eilinelsghost

[eilinelsghost]

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The Havens of the Falathrim, the coastal cities governed by Círdan, the shipwright, in the first age of Middle Earth. I headcanon it as sharing some similarities with Telerin cities, full of vibrant colors, open architecture and the ocean incorporated into much of the planning

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Therefore do not bend, Ancalimë. Once bend a little, and they will bend you further until you are bowed down. Sink your roots into the rock, and face the wind, though it blow away all your leaves.

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Alqualonde

since you guys liked the Barad Eithel sketch, here is what I drew on the train on the way back :D

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Not enough Finrod in armour out there

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Two months in one because I've been so busy recently, but tada! Also, anyone who loves Elwing, you need to check out crackinthecup on AO3 — their fics for her are utter perfection.

Haunted, Hunted by @imakemywings (T, Elwing & Maedhros, 9.4k) Maedhros and Elwing's interactions are so so good and I love the look at Maedhros' manipulative, coercive side. The fairytale aspect is an added bonus.

At the water's edge by crackinthecup (G, Elwing & Idril, 3.3k) This relationship is everything to me now, this fic is so rich in feeling and character and just beautifully written.

And by their blazing signify that a great princess falls, but doth not die by TheLionInMyBed (G, Elwing, 3.5k) I love this portrayal of Elwing, this exploration of the precariousness of her situation and her strength in the face of it is so well done.

Less flesh than stone by crackinthecup (T, Elwing & Maedhros, 0.9k) Perfectly raw and devastating interaction between these two, this characterisation of Elwing is wonderful, I am obsessed with her.

Tax Evasion and Other Forms of Courtship by turin_turambar (Haleth/Caranthir, 1.2k) This was so funny, so many good lines! Haleth and Caranthir's snarking is perfect and Caranthir is down sooo bad.

Grief in All Her Guises by @eilinelsghost (G, Finrod/Bëor, 9.2k) Such a richly written fic, both in terms of the characters and their relationships and in exploring the early days of contact between Elves and Men.

Less Wise by am_fae (E, f!Maglor/f!Thranduil, 5.7k) A perfect combo of yearning and sexiness, this has such wonderful characterisation, particularly for Maglor.

The Blessed by daphnerunning (E, Idril/Tuor, 2.8k) Incredibly in love Idril and Tuor, my beloveds.

Keep my heart warm while I'm gone by @melestasflight (M, Aredhel/Ecthelion, 1.6k) The closeness and desperation between these two is perfect, I'd never considered them as a duo before but now I am heartily sold on them and their friendship.

I look for love, I find a stone by @emyn-arnens (G, Nerdanel, Findis & Indis, 2k) Love this portrayal of how these women cope with their grief through creativity and community is so, the author's approach to Nerdanel and her relationship with her craft is spot on.

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I was rereading the Nirnaeth chapter last night, and it struck me how many brotherly vibes are present throughout.

How Gwindor goes completely savage after Gelmir is massacred and pursues Morgoth’s heralds all the way to the very stairs of Angband, and even ‘Morgoth trembled upon his deep throne’ as he heard Gwindor’s people banging on his doors.

How Turgon opens the leaguer of Gondolin after 356 years and risks everything he has built to aid Fingon. How even on the last day of the battle, when he probably knows that everything is lost, he ‘hewed his way to the side of his brother.’

How Maglor, the mightiest singer of the Noldor, slays Uldor the Accursed when he draws near the standard of Maedhros.

How Húrin and Huor decide to stand together until the very end, and neither of them leaves, even when ‘all the hosts of Angband swarmed against them, and they bridged the stream with their dead.’ How Húrin screams ‘Aurë entuluva!’ seventy times as he takes down enemies only feet away from where Huor lies dead with all the people of their house.

The fact that every pair of brothers loses one, other than Maglor, and even he would not be certain all his brothers live in the midst of that chaos. And that does not stop them but propels them further until they have given it all.

The battle begins with Gwindor and ends with Húrin. Those who have lost a brother. Those who will now be thralls in Angband, and even that will not be their final end.

Goosebumps. Every. Damn. Time.

[eilinelsghost]

Elven states of consciousness

Essentially, it is my headcanon that elves have a spectrum of states of consciousness that they can fall into naturally or that can be induced. These states can last anywhere from minutes to hours or even days and have distinct names and beliefs about their purpose which is largely what sets them apart from human consciousness. In humans states like these might appear fleetingly but there is more rarely a distinction made between them apart from wakefulness and sleep

I also had fun extrapolating from elven languages

Note: words are my own invention unless stated otherwise and for real words, extrapolation about deeper meanings are my own unless said otherwise!

Kaima is an early Quenya word meaning to lie quiet. This is a meditative state, contemplative and serene. Certain kinds of prayer fall into this category as does rest without sleeping

yúyal (twilight)

The confused period between sleep and wake both at night and in the morning. Typically the shortest lived of various states. This can also apply to various drug or herb induced states. 

The word for the state of consciousness actually predates the rising of the moon and sun. 

lórë (dream sleep)

What it sounds like. During normal sleep when dreams occur. Sleepwalking or talking is rare but not unheard of. 

cuilórë (daydream)

Differs from typical daytime wistfulness in that is a trance like state with lessened perception, response time, and awareness

Daydreaming in the usual sense is not named in the same way unless it involves a significantly altered state

cuicalama bright awake

Related to daydream, this involves a heightened wakefulness and hyperawareness of sensory information that is, importantly, not overwhelming. Actual processing of such information might be slowed or altered. 

The Summer Solstice Festival in Doriath which I talked about here often involves prolonged states of this

cuiva (awake)

The most common state.

I could go into elven perception and awareness and how that might differ from humans but this is still the state most familiar to us.

morlor (black sleep)

Sleep without dreams where waking is difficult. A heavy, deep sleep. Unconsciousness also falls under this as does coma like states. Generally considered a dangerous state associated with nightmares and captivity

Comparatively, fúme, a real word in early Quenya, meaning deep sleep does not have these negative connotations

Other thoughts (Note: I have more elaboration on this here!)

Different elven peoples have somewhat differing views on these and their purpose and some cultures have other states not considered by the majority. 

The states listed above are related specifically to wakefulness, awareness, dream or sleep but there are more states that involve other kinds of trances, hallucinations, and other alterations in cognition or consciousness. 

Applying pressure to certain points can induce altered states of consciousness when done correctly 

I’ve also talked about this before but these states are heavily abused in Angband, often artificially induced and experimented with 

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the joys of today's writing: autocorrect coming up with the splendid idea of some of Manwë's servants being beagles. The King of Arda surrounded by baby beagles. Checks out.

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“How’s your WIP going?”

"Have you made any progress?”

“How close are you to being done?”

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More horses, this time with Turgon and Finrod 💙

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Was talking to @serregon about this but just thinking once more about how Morwen has been traumatized since she was Turin’s age when he left (or about that, she was a year or so older), her own father dies as an exile in a massacre, she’s watching Húrin’s people including close friends like Aerin go through what many of hers did; invasion and violence and exile and so much of what we know of her childhood mirrors what will happen to turin before he’s ten and Niënor is living as Morwen’s father died, as a stranger and almost prisoner in the land he’s born in

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Ladros by Peter Xavier Price

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Last Line / WiP

Catching up slowly -- thanks for the summons @queerofthedagger @sallysavestheday @eilinelsghost @tilion-writes

Chin-deep in the angsty waters again. Warning for funerary topic.

The roads are ruined, the fields still smoking, homesteads creak on the verge of collapsing upon themselves. But Fingon forces his gaze away from this devastation, fixing his eyes on the peaks of Amon Darthir at whose foothills Galdor’s family home stands. It was built for Hador, once, it will be Húrin’s now. Roads and houses shall be rebuilt, the fields will grow green again, but those who have lost sons, brothers and lovers, their grief cannot be patched with wood and stone, nor their joy replanted anew. The funerary rites have already begun; the dead wait for no one, not even kings. The mourners file to look upon their loved ones, to place a kiss upon their foreheads, and offer a farewell gift — a flower tucked between tresses, a bracelet of red yarn tied around wrists, golden coins placed inside pockets — to accompany the travelers upon their next journey. Where to, not even the Valar know. Fingon inhales deeply and dismounts his horse.

Calling upon @misst1ff @balrogballs @nerdanelparmandil if you feel like sharing something from your open docs.

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hi everybody please reblog this and tell me your go-to coffee order right now and if you don't like coffee feel free to include your go-to tea order instead

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Violets in Beleriand

Continuing my flower world building from last year where I do flower related world building! More in the spring flower game tag! This was a request from last year, from a couple people including @thirstyvampyre

Violets are a genus of flower containing almost 700 species. They are small flowers often in purple, blue, white or yellow colors. A number of species have been specifically cultivated for ornamental purposes.

In Beleriand there are several hundred species found throughout the continent and many more in the rest of Middle Earth.

Sweet white violet grows in the cool forests of Southern Beleriand, mostly south of the Andram

Horned violets are a periwinkle colored species that grows in Dorthonion. It's referenced in Bëorian poetry and song, often as a symbol of cohesion and the heavens due to its star like appearance.

Violet leaves are eaten in Mithrim by both the Sindar and Noldor there. The spring festival at Barad Eithel contains both savory and dessert dishes garnished with violet leaves

Northern coastal violets are found in some coastal regions of Beleriand including the havens of Sirion and the havens of Falathrim. Some small boats have them painted upon their oars and sides, Manganese being used as a pigment in its painting.

Violets are used in Sindarin medicinal practices, primarily in teas in Mithrim and the western parts of Doriath. They're used to treat environmental respiratory symptoms that can sometimes arise due to exposure to pollution in the north and due to fires.

Mountain violets are found in the foothills and mountains of Hithlum. Like other wildflowers of Hithlum, they appear in Hadorian embroidery and architectural motifs.

Yellow violets including evergreen violets and yellow wood violets are a symbol of marriage, bonding and oaths in some Avarin cultures, particularly in northern Beleriand. These flowers are often worn in crowns during both marriage and fealty ceremonies.

Marsh violets of various species can be found in the twilit meres in Doriath. Finrod and Turgon when they slept there and received dreams from Ulmo slept among beds of marsh violets. They would later make small jeweled pieces to wear to quietly represent the memory.

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Milestone

I recently hit 200,000 words over on AO3. I know some of you monsters manage this in one fic (!!!), but for me, averaging 300-1,000 words a pop, it's a surprise. And a delight, because I'm happy with all 200K of those words, one way or another. I do this for fun, and I've had plenty of it.

This motivated me to do a little poking through my back catalog and reminiscing, and I thought I'd share some personal favorites. If you haven't read these, or would like to read them again, enjoy!

A favorite gen fic: Sweet Falls the Rain (G: 1,000 melancholy words of Maglor and Elrond)

A favorite angst monster: Such Dulcet and Harmonious Breath (G: 700 words of Elenwë and why we should hold hands on the Ice)

A favorite drabble collection: Melodies Great and Small (G: 700 words; seven drabbles focused on Tolkien's women)

A favorite crackfic: Full Disclosure (T: 2,000 words of Russingon's snarky epistolary commentary on Finrod's anthropological sexcapades)

3 favorite shipfics: Knit Me Up That Raveled Sleeve (T: 500 words of Halenthir), I Have Found What I Sought Not (G: 300 words of Glorthelion), and The Ways We Touch The Ones We Come To Love (T: 1,000 words of Gimleaf)

A favorite ruminative fic: Stasimon (G: 400 words of Maedhros at the end of the world)

A favorite rarepair fic: Farewell, Most Fair (G: 300 words of Gandalf/Sauron)

A favorite rare characters fic: Call Me Out of the Gloaming (T: 750 words of Egalmoth/Rog, my beloveds)

A favorite Fëanorian fic: A Sea Change (G: 700 words of Curufin adjusting to being Reborn)

A favorite Nolofinwëan fic: Molded on One Stem (G: 3,200 words of Fingon and Aredhel being Like That)

A favorite Arafinwëan fic: Thy Brothers' Keeper (G: 1,000 words of Arafinwë in the middle of the family feud)

A favorite Ainu: If Ever She Sang (G: 400 creepy words of Melian/Elwë)

A favorite Gil-galad origin theory fic: O, blithe New-comer! (G: 960 words)

A favorite post-canon mix-it-up fic: Still Plenty of Good in the World (G: 700 words in which Sam Gamgee OF COURSE fixes Nerdanel and Fëanor)

A favorite OC: Marvelous Sorokendë, the chief of Celebrimbor's scouts, in By Love Annealed (G: 950 words)

A favorite edge-pushing fic: Tender Morsels (M: 600 words of Russingon and teeth)

A favorite non-narrative fic: With All Due Reverence (G: 2,000 words of faux academic exploration of funeral rites among the Elves)

A surprise fan favorite fic: Reckoning (G: 600 words of Turgon, Maeglin, and Elenwë in Mandos)

My one (1) fic rated E: Braided; Entwined (1,200 words of Russingon hair shibari, not super E but I'm generous with ratings)

The fab fic that put me over 200K: Tender on the Tongue (T: 1,200 words of Lalwen angstily crossing the Helcaraxë)

Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to kudos or comment, from the single emojis to the keysmashes to the delightful rants and thoughtful questions. It's a treat to know my words mattered to you. And yes, I'll always reply.

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Last Line Game

Thanks to @emyn-arnens for the tag! The writing slump has returned, unfortunately, so I haven't written anything since Thursday. But here's the last bit, in hopes that this game will fix me.

Finrod laughed aloud and held his arms outstretched toward the gathering. “If the soul dances, shall not the feet soon follow?” “Aye, provided you’ve not been trampled first by those who lead with our feet.”

Tagging @that-angry-noldo, @swanmaids, @thescrapwitch, and @actual-bill-potts if this sounds fun!