#Callonduin (OC)

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Modern AU Oneshot

The funny thing is, I normally don't do Modern AU's, but when people on the discord server asked what our OC's would be like in the modern day, the concept got me on a chokehold and I ended up writing this short thing O__O

Premise is wonky. It's all conceptual, mostly vibes, really!

Summary: When he felt himself beginning to slip, Callonduin decided to take a gap year from university. In his travels, he looked back on his life, and noticed its mysteries. Like how his father never explained what life-saving procedure was done on his twin brother Calarphain as a kid, and how the two brothers haven't seen each other since.

At 8:09pm, Callonduin left his father a message to tell him he arrived at the airport and would be meeting his friend soon. He stood in the middle of a different city and looked to the tall white building in the distance, wondering what his brother was doing right now

He didn't say much else, but his father never asked anyway. Good. At 8:15, he entered a cafe and ordered an upsized latte and double chocolate muffin-- he would need the energy tonight. He called Fíli and thanked him for agreeing to lie about their staying together. Fíli wished him well and reminded him to be careful.

At 8:30, his phone buzzed. He didn't answer it, he knew he wasn't supposed to. He left to meet a contact who would help him get whatever he needed to sneak into a secure facility.

At 9:02, the barista began to close shop. In walked a stranger wearing shapeless white clothes. They had pale skin and long, light hair. The barista couldn't tell if this ghostlike figure was a man or a woman, only that they reminded them of a hospital. The barista sighed and decided to take one more order.

Calarphain looked at the menu with a lost look on his face. He didn't have much on him, just some change he picked up on the street. He saw a weekday promo: half off for a small, brewed coffee.

"What does that taste like?" he asked. The barista said something about beans and undertones. Calarphain placed the order.

"Creamer and sugar are over there," said the barista.

".... are those free?" was his response.

Calarphain sat with his coffee and a small pile of packets. He decided he should try it plain first.

Before he could even lift the cup, a blonde man with an athletic build entered. Even the barista couldn't help but stare. Before they could say anything about the cafe being closed, the man walked straight to the other customer's table.

Haldir sat across the all-white figure.

"Calarphain," he said patiently, "what are you doing? You know you're not supposed to have caffeine."

Calarphain's shoulders slumped. He kept his gaze lowered as he replied. "How will I know if I've never even tried it?"

"The doctors would say it's best not to risk it," Haldir said, but all Calarphain could hear was how it would mess with the "clinical integrity of the experiment".

Calarphain looked out the cafe's large glass window, taking in the sight of nearby shops closing. He came here because he always saw this district from his own window, but there's no way he'd tell anyone that. He liked his window.

"Come on," Haldir tried once more, keeping his voice soft in both volume and tone, "the doctors don't even know you're gone yet. We'll be back before they do."

Calarphain bit his lip and didn't respond, only staring at the door as Haldir took his coffee and returned it to the counter. I could run, he thought. His back is turned, I could run. But he didn't. He sat frozen in place and only moved to follow Haldir to the car.

He pocketed a sugar packet in defiance.

—-

The next day, Callonduin would wake up to news that at 9:20pm the night before, a man named Haldir was ambushed and killed outside the city's food district. Haldir worked security at the facility Callonduin traced his brother to. There were no other bodies on the scene, and the only evidence left were his car, some bullets, and a packet of sugar from a nearby cafe.

[angbands-last-hero]

⋆⭒˚｡⋆ Callonduin for @the-journey-was-the-point ⋆⭒˚｡⋆

[the-journey-was-the-point]

cw blood and self harm

That time Callonduin gave himself an extra life by wraith-ifying himself with a Morgul Blade.

*insert 1-up sound effect*

[the-journey-was-the-point]

4 Times Calarphain Forgot His Brother + 1 Time He Didn’t

Had this sitting in my WIPs for a while, decided to share it for @tolkienocweek Day 7: Freeform!

Summary: Like it says in the title, a collection of times Calarphain forgot his brother, and one time he didn't. You can read this other fic for more context, but the gist is that they grew up away from each other with no contact and now have opposing personalities! Relationships: Callonduin & Calarphain Warnings: Referenced character death, hurt/comfort some angst

Letters

It was all very hazy for Calarphain. The elfling woke up to see his father (looking so worried) and Lady Galadriel (she was so radiant and kind), sitting by his bedside. He couldn’t recall much before that. 

He took one step, then another; a healer came in every day to check his progress. He was slowly getting better, well enough to take short walks.

He huffed one more time, finally reaching the end of the hall. That was enough for his daily walk. Now it was time to return to his bedchamber and– what was it father said? Write a letter to his twin brother? It was a little strange for Calarphain to imagine that somewhere out there was an elfling who looked exactly like him.

Before he could turn, he caught sight of the Lady of Lórien entering the courtyard. He was immediately excited. He liked Galadriel,  she was so kind and beautiful, and even better, she was to mentor him soon!

He called out to her. “Lady Galadriel!!”

The Lady’s serene face turned into a fond smile. She met him halfway, and the two of them spent the rest of the day sitting under the eaves as she told him tales of her youth. 

2. Birthdays

It was a time of feast in Lothlórien. Tonight, they celebrated Calarphain’s coming of age. There was dancing, and cakes, and all of his friends were here. His father made sure the wine was sweet, just like Calarphain liked it. Galadriel gave the toast, recounting the fateful day her apprentice arrived in their realm. Mithrandir brought his best fireworks and promised Calarphain he’d one day instruct him in magic. Calarphain was excited, he wanted to have a staff like Mithrandir’s one day! 

As he giddily downed another glass of wine, he overheard a conversation over the sound of the music. 

“My parents always said it would be like this. You blink, then suddenly they’re grown."

It was Celebrían, Galadriel’s daughter who was visiting from Rivendell. Calarphain always enjoyed her company and was delighted she could be here for the celebration.

“I often feared he wouldn’t live to come of age.” It was his father speaking. He sounded sad and a little sloshed. Calarphain shook his head fondly. His ada was always so sentimental! 

“I’ve enjoyed watching them grow. They’re both doing very well, both highly praised in Lothlórien and Imladris. 

Both? Who’s both? 

Mithrandir lit up another rocket, sending a kaleidoscope into the sky. Calarphain joined the crowd in applause. He figured Celebrían was talking about her own twin sons. 

3. Diet

Calarphain stoked the campfire, focusing on making a bigger flame. He could use magic to speed up the process, but he was trying to distract himself from the sound of Kíli skinning and gutting a rabbit. 

“That looks good,” he heard Fíli say. “What will we have it with?”

“There’s some spices here that Bombur packed for us,” Kíli replied.

“Callonduin’s been gone for a while now,” Tauriel stated as she paced the camp, ever vigilant. “He took Linnéa with him.” 

“Yeah, I needed a second pair of eyes.” Everyone turned to the ellon in question as he dropped down from the branches above, bearing with him a heavy sack. Shortly after, Linnéa emerged from the treeline, carrying an assortment of herbs. “Just to make sure I don’t accidentally kill us,” the ellon continued with a cheeky smile. “Oh! A fire!” 

Calarphain had been trying to avoid his brother so far. Ever since they set out, it was like every interaction they had turned into an argument.  Actually, they’d argued even before leaving Erebor. It was awkward to say the least, so Calarphain tried to keep his distance. 

It seemed Callonduin didn’t have such reservations as he spiritedly plopped down next to his brother. “Yes! Get it nice and hot! Then we can roast the nuts.” 

“The nuts?”

“Ah yeah, I went foraging.” Callonduin reached into his sack, producing an assortment of fruits, berries, and nuts. “Figured you could use some extra, especially since you don’t like eating animals.”

Calarphain murmured his thanks, taken aback by such a nice gesture coming from his brother. “This is very thoughtful of you.” 

Callonduin waved off the compliment with a lopsided grin. “Do you still like chestnuts? I remember how we used to pick them all the time in Rivendell.”

Calarphain loved chestnuts, but he didn’t remember Rivendell. 

4. Song

That last battle hadn’t gone well. They nearly got overpowered by the swarm of goblins, only making it out of the lair by the skin of their teeth. The stormy weather wasn’t helping. It was a good thing a kind farmer let them sleep in his barn. 

Calarphain winced. The cut on his arm was beginning to hurt. He’ll ask Linnéa for pain medicine tomorrow; he didn’t want to wake his tired friend just yet. 

In the darkness, someone began to sing. It was low and melodious, its words in Sindarin. He got up and walked to its source. 

He found Callonduin sitting where Fíli lay nestled in blankets. The dwarf prince had contracted a fever and tossed fitfully in his sleep. The ellon paused his singing when he saw this twin approach. 

“I guess I woke you.”

Calarphain shook his head and whispered, so as not to wake their friends. “That sounded beautiful.” 

“It’s a song of healing,” Callonduin shrugged. “Or, it’s supposed to be. I don’t know if it’s working.” 

“Well, I liked it.” Calarphain took a seat next to his brother. “It sounded familiar. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it in Lothlórien before.”

“That’s ‘cus this is native to the healers of Rivendell,” Callonduin explained, his smile faltering slightly. “I used to sing it for you when we were little.”

“Oh…” Calarphain felt a pit in his stomach. “I’m afraid those days are hazy to me. Probably why I don’t remember the song.”

Callonduin nodded, aware of his brother’s condition. Calarphain felt his twin’s solemn look didn’t suit him. That face was made for smiling. 

“Teach it to me anyway? Maybe it’ll work with two of us.”

(Interlude)

“I don’t know if this is the right thing to say, but I felt you deserved to know.” Calarphain wrung his hands, eyes fixed on the river infront of him. He had called his brother to the outskirts of town in order to talk. He had to come clean, this couldn’t go on any longer. 

“That’s never a good start.” Though Callonduin replied with an easy tone, Calarphain knew of his brother’s tendency to use humor to avoid difficult conversations.

The light-haired twin sighed. Callonduin got the message and sat next to him.

“What’s up?”

“My earliest memory is waking up in Lothlórien with father and Lady Galadriel watching over me. Everything before that was lost to the haze of sickness.”

Callonduin nodded, prompting his brother to continue.

“You resent that I never visited you all these years, that I barely wrote.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. You were sick, I get it–”

“No,” Calarphain quickly interrupted, “you need to know why. You need to know, when I woke up, it was like I was given a new lease on life. I had a new home, new friends, powers I didn’t understand. Galadriel herself offered to mentor me. I had a new life, and the world seemed so big, so limitless, I–” he choked midway through his sentence. Callonduin placed a hand on his shoulder, concerned for the younger twin. 

“I knew you existed,” Calarphain continued, “father told me about you. But in light of my new life,  I suppose I wasn’t… interested in what I had before. Everything else seemed new and exciting. I was so preoccupied with it that I suppose I… forgot about you.” And there it was, finally out in the open. 

There was a second of silence, followed by several more. Neither twin said anything until Callonduin finally smacked his lips together. 

“Well,” he said once more with the casual tone he was known for. “Thanks for telling me this. Good talk. I’ll go now.” He moved to stand, but Calarphain grabbed his sleeve. 

“Callonduin, wait!”

“No, I get it.” Though Callonduin shrugged off his twin’s protests, he avoided his gaze, and Calarphain knew his brother was ready to break. “Everything else was more exciting– I mean you had Galadriel as a mentor. Why bother with me–” 

“Callonduin– no! Look at me, please!” Calarphain gripped his brother’s shoulders and forced the older twin to face him. Callonduin met his gaze,  identical blue eyes boring into his own.

“What I’m trying to say is, it wasn’t your fault. I knew you existed, but didn’t make the effort to reach out. Even when I was well enough to, I didn’t visit simply because I wanted to do other things. I knew father and I left you to grow up alone, but I never cared to do anything about it. Do you understand what I’m saying? You weren’t lacking, Callonduin. I just wasn’t considerate enough to think about you. I took you for granted. I still sometimes do. I’m sorry.”

Calarphain brought his hands back down to his sides. Now it was his turn to look away. “That’s all. I wanted you to know it wasn’t your fault.” 

Callonduin stood still the whole while, taking in his brother’s confession. Tears glistened in his eyes and he swallowed a number of times, throat tight. 

When he spoke, his voice was raw and soft. “Wish I could turn back time. Make it right somehow.” 

Calarphain shook his head. “I wouldn’t put that on you.” What’s done is done. Callonduin was neglected, and nothing would change that. “For what it’s worth, I’ve been enjoying our time together. I’m glad I went on this journey and got to know you. It makes me wish I had you around growing up.” 

“Yeah?” Callonduin sniffled, rubbing at his eyes before tears could fall. “Well, I’m here now!” 

“You are,” Calarphain laughed, looking back at his twin, “and I’d like to make more memories, if you’re up for it. To replace what we lost.”

“Oh! We can go to Rivendell, if you like. We could stay in father’s house, I’ll show you around. My favorite spots– ah!-- the minstrels play some really good songs…”

Calarphain smiled, excited at the prospect of returning to his birthplace with his brother. “I’d like that very much.” 

He never made it to Rivendell. 

+ One time he didn’t

When Calarphain woke up after being re-embodied, he found himself in the blessed land of Valinor. Just like before, his father was by his bedside. The two of them shared a tearful reunion…

… Until Calarphain found out that shortly after he died, his father sailed, leaving Callonduin alone in Middle Earth. 

“How could you do that?!” he cried, tearful Sindarin pouring out of his lips. “How could you leave him alone?!” 

The good thing about being re-embodied? The Valar saw it fit to grant him a healthy fëa and hröa, meaning Calarphain had a much stronger body than before. 

He hurled a pillow at his father, missing, and breaking a vase in the process. Concerned healers slowly trickled into the room.

“Did you forget about him?! Did you forget that he needs you too?!” 

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Elladan's Prologue

A short snippet about my OC Callonduin, but told from Elladan's POV.

Summary: Elladan has been restless ever since the disappearance of a particular Elf. His brother decides to check on him. Relationships: Elladan & Elrohir, implied (onesided)Elladan/Callonduin

“Still worried about Callonduin?”

Elrohir scaled the last few steps uphill to reach his brother who stood on the highest peak in Imladris, his sharp elven eyes scouring the surrounding forest. Elladan had been in a melancholic mood as of late. No one knew what troubled Elrond’s eldest son, no one but Elrohir, for he knew his brother better than anyone. 

Following his brother’s silence, Elrohir spoke once more. “Come now. You can’t think I don’t see the connection between his disappearance and your sudden interest in scouring the Trollshaws on your own?”

In all honesty, though Elrohir was confident in his theory, he couldn’t see why Elladan would be so invested in Callonduin of all people. While it was true they grew up around each other, the twins of Imladris had never been particularly close to the ellon in question. Furthermore, though Callonduin was a skilled warrior, he was also known to be a bit unstable– often inebriated, repeatedly disregarding orders, and prone to reckless behavior. 

But then again, in all honesty, Elrohir got the feeling that Elladan recently became more secretive. 

“Callonduin is… known to be a bit, er, eccentric,” the younger twin tried once more. “It’s definitely not the first time he’s gone off on his own. Why, I’m certain if we ask around Bree we’ll catch wind of a rowdy ellon–”

“I already searched Bree, Elrohir,” Elladan cut in, impatient and agitated. “He’s not there. And it’s been a month. The seasons are changing, the cold will be upon us soon and Callonduin is traveling alone–��

Elladan abruptly restrained himself. He stilled and set his eyes once more upon the forest, searching for any sign of orcs or a glaive-wielding elf who laughed. 

Elrohir observed his brother for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder.  “Callonduin is a trained warrior, just like you and I,” he said. “He’s resilient. He won’t be felled by a bit of snow.” Then in an attempt to lighten the mood, Elrohir added, “If he’s not in Bree, then he’s probably asleep under a table somewhere else, passed out from all those tankards he likely downed.”

In all honesty, Elladan preferred it if that were the case. Better Callonduin be blacked out in some human inn than captured by the foul beings that ran amok throughout Middle Earth. This was because Elladan knew what others didn’t: that Callonduin’s reckless behavior was much worse than the rest of them thought, for the elf had, for quite a while now, a tendency to sneak out of Rivendell at night to take down entire orc camps alone. 

And in all honesty, Elladan knew this because he had the same tendency. Things had been difficult since his mother, Celebrían, was tortured by orcs. The twins developed a terrible lust for slaying orcs, and though they promised their father to stop, Elladan found it was too difficult and continued to do so in secret. 

One night he left to take down a orc camp he'd scouted. Callonduin was already there when he arrived, and in the moonlight, Elladan saw that he was laughing.  Unrestrained, soaked in orc blood, and laughing.

Elladan closed his eyes.

“I heard from Lindir that Callonduin was supposed to meet his father and brother in Lothlórien next spring. I certainly hope he doesn’t mean to cross the Misty Mountains alone.” 

Elrohir’s expression turned somber. “I’m sure Callonduin is not so reckless as to attempt that," then as if he just heard himself, Elrohir quickly amended, “How about this: I will help you search for him. It is better than letting you do it alone.”

Elladan hesitated for a moment before turning to face Elrohir. “Are you sure?”

Elrohir smiled, wrapping a comforting arm around the elder twin. “Of course. Don’t carry this burden alone, Elladan. Your family is here with you.”

Elladan allowed himself to smile and relax in his brother’s hold. 

[the-journey-was-the-point]

I finished making those alternate looks for my lil guys! These are supposed to be them at different points in time, so it was great to think about how their in-story circumstances affect their designs.

I'll post comparisons soon!

[the-journey-was-the-point]

An Argument

A short, emotional fic told from Callonduin's POV!

Summary: After spending a lifetime apart, Callonduin overhears what his twin thinks of him.

---

For most of his life, Callonduin played the part of the ideal ellon, excelling in his studies and combat training, never giving his father cause for worry. He figured his father had enough on his hands taking care of Calarphain, Callonduin’s sickly twin brother. Calarphain was brought to Lothlorien as a child for healing, and their father stayed with him there ever since.

Many years went by before Callonduin's behavior began to shift, gradually becoming more unruly, more delinquent, culminating with him dropping his duties in Rivendell without a word. He proceeded to travel around Middle Earth, partying in taverns and instigating brawls for sport. 

For months he lied to his father, wrote him letters of an uneventful life at home, but during their “working vacation” out east, his father revealed that he knew of Callonduin’s  deception during their entire trip. “They tell me of your alarming behavior,” his father had said, referring to the letter he received from Elrond’s attendant, Lindir, “that you behave recklessly when fighting orcs, that you disappear for several days at a time, then come home smelling of blood and ale.” 

Before leaving their convoy, Callonduin apologized to his father and promised to return to a normal life in Rivendell.

Of course, what he actually did was loiter in a small town along the Anduin. It was pure luck that a band of dwarves would pass through and inform him that Fíli was requesting his presence in Erebor.

“Please, behave.” Fíli had all but pleaded him, as the crown prince was to officially present his intended traveling companions to his uncle, King Thorin.

Did Callonduin behave? Well enough, he cleans up nicely when he wants to. Did that mean his deception went unnoticed? No, and now not only was King Thorin unimpressed, but Calarphain was mad at him too.

Callonduin wandered around Erebor afterwards and upon hearing his brother’s voice, followed the sound to a room, a study perhaps, where Calarphain was speaking with someone the older twin couldn’t see. 

“When I learned I was going to meet my brother, I wondered what type of person he was. Father made him sound remarkable. Turns out he’s… out of control, and boorish, and irreverent, and so cruel to our father! He’s not at all what I was expecting.“ 

Callonduin was a seasoned warrior, one of Rivendell’s best, and the youngest apart from Lord Elrond’s sons to have been part of his personal orc-hunting party. He has been on the receiving end of an orc’s unforgiving warhammer, and yet, these words from his brother hurt so much harder in a way Callonduin couldn’t explain. 

“Sorry, were you expecting Glorfindel?” Callonduin snapped, making himself known. 

Calarphain spun around and froze at the sight of his brother leaning against the doorway. The older twin's lips were curled up slightly in what would have been considered mirth if not for the tumultuous look in his eyes. Unused to dealing with hostility, Calarphain could only stammer. 

“Were you expecting I’d be a paragon of Elvish virtue?” Callonduin continued, “If you knew me at all,  you’d know that what I am is at the bottom of the barrel! But how can you? You never wrote.”

“Father wrote to you,” Calarphain replied at last, voice raised, “and you always made it sound like you were fine! And I did write to you.” 

“Yes! Short notes attached to father’s letters!” Now Callonduin’s voice was raised as well. “ ‘Hope you’re doing well,’ ‘Happy Midsummer’, and nothing more. You never even visited.”

“I was sick, Callonduin, you know this! I was sick, then I had my apprenticeship with Lady Galadriel–” 

“Hundreds of years,” Callonduin interjected, “and you couldn’t make time for one summer with me?”

Silence fell between the two, and Callonduin allowed it. Callonduin wouldn’t deny his flaws, he was very aware of how far he had fallen, but he detested how his brother held him up to an imaginary ideal, when Calarphain never took the time to know him.

He took a shaky breath to calm the well of emotions that threatened to drown him. “Maybe I am out of control, and everything else you said... but if you’re disappointed because of what you expected me to be, that's your fault Calarphain, not mine.” 

Callonduin stormed out, not bothering to wait for his brother's response.

[the-journey-was-the-point]

OC Intro's!

Since I finally have some art and names, I can properly introduce these guys!

They're my The Hobbit OC's who travel along with Fili, Kili, and Tauriel post-BOTFA doing minor quests but mostly enjoying the journey, since that's what it's really about, isn't it?

(Until the plot thickens at least)

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Take 2 on drawing my OC's, this time with Taran. I still might make minor changes, but I think I'm happy with what I have so far.

Taran took the longest to design cus there was so much I wanted to do, and most of it was contradictory. I think this is a good starting point though.

Anyways, I need to practice drawing the canon characters who they travel with so I can complete the set XD

[the-journey-was-the-point]

(Crackfic) A Solo Conversation

Actually the first fic I wrote for my OC's and what kickstarted the rest of my writing! I got inspired by talking about Callonduin and Elladan's relationship in a discord server and got this funny idea about Taran, a shapeshifting prince of Mordor, having to stand-in for his friend.

Summary: Disguised as Callonduin, the prince of Mordor finds out there may be more to his free-spirited friend's lovelife than he initially thought. Relationships: Implied Elladan/Callonduin (onesided)

---

Much like his predecessor, Taran was able to change his physical form, and was quite skilled at it too. He could take any form to suit his needs, be it a bird, a warg, a Man, or even a dwarf if need be. However, his dark master and creator, Sauron, imposed on him one stipulation: that Taran, under no circumstances, was to ever take the form of an elf. In fact, he wasn’t even supposed to go near any elves.

His lord had told him it was too risky. Elves lived long lives and there was always a chance that whatever elf Taran encountered would have likely been around since the First or Second Age, and might be able to immediately sense Taran’s true nature. And as the Ashvaen, like his name in Black Speech implied, there was only one of him and he could not be replicated. 

Then he and his friends arrived in Rivendell, the hidden valley full of Elves. That was bad for him. They smuggled him in through Linnea’s bag (he had taken the form of a black lizard). Not so bad. 

Then Callonduin, who had some sneaky errands they needed him to do, asked him to take his form for a while. Very, very, bad. 

“I couldn’t pretend to be you, Callonduin. I don’t know any Elvish customs, they’ll immediately catch on.” “I’ll only be gone for a while. You just need to wear my form, and stay out of the way. Stay in the guest rooms. Don’t talk to anyone.” 

“That’ll be even more suspicious, it’s impossible to shut you up!” 

But Callonduin wheedled and pressed, and Taran eventually gave in. They really did have important things to do after all, and so long as Taran stayed indoors, nothing was sure to go wrong.

Or so he thought until a dark-haired ellon appeared in the doorway.

“Callonduin,” the elf breathed. He then made a gesture with his hand that was unfamiliar to Taran, and an awkward, expectant, air filled the room. 

Taran figured it was likely an Elvish greeting of sorts, but not knowing how to respond, he only froze like a deer. His breath seemed to leave him as he remembered all the terrible things his lord said the elves would do to him if ever he was caught.  

After a moment, the elf cleared his throat and shifted a bit. He spoke again, this time lower, “I heard from the guards of your return. I would have liked to be the one to receive you,” he said, “but I was scouting the western border.” 

Again, Taran didn’t respond. What could he even say? He didn’t know this elf, or what his relationship with Callonduin was. Anything he said would just make things worse. 

Besides, even if Taran did have something to say, his throat was too tight right now to speak. 

The elf swallowed, fidgeting once more. He turned away for a moment, as if collecting his thoughts, before speaking again. “You left so suddenly. Which you often do, so no one was alarmed at first, but then months passed and– you should have told someone.”

Then, to Taran’s utter surprise (horror), the elf suddenly strode forward, took the seat across him, leaned in, and fixed him with an intense, piercing, look. 

“You should have at least told me.” 

Eyes wide, both eyebrows raised, Taran could not help the look of shock on his face if he tried. Were Callonduin and this elf… together? Callonduin never mentioned him. That made this even more complicated, except now Taran was part interested about them, and part horrified for himself.

“Yes,” the elf continued, insistent and sincere and concerned and strangely nervous all at once. “Me. Are you so surprised? I know how you are. I worried for you. I scoured the Trollshaws with Elrohir, and if you were going to cross the Misty Mountains and stay away for so long, you should have said something beforehand.”

Under the pressure of the ellon’s gaze, Taran had to look away. The air in the room was quickly turning tense and emotional in a way Taran was wholly unprepared for. He had no idea what to do or say. He wondered where his friends were and if they were done with their task yet. He weighed the cost of attempting to act as Calloduin against staying silent, and which one was most likely to make this elf go away and least likely to end with him bound in elven chains. He wanted to look back at the elf but kept his gaze glued to the side. 

After another moment of silence, the elf spoke, this time much more testily. “Do you have nothing to say, Callonduin? You, who normally has a hard time keeping silent, won’t even say a word?” 

Taran’s head shot back up at that. By now, his heart was pounding so hard he could hear it. He shook his head slightly, unsure of what he was even trying to convey for it was more out of reflex than anything. He tried to speak, tried to give out the simplest, most generic response he could muster, but found it all caught in his throat. 

Later, he would wonder what expression he must have worn on Callonduin’s face for this elf’s stern features to suddenly soften.

“I see…” he murmured, worry and pity in his voice. His eyes seemed to look pained as he regarded who he thought was Callonduin. “You must have endured perils so terrible, they’ve affected your speech. I did not know. I’m sorry.” 

Not knowing how else to respond, Taran shrugged. Whatever, so long as the elf left him alone. 

“We should go to my father.” The elf decided after a moment. “He’s the greatest healer in all the land, I’m certain he’ll be able to help.” 

The elf took Taran’s hand and led him to the healing halls. Taran, stunned and not having much of a choice, followed silently. 

Later, his blood would freeze when he learned that the elf’s father was none other than Elrond, the Lord of Rivendell, who was exactly the kind of elf he should have been avoiding.

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Elladan & Callonduin

@tolkienocweek Day 2: Canon-OC Relationships

So, I've posted 2 fics about Elladan and my OC Callonduin, but never really explained what's happening with them XD

It's definitely one-sided, Elladan is attracted to Callonduin, but Callonduin isn't attracted to Elladan (he even lowkey sees him as a rival). Elladan's feelings though, aren't really about romance. It's more about... the shadow.

Here's the story:

After what happened to Celebrían, the twins weren't doing well. Elladan and Elrohir got obsessed with vengeance and kept going off to hunt orcs on their own and even started taking pleasure from the bloodlust. Elrond eventually had a talk with them about not being consumed by such things, and they promised to stop. Elrohir did. Elladan... pretended to stop (and he really tried!) but it was too difficult, and he ended up sneaking out at night to hunt orcs alone.

One time, he arrived at the camp he was going to raid, but Callonduin was already there ("and he was laughing").

They were just acquaintances before this (they grew up around each other), but now they had a special understanding of one another no one else had. They were each others' secret-keepers, they knew each other's struggles.

Although, like I said... they were never really that close. They have that understanding, but they can't claim to know each other that well. Their pain comes from very different places, and honestly their personalities and values aren't compatible. In reality, Elladan is attracted to Callonduin cus of what he represents (letting go, giving in to one's impulses). Call it the Jungian shadow!

And that's what makes it fun! Here's some fics!

Elladan's Prologue

(Crackfic) A Solo Conversation

And if you'd like some music, this is absolutely their theme song:

(yes it has to be that specific version XD)

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cw blood

Remembered to post this! Comparing my OC's looks at different points in time. Excuse the inconsistent color palette ^^"

Linnéa's travel look that she wears for most of the story is a lot more "uptight"-looking than her Laketown look that's supposed to look more alluring. Callonduin wore his hair in a more "traditional" style when he was still in Rivendell (and yet at a certain point it started to look unkempt). My reasoning behind his loose bun is that he got out of bed in the morning, looped his hair once, and called it a day XD

Calarphain initially had brown hair like his twin, but after Galadriel used the light of Eärendil to save his life, it turned white. When he dies and the light leaves him, it turns back to brown. Taran disguises himself when he travels, so he changes his physical appearance and covers the tattoos (which I don't have designs for, but they're distinctly Mordor-affiliated). His travel clothes are meant to be plain and untraceable, to the point of suspicion.

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Some sketches of my The Hobbit OC's! They hijacked my brain around hm, 2021? And have been slowcooking ever since.

Took a while for some of these designs to get to me. I have a number of rejected ones in my sketchpad. Might still play around with the colors and designs, but I think this is the gist.

To briefly explain: The Hobbit but no one dies, also Fili and Kili (then later Tauriel) meet my OC's and go on what seems like a minor adventure before the plot thickens.

First there's Linnea, an apothecary from Laketown. Fili meets her when the Company stops over at Laketown (in this AU, they arrive like what 5 days before Durin's Day?). Turns out she's a spy for Mirkwood and knows how to make more than just medicine. Also she's like 100-something years old (her dad was an elf, but she appears human cus genetics), and she's really just so Done with Middle Earth.

Then there's the twin elves: Callonduin and Calarphain. Callonduin is the thrill-seeking, orc-hunting, life of the party. He was born and raised in Rivendell, which is a great place, yet despite that, he has a whole host of emotional problems.

Calarphain is a pacifist and a friend to all living things. He was born weak but Galadriel saved him and he's now her apprentice in Lothlorien (where he grew up). He's got some really powerful and really suspicious light-based magic.

The twins meet Fili and Kili the spring after the BotFA because their dad, a diplomat participating in peace talks, brought them along.

There's one more guy but his design is still a huge "?" to me (he'll turn up eventually).

Another doodle. Callonduin looks pissed off here cus I was listening to a video about the doom of the Elves, a topic that throughly depresses him.

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WIPS! Drawing alternate looks for my OC's (as in how they looked during different points in time)

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OC's and Instincts

I just realized that my OC's fall pretty neatly into the 4 stress responses! Namely fight (Callonduin), flight (Linnéa), freeze (Calarphain), and fawn (Taran).

Now of course this isn't the only way they respond to threats, it entirely depends on the situation and what they feel the best course of action is. It also depends on the type of threat; for example, simply being attacked by Orcs isn't "threat" enough for Callonduin (in fact he actively seeks it out/enjoys it). I mean, being caught off guard in a situation in which they feel they're in genuine danger of losing and it's hopeless and out of their control.

(Or at the very least, it's the response they tend to gravitate towards)

(Also these might not be accurate in terms of actual psychology, I'm looking at this purely through the lens of character archetypes)

Callonduin - I've come to realize that Callonduin has a tendency to respond to real threats with aggression and snark, and this isn't just because he enjoys fighting. Even in a situation where he's about to lose, possibly die, I can see him either going down swinging in a fit of rage, or using the last of his breath to cuss out his opponent.

Linnéa - She's not a fighter, and she's more cunning than strong. She knows she's out of her depth when up against seasoned warriors, so her first instinct will always be to flee a dangerous situation, or better yet, avoid it.

Calarphain - I think the main thing with Calarphain is that he's inexperienced and generally unused to conflict. When faced with it, he doesn't know how to handle it or is too terrified to act.

Taran - Surprisingly, he fawns. Again, it depends on the situation, but he does have a tendency to people-please and make himself as small and nonthreatening as possible. He believes all will go well if he just complies.

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Callonduin: For those of you not versed in The Art of Doing Things You're Not Supposed To, a "credibility prop" is something that makes you look like you belong where ya don't.