where the trees stood like mighty pillars, reaching to the skies, as at his lost home. One day word reached him of a woodland realm far to the east, in which the Teleri settled in the long ages past. Some of the Sindar folk had already started planning a journey there, and he did not hesitate to depart with them. But instead of joining the others, he decided to walk on his own and follow a longer, more indirect route to his destination.
He started his journey to the east from Mithlond in the early Second Age, and spent many long years on the road. He passed perilous mountain paths, walked through caves and tunnels, crossed rivers, and discovered places long forgotten. Glorildor faced many dangers that tested both his strength of arms and his will, yet managed to prevail and survive. The journey was wearing, but he relished every bit of experience and felt forever grateful for the experience he gleaned of his trials, as they made him stronger and wiser.
He spent some years in Eregion, where he learned the secrets of crafting precious gems from the jewel-smiths. He gained a true friend there, a noble Noldo smith who called himself Dolenor. He also had unsettling memories of the past, so the two shared their memories and enjoyed each other's company greatly. Dolenor crafted him a mighty sword as a parting gift and named it "Langril" - the Radiant Sword, a fitting name for its owner.

Glorildor continued his journey and finally reached Eryn Galen, Greenwood the Great, where Oropher of Doriath ruled as its King. He finally found the peace he wished for in the vast Woodland Realm among his Nandor cousins and some of the Sindar folk who had journeyed there before him. He traveled often between Eryn Galen and Lórinand in the south in those years, for he enjoyed wandering in the woods, listening to the sounds of the rivers and and the songs of forest birds. But the peace in the world was threatened by the Enemy once more and when the Last Alliance formed, he took arms under King Oropher's banner and joined the Battle of Dagorlad. The war brought with it many forgotten memories and left many painful scars, the foremost of which was the loss of Dolenor, weighing heavily on Glorildor's heart.
After the battle, he returned to Lórinand and spent a long time there, trying to find some peace in solitude, reflecting on the past and trying to make a decision between staying in Middle-Earth or sailing to the Undying Lands.

In the following years he often travelled between Lórien and Imladris, searching for answers within himself. Ages passed and the world changed, while he remained unchanged. Lost in thoughts, he wandered in the land then known as Lórinand. Time flew by, swift as the waters of a mighty river, and he barely noticed as a new realm sprang up around him. The land had gained new rulers - the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel - and became known as Lothlórien, the Golden Wood, a place of dreams and peace. Caras Galadhon had been built then, and its Mallorn trees grew tall and mighty. Glorildor basked in their beauty and found hope and joy once more. Having concluded his musings, at last Glorildor made his decision. He would stay and travel Middle-Earth once again, providing what aid he could to those determined to fight against the Enemy, securing the peace of those not strong enough to protect themselves. Yet he had also been given another purpose in these dark times of war - to act as a watcher and a messenger to his people in Lórien, to be their eyes and ears in the world at large. And thus began Glorildor's second great journey.