#Celeborn with a spear

[polutrope]

Optional prompt for Ñolofinwëan Week-

Elrond going to Aman and meeting Elwing outside her tower.

Thank you! A day late for @nolofinweanweek but I liked this thought and decided to give it a go. Turned out to be more introspection than actual meeting, partly because I got carried away thinking about this beautiful art by @melestasflight. 400 words, G rating. On AO3.

There was a stained-glass window three times Elrond’s height on the west wall of Rivendell's library, depicting Elwing’s mythical leap into the sea: her naked body arcing to the sky as if in supplication, feathered arms outstretched behind her. At sundown, the clear crystal set where the Silmaril would have rested cast spears of coloured light in all directions. 

It had not been like that. Elrond would have remembered that. 

All he remembers – truly remembers – is a hollowness. 

There are scraps, of course, with which he has filled that hollowness over the years. On Amon Ereb, he and Elros sewed their blurry memories together to create a quilt in which they might swaddle themselves when the vastness of their loneliness became too much to bear. On Balar, others enriched those memories with their own. Círdan told them how her laughter rang like bells, and a memory that seemed his own (he could never be sure) threaded itself through Elrond’s mind. Later, he could not help but collect pieces of Lúthien passed down by Celeborn and Galadriel and, like precious gemstones, set them unartfully in the rough-hewn relief of his mother.

(It was Celeborn, not Elrond, who commissioned the stained glass in the library. He had never known Elwing, and yet his love for her seemed greater than her own son’s.)

By the time Elrond steps aboard the ship that will take him West, Elwing is more an eclectic assortment of baubles and trinkets, most of them broken and without use, than the beautiful woman whose crystallised image Elrond left behind along with all the rest of his former life. 

She is not there to greet him at the docks, nor did he expect she would be. Celebrían waits for a quiet moment alone to tell him she is waiting to see him, when he is ready. His beloved's presence lends him the strength he needs to make the journey to that far northern tower. 

When a small woman with cropped black hair steps out onto the threshold, smoothing her plain skirts, Elrond’s breath leaps from his lungs. 

“Celebrían said you like lemon cake,” she says. “I am afraid I am not much of a baker, but I grew the lemons myself in the solarium. If you’d like to come in, that is.”

“Mother.” Elrond barely stumbles through the word before fat tears fill his eyes. “Of course, I would love to come in.” 

[ceescedasticity]

Unforsaken, 11c

(All sections on tumblr)

(AO3, lagging behind but more polished)

The swans finally approach them by abruptly landing among them when they're halfway done setting up camp. A horse spooks. Zena trips backwards and nearly ends up under an ox, but Elrohir catches her.

After a startled pause, Glorfindel starts, "Greetings. I understand—"

The swans turn abruptly into young men. They have pale gray hair and light gray eyes. Their features are identical, but one has a faded scar across his face.

"Eluréd, Elurín," Celeborn says warmly. "I am your mother's uncle Celeborn. I am so glad to finally meet you."

(Celeborn left Beleriand before the Dagor Bragollach and returned only during the War of Wrath.)

(He has never even seen them before, and has no idea which of them is which.)

(In fact, the only person present who has seen Elúred and Elurín in person before is, alas, Maglor. It was only seeing, and only for a moment. He was grieving and dealing with the aftermath of an ugly battle and trying to make sure Caranthir's second-in-command didn't desert with the remainder of Caranthir's former followers, and he erroneously assumed that any question involving small children could wait. He has no idea which of them is which, either. Happily. Because imagine his knowing when Celeborn doesn't.)

The silence has become awkward and Celeborn is visibly trying to choose his next steps when the one with the scar speaks. "No one has called us that since we lost our mother."

"You can call me Alphsîr and him Alphlîn," the other one adds.

(Swan-stream and Swan-pool.)

(Just to increase the awkwardness, Maglor can't help but note it's the right pattern to be names of swan-ships of Alqualondë. In fact, now that he thinks of it there was a Swan-pool — possibly a Swan-stream, too, but he was a passenger on a ship named Swan-pool for a short trip to Tol Eressëa with some Teler musicians to play under the stars. There'd been a discussion about which swan-ships had the loveliest songs which still occasionally haunts him.)

Celeborn makes introductions — slowly, cautiously.

"Your great-nephews, Elladan and Elrohir."

"Legolas Thranduilion — I believe you met Thranduil a few times?"

"Glorfindel of Gondolin, who was returned to life in Eldamar. He met your father and your sister there, if you have any questions?"

(Apparently not just now.)

"Khitwê and his sister Risyind are from the Avari realm of Pelndoru. They are cousins to your sister's husband."

(Well, not wrong.)

"Zuste, Zena, and Dyn are kin to Khitwê and Risyind, and also peredhil."

(Not wrong, exactly…)

"Gimli son of Gloin is a great friend of Legolas, and a hero of the last war against Sauron. His people are staunch allies. You can trust him just as you would Legolas."

(If anyone notices how bewildered Gimli is by that glowing recommendation they don't comment on it.)

Celeborn pauses for a moment.

"…These orcs who are helping us are Turgon of Gondolin, Sharlinnu of Pelndoru, and Whiterot of Doriath."

(Okay, Maglor knew this was going to be awkward, but surely not more awkward than the orcs?)

"And over there are the Sons of Fëanor, Maglor and Celegorm."

(For some reason not mentioning that Celegorm is also an orc makes that infinitely worse.)

After a pause, Alphlîn says stiffly, "Thank you for introducing us."

After another pause, Alphsîr says, also stiffly, "Caraxitári says we must learn to fight alongside you. Who will teach us?"

"Caraxitári is the Queen of the Geese," Alphlîn clarifies.

Well that's not an ominous name at all.

"That depends on how you want to fight," Celeborn says.

"We were going to fight like the Geese do," Alphsîr says. "But geese have teeth. Swans don't have teeth."

He sounds somewhat disgruntled.

Some people might be put off by these attitudes but Celeborn is made of sterner stuff. "It is… a little late for you to take up the sword, or the bow if you have never used it, but we have some spears. I would be happy to help you with that."

"If you want to fight with your inheritance of Melian's power, I can try to guide you," Glorfindel says. "My power was only lent to me, and is diminished now, but it is not entirely dissimilar."

(If they want to learn actual Songs of Power, Glorfindel could try or Celeborn could try or even Elladan and Elrohir could try. None of them could give as good a lesson as Maglor. No one is going to suggest Eluréd and Elurín — whatever names they're using — learn from Maglor. No one wants to suggest they get substandard lessons, either.)

"Can the Geese not show you how to fight like swans do?" Elladan asks. "I mean — obviously we can't, but I've seen swans do some damage. Does… Caraxitári think blunt force would not serve?"

This actually draws out a small smile from Alphlîn. "She thinks, not as well as other things we could do. But thank you."

After another long and awkward pause, Glorfindel says, "Well, are you more comfortable with wings or without?"

"…With," Alphlîn says.

"Then we should probably try to work with that."

[sotwk]

In the BotFA, Thranduil’s standout feat was slicing the heads off five orc soldiers trapped in the antlers of his war elk. Obviously the Eldar are not bound by the laws of physics, so their prowess in battle can easily be dismissed as “magical” and perhaps standard for their race. However, I happen to believe that Thranduil is an extraordinary warrior, even amongst his kind. Without solid proof from the words of Tolkien himself, I can offer only the headcanon that by the Third Age (after the War of the Last Alliance killed Gil-galad and sent Elrond and Celeborn into semi-retirement), centuries of training and experience had honed Thranduil’s Iluvatar-given gifts and leveled him up to being the mightiest Elven warrior left in Middle-earth. (No, reincarnated Glorfindel doesn’t count as he came back virtually as a Maia.)

However, I’m not here to compare and rank him against other Elven warriors, but analyze him on his own merits. Rewatching his BotFA fight scenes over and over, I’m particularly fascinated by how damn physically strong Thranduil must be.

The orcs may have been trapped and lined up for him to land his strike, but keep in mind that he was mounted on a rapidly moving elk, and these were armored opponents with steel coverings that needed to be cut through. True, having an Elven-forged sword helps, but there’s only so much a quality blade can do. There has to be serious muscle behind a one-handed swing like that, especially since he makes it look like he’s slicing air.

Another detail I find particularly badass is that you never see his own soldiers crowding around their king to try and protect him. Obviously this is not because they don’t see him worth shielding; it’s because they know it’s a giant waste of time and they would only get in the way of his warpath. Thranduil is the type of general who’d be the one saving his men’s lives left and right.

Here are my headcanon points about the Elvenking’s fighting abilities:

His key combat assets are his precision and speed as a swordsman, with blows powered by Herculean strength.

Wielding a sword is such second nature to Thranduil that it’s not just “an extension of his arm”, it pretty much IS his arm(s). The way he swings dual longswords around in giant windmill slashes while ahorse or charging a horde shows confidence that he cannot possibly cut himself by accident.

He is an offensive attacker who charges through a crowded field to get up close to his opponents, obliterating them before they have a chance to counter. He can afford to do this because his superior endurance decreases the need to conserve energy.

He has considerable skills with other weaponry such as bow and spear, but early on he realized he was best with a sword, and chose to focus on perfecting his skills with it. He is a bonafide sword master who can outduel anyone.

In terms of physical strength, I would approximate him as stronger than (excuse the Marvel Universe references) Captain America, but less strong than a fully-suited Iron Man.

Hand-to-hand combat isn’t his style, but if it came down to that, there would be few among the Children of Iluvatar who could best him when pitting muscle against muscle.

As a result, Thranduil is almost never challenged to one-on-one combat. Anyone who does so would be either incredibly naive or just wishing for death.

[emyn-arnens]

I've put together a list of some of my favorite Silmarillion gen works for @genworkjune. Works are organized by the people group the main/POV character(s) belongs to. Please leave a kudo or comment if you enjoy these!

NOLDOR

Cinders and Smoke by ncfan (T, Galadriel, 2.7k):

In the ruined Havens, Galadriel finds the Ring of Barahir, or, as it will always be, her brother's ring.

Do Not Go Alone by @dreamingthroughthenoise (T, Celegorm & Dior, 1.9k, character death):

Dying was taking longer than Celegorm would have liked.

He supposed it came from death being dealt by someone who was still fairly new at it, who did not know how to strike quickly and end the threat fast and mercifully. Or perhaps it had been intentional, Dior had no reason to grant him mercy after all. Still, he didn’t think it would take this long to die, lying side by side with the young King.

i will not say the day is done by @southfarthing (T, Fingon & Maedhros, 7.1k):

Fingon came alone, into the land of the enemy, for him. Nothing can begin to repay that debt, but Maedhros doesn’t know what else he can do at this moment. What he can do to make Fingon look at him, just once. - After all the hurts they have inflicted, Maedhros and Fingon cannot face each other.

On Sands of Pearls by @cuarthol (G, Finrod & Olwë, Finrod & Finarfin, Finrod & Eärwen, Eärwen & Olwë, 5.5k):

Finrod Felagund returns from the halls of Mandos. Though his body has been restored, he remembers little, and the traumas of his first life and death lie just beneath the surface.

Regrets by @dreamingthroughthenoise (G, Amrod & Amras, 1.5k):

“It feels strange, doesn’t it?” Amrod asked suddenly. Amras looked at him, brows raised. “What?” “That there are only the four of us left. The eldest two and the youngest two, with the middle siblings torn out.” “Ah. Yes, it does.”

Songs of Sun and Shadow by Zdenka (G, Finrod & Melian & Thranduil, 2k):

Melian asks Finrod, on a visit to Menegroth, to test the abilities of her young student in songs of power.

sown as seed in the dark by @melestasflight (G, Fingolfin, ~800, character death):

‘None of the Valar, but the King rides upon Rochallor, his great steed. Yea, and wrathful he is, flying ahead as an arrow.’ - Ard-galen witnesses Fingolfin's final stand.

This Living Earth by @searchingforserendipity25 (G, Maedhros & Aulë, 1.3k, character death):

Maedhros had loved Beleriand, once.

though here at journey's end i lie by @southfarthing (T, Fingon & Maedhros, ~900, character death):

Maedhros tries. It's never enough.

What Lies Beyond the End by @melestasflight (G, Maglor, ~600):

The Silmaril falls slowly, so slowly, as if taking its time to caress the weightlessness of Ulmo’s waters. Does it seek relief also, Maglor wonders, to be free at last of all the hands that lusted after its blessed shine?

Maglor casts his Silmaril into the Sea.

Wrought in Secret by @cuarthol (G, Finarfin & Fingolfin, Fingon & Turgon & Argon & Finrod & Angrod & Aegnor, 1.5k):

Nolofin and Arafin disagree on the need for weapons, and their sons grapple with questions on the nature of swords. And when Melkor saw that these lies were smouldering, and that pride and anger were awake among the Noldor, he spoke to them concerning weapons; and in that time the Noldor began the smithying of swords and axes and spears. Shields also they made displaying the tokens of many houses and kindreds that vied one with another; and these only they wore abroad, and of other weapons they did not speak, for each believed that he alone had received the warning. The Silmarillion - JRR Tolkien

SINDAR

autumn fruits with me prevail by Anonymous (T, Thranduil, ~200, horror):

On his head he wore a crown of berries and red leaves, for the autumn was come again.

Inheritance by Zimra (T, Dior & Celeborn, Dior & Beren, Dior & Celegorm, 2.2k, character death):

Dior remembers what his father taught him.

EDAIN

For We Remember by ncfan (T, Morwen & Andreth, 7.1k):

Morwen, in childhood.

Howl by heget (G, Andreth & Beren, 1.3k):

Companion piece to The Brides of Death. On the autumn equinox the first men to arrive in Beleriand dance and sing to remember how and why they fled over the mountains. On the night of masks, a young Beren is dragged before the throne.

The Brides of Death by heget (G, Andreth, 2.3k):

"Nóm has many questions, but he never asks about the wreath Andreth wears in her hair." A story of the Edain and their first interaction with the elves, of courage and defiance and most of all the Gift of Men.

Watcher Of/In the Woods by ncfan (T, Andreth, 2.4k, horror):

"Outside, the world was changing." Andreth, in the time following the Dagor Bragollach.

[thethirdtreeofvalinor]

This took me daysss but here’s a condensed version of all Middle Earth books as

We Didn’t Start the Fire

Kanafinwë, Elenwë

Dorthonion, Manwë

Mordor, Númenor, Gondolin Falls

Barahir, Idril, Mîm

Rescue at Thangorodrim

Last Alliance, Valaquenta, Rohan’s Mighty Halls

Dagor-nuin-Giliath

Celegorm, Morgoth’s Wrath

The Fellowship of the Ring

Gil-galad is High King

Fëanor, Maedhros

Darkening of Valinor

Helcaraxë

Alqualondë

Namarië

Goodbye

We didn’t start the fire

It was always burning since the world’s been turning

We didn’t start the fire

No we didn’t light it

But we tried to fight it

Maeglin captured, Durin’s Bane

Pippin is the Shire’s Thain

Arnor, Bilbo, Celebrimbor, Noldor, Túrin

Rivendell, Samwise

Underhill disguise

Mirkwood, Radagast, Smaug, Húrin

Red Book of Westmarch

Wizards sent as old men

There and Back Again

Thuringwethil, Théoden

Doriath, Nargothrond, Finrod Felagund

Mablung of the Heavy Hand

Down goes Beleriand

We didn’t start the fire

It was always burning since the world’s been turning

We didn’t start the fire

No we didn’t light it

But we tried to fight it

Boromir, Bregolas, Nerdanel, Legolas

Aulë, Anduin, Misty Mountains, Bruinen

Beleg, Ancalagon

Galadriel, Ecthelion

Eärendil is a star, Children of Illúvatar

Frodo Baggins, Elwë, Beregond Eonwë

Carcharoth, Faramir, Aredhel poisoned spear

Turgon, Goldberry, Pelennor, Teleri

Grey Havens’ Shipwright

Bombadil Barrow-wight

We didn’t start the fire

It was always burning since the world’s been turning

We didn’t start the fire

No we didn’t light it

But we tried to fight it

Lórien, Haleth

Indis, Minas Tirith

Elwing, Déagol, Silmarils, Sméagol

Nienor, Thorondor, Caranthir, Gildor

Treebeard, Fingon, Melian, Daeron

Arwen, Celeborn, Boromir, Gondor Horn

Trouble at Amon Hen

Glorfindel lives again

We didn’t start the fire

It was always burning since the world’s been turning

We didn’t start the fire

No we didn’t light it

But we tried to fight it

Kalimac, Lúthien

Annatar’s back again

Dúnedain, Elros

Helm’s Deep, Rauros

Shelob, Tulkas, Vinyamar

Doomsman of the Valar

Sharkey in the Shire, Narya: Ring of Fire

Isildur, Erebor

Wormtongue, Durin’s door

Haradrim, Draughlin

Nazgûl, Éowyn

Elves departing from the shore

Beorn, Third Age Post-War

A Elbereth Gilthoniel

A tiro nin, Fanuilos!

[smilingdawn]

My thoughts on LOTR: The Rings of Power Episode 1 so far:

•Prologue was pretty weak. Given how big the events of the First Age were, I expected something grand scale that would be comparable to the opening of the Battle of the Last Alliance

•Not really feeling Galadriel as a protagonist, much less someone seeking to avenge Finrod

•Galadriel being a certified badass girlboss only works when us fans are doing it, but when the show did it, it came off as that "How do you do, fellow kids?" meme

•The elves look so dry and plain. They couldn't be bothered to give the same effort that the movies did to Thranduil and Legolas?

•I know they were trying to make Galadriel's conflict to be dramatic during the boat scene but it's just so funny because you already know she's staying in Middle Earth 😭

•I was not aware that Galadriel was under Gil Galad's command? Wasn't she (and Celeborn) in charge of their own realm at the time?

• I refuse to believe that that is the same Finrod who rap battle'd Sauron and wore Nauglamir. What is it with Amazon and not putting effort in styling their male elves

•HARFOOTS INTRODUCTION WAS SO CUTE

•Did I just see Finrod raise his sword in what looks like the oath before departing Valinor

•Finrod's statue doesn't have his own sigil for some reason (perhaps a rights issue?)

•What's with the female elves and their covered faces/hair? I am currently raising my eyebrows

•GIL GALAD GIL GALAD GIL GALAD

•At least visuals are great

•Some transitions looked awkward

•Sauron is as stupid sexy as always with what looks like a new armor and is that a spear? Lance? Staff? Whatever 10/10 he's hot

•lmao @ Arondir's friend just casually telling him what happens to elf-human couples

•Celebrimbor's introduction is so 😭 like what are you doing sneaking around, old man?

•Main music is already iconic

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Favourite Female Tolkien Character Poll - Round 1, Match 5

A big one!

Character bios are behind the cut.

Aredhel

Aredhel was Fingolfin’s daughter; she loved riding and hunting in the forests and was friends with the Sons of Fëanor. In Middle-earth she went to Gondolin with Turgon, but became restless there and determined to leave. Gooing east to visit Celegorm and Curufin, she rode through the dreadful valley of Nan Dungortheb, where she was separated from her companions, but succeeded in passing through the valley alone. When she arrived in Himlad she found that Celegorm and Curufin were in Thargelion with Caranthir. Over time she rode further and further afield, and one day came to the forest Nan Elmoth. Eöl, an elf who lived in the forest, set enchantments around her so she could not find her way out, and he married her and refused to let her leave the forest or to go outside in daytime. She had a son, Maeglin, and when he was an adult they escaped together to Gondolin; but Eöl followed them there. He tried to kill Maeglin with a poisoned spear but Aredhel leapt in front of Maeglin; she died and Eöl was executed for her murder.

Galadriel

Galadriel was Finarfin’s daughter. She disliked Fëanor, but during the Flight of the Noldor was moved by his words of wide lands and new realms to rule in Middle-earth, and argued in favour of return. She was one of the leaders of the Noldor during the crossing of the Helcaraxë. In Beleriand, she went to Doriath and chose to remain there, as she fell in love with a Sindar elf, Celeborn, and learned from Melian. Sometime before the Fall of Nargothrond she and Celeborn left Beleriand and crossed the Blue Mountains. During the Second Age they lived in several different areas, including Eregion, which they ruled until Celebrimbor took over. After discovering Sauron’s identity and treachery, Celebrumbor entrusted one of the Three Rings, the Ring of Adamant, to Galadriel. In the Second or Third Age she and Celeborn were rulers of Lothlórien, and she was a member of the White Council. She used the Ring of Adamant to protect Lothlórien from Sauron and preserve it in beauty, and enable mallorns to grow there. When the Fellowship passed through Lothlórien she aided them and gave them gifts, and sent messengers to the Rangers of the North to join Aragorn in Rohan. She refused the Ring when Frodo offered it to her, thus renouncing her ambitions of rule. In the War of the Ring, she destroyed Sauron’s old stronghold of Dol Guldur. She departed Middle-earth for Valinor at the end of the Third Age.

[conundrumoftime]

Writing patterns

Thanks to @thecoziestbean and @nocaptainonthisship for the tag!

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

He says: “they’ll tell stories about us one day. (Shadow-Bride, TROP, Haladriel)

The moment she takes the Ring from the halfling, he knows. (Rise in Perfect Light, TROP but late Third Age, Haladriel)

After Eregion, after he returns to the south, after he faces Adar and drives a spear through the ungrateful thing’s throat, he hears that Galadriel is searching for her husband. (All The Kinds Of Alive You Can Be, TROP, Sauron/Galadriel/Celeborn)

In Galadriel’s dream her hands are numb from cold. (And white winter, on its knees, TROP, Haladriel)

The man shouldn’t have tried to jump him. (We aren't righteous, The Expanse (TV), Amos & Naomi)

Glorfindel is a little too bright, a little too perfect. (Say it like the sunrise when it's talking to the fog, Silm-LOTR, Celeborn/Glorfindel)

The pen is new, shiny, a little too expensive, probably a gift of some kind. (The Stars My Destination, Babylon 5, Bester)

“Explain again,” he says. (A green thought in a green shade, TROP, Galadriel/Celeborn)

The first time she hears that name there is a fire behind her and smoke in her eyes. (It would make every nightingale sing, Silmarillion, Elwing/Maedhros)

The elf is going to get them both killed. (Banquets have burned for you, TROP, Haladriel)

Still doing a lot of present tense; still like to begin within limited 3rd person POV in which somebody is noticing something.

I'm late to tags and don't know who's already done this, so please consider this an open invite to anyone who wants to pick this up!

[tolkien-feels]

your inbox is too full, you say? *fills it further*

Glorfindel, Haleth, Elrond and Beleg for the character ask, please! (or as few thereof as you like)

I feel like you just dumped a cart of characters on me and I'm very amused. Apologies for the length!

Glorfindel

Sexuality Headcanon: Grayromantic and for sexuality he's like... a 5.5.

Gender Headcanon: Transmasc, actually, and he very specifically did not want his body to be any different the second time around

A ship I have with said character: Surprisingly, none? I roll with any ship but there's none I'm particularly into

A BROTP I have with said character: Ecthelion because I'm basic. Turgon and Elrond (these are linked), Aragorn, Gandalf, Bilbo, essentially anyone who spends more than a week living somewhere he's living,,,,,,,, I just find him sociable but also interesting no matter who you pair him up with

A NOTP I have with said character: None that I can think of

A random headcanon: His voice is unusually ethereal even for an elf and people tend to rate that as his most attractive quality (which he agrees.) Not an exceptionally good singer though

General Opinion over said character: I honestly don't give him as much attention as I should! I love him, I just don't often remember to rotate him

Haleth

Sexuality Headcanon: Heteroromantic but ace, but she doesn't know that can be a thing and assumes she's aroace

Gender Headcanon: Whatever gender Eowyn has got going on

A ship I have with said character: None? None that I can think of, at least

A BROTP I have with said character: Besides her family (listen, guys, I like family relationships) and clan, none. I enjoy her relationship with Caranthir but only when it's very definitely not a friendship. There's respect and convenience but they aren't friends

A NOTP I have with said character: Caranthir, I guess, but I don't actively hate it, it just does nothing for me even when the concept is interesting

A random headcanon: Very, very few people in the history of Arda are better with a spear than she is

General Opinion over said character: I'm sure I would love her much more if we got more canon info about her. I don't know why, but whenever I try to headcanon her, I hit a wall. (This happens to other characters we have little canon about too. Sometimes my brain just won't let me like minor characters and I hate that.)

Elrond

Sexuality Headcanon: Queer, and that's as descriptive as he's making it. Runs parallel to his experience as a peredhel

Gender Headcanon: See above

A ship I have with said character: Celebrian! I like canon ships!

A BROTP I have with said character: Oh literally too many to list, but I'll highlight GILRAEN GILRAEN GILRAEN. I am always feral about his relationship with Gilraen and nobody seems to care about it and it makes me sad. I'll also highlight Celeborn for the same reason

A NOTP I have with said character: Pretty much any ship other than Celebrian

A random headcanon: He's not tall at all and looks even smaller because he's very naturally delicate-looking. You see, he's got Luthien's body type, and Luthien's body type is "Tiny, girlish fairy-looking princess." (Like Luthien, he uses it to his advantage.)

General Opinion over said character: Everybody Is Wrong About Him But Me vibes. I have thoughts about many common fanon tropes ant they tend to run counter to what's popular. Anyway: I've known Elrond since I was 10 and would cry if I could meet him for real

Beleg

Sexuality Headcanon: Um... Pan? In that he knows he's attracted to any gender. But he hasn't really ever been strongly attracted to anyone

Gender Headcanon: Cismale, by his account. But he's still doing Cuivienen gender and that doesn't quite match with Doriath's current view of gender. Comes across as gnc but not to elves of his generation. He occasionally finds that confusing.

A ship I have with said character: Let me pick a fight with the entire fandom: Beleg/Morwen. Talk to me about Beleg and Morwen!! This could be such a great ship!

A BROTP I have with said character: Turin is the obvious one so I won't even mention it. Mablung is also very obvious. I like the idea of him being very close to Thingol, though in a way similar to how Hurin is close to Fingon. It's not friendship, but it is a very strong bond

A NOTP I have with said character: ...Turin. I don't hate it, but I find their relationship infinitely more interesting if Turin looks at Beleg and sees Hurin, and Morwen, and Sador, and Lalaith all rolled into one, and Beleg willingly takes on all these roles. You have to come up with something exceptionally interesting for me to entertain them as a romantic ship instead.

A random headcanon: Can imitate the singing of just about every bird with uncanny accuracy and that's a party trick even for elves. (Melian is quite fond of this skill, incidentally)

General Opinion over said character: I love him but not if he's playing Responsible Person to Turin's Chaotic Person. No, no, no. Beleg is a hot mess of an elf! Very tragic, but just Legolas levels of "?????? why are you the way you are"

[wrongsofpower]

Surviving a volcano eruption is pretty neat and possible even for elves

Bronwyn gets speared by arrows and bleeding out but during a very long moment in which cockney orcs would definitely have busted in, her demon kid saves the day by quarterising mummy with a log and by the next day shes positively glowing!!

While I'm at it what a move to make episode 6 so horrendously gruesome?? I'm all for violence but that was rank

Whoever halbrand is I love that they've chucked all that sexual tension in with galadriel! It's really compelling. King of the dead? Hot get that ghost pussy girl. Sauron? Oo forbidden fruit is the sweetest! Your husband's dead? Get it gurrrrlll! What's life without a sexy guy to flirt with anyway 😘💅

I think by everything anyone says not making any sense the only way for it to make sense is if they're all just lying to eachother about stuff the whole time to .. double bluff? Is the series gonna end with all the double bluffs coming out in one episode like an absolute U-turn mess or are they gonna keep the bluffs going into next season meaning I have to spend a year thinking there's a possibility that Amazon is actually trying to push the ideas that celeborn is dead, the elves are all in peril and mithril is the only thing that can save them, and that it was made by an elf and a balrog fighting over a tree? Why all the lies or is this legit what you've come up with Amazon???

[nemo-of-house-hamartia]

I wish I had tumblr back in 2001, when the Lord of The Rings Trilogy came out.

I would have fangirled and hyperfixated the hell out of everything.

Seriously.

The amount of stuff I collected, THE VISCERAL DESIRE to be able to sew so that I could make myself all of Eowyn’s dresses (dear gods, the Green one, the ShieldMaiden one and the Starry Mantle, the one that she wears in the House of Healing. Like, that scene with Faramir in the Extended Edition is STILL my fave to date. IN THIS HOUSE WE LOVE AND RESPECT FARAMIR AND EOWYN, AND WE SHIP THEM TO THE MOON AND BACK. ***TO THE MOON AND BACK, I SAID.***) and the and a few of Arwen too (gods, I am still dreaming of her Chase Dress, her Mourning Dress, The Requiem one and the Blood Red one. Still doodle them ever so often in some variations because omg those sleeves. those freaking sleeves. and the colours. they were PERFECTION for Baby Nemo who was starting to discover her passion for costume designing)

Like, THE HOURS I spent watching the behind the scenes on the Extended Editions and just MARVELING at Weta’s work on the armours and weapons (dear gods, all the sketches by Daniel Falconer, so intricate and yet clear. Like, Gil Galad’s crown and his spear Aeglos....am still feeling all warm and fuzzy inside each time I look at the sketches) and Ngila Dickson costume design for all the characters, how she managed to create a specific vibe and “lore” for each character, that rendered them IMMEDIATELY recognizible (tho, I am still not agreeing completely with Arwen’s Coronation dress. Like, THE CROWN IS SPECTACULAR, and the gown is so insanely beautiful, I cannot even,  but the colour of the gown itself is...mmmm....not truly my fave? I understand why they went for the soft green, reconnecting it to Spring and Rebirth, and I absolutely agree that after three movies of Arwen wearing clothes that were so closely tied to her mourning, she needed something pastel and ethereal to signifiy the fact that she had chosen Aragorn and a mortal life. I just don’t particularly love THAT shade of green with HER colouring, but again, this is just my personal opinion, and the gown is still INCREDIBLY beautiful regardless).

AND THE MUSIC????? LIKE, HOWARD SHORE, SIR. YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO KEEP ME AWAKE SO MANY NIGHTS WITH “EVENSTAR”, SITTING ON MY BALCONY AND CRYING MY EYES OUT BECAUSE I WAS SO ALONE, AND SO HOPELESS THAT I WOULD NEVER FIND LOVE IN THIS LIFE???? And please, do not let me start on the CHARACTERS per se.

I could write thousands of words just to express the utmost love I have for Boromir and Faramir, for Eowyn and Eomer, for dearest Samwise who never gave up on Frodo, for Elrond and Celebrian, for Galadriel and Lord Celeborn.

Like.

I could really be here all day, and the serotonine from it all would be IMMENSE. All this to say that if you have been around here for the last two years, you have seen the way I become when I get immersed into a world that manages to snuggle itself into my heart, be it game/movie/tvseries/book.

When I was younger, this world was the one portrayed in The Lord of The Rings, and both books and movies had such immense hold on me, such huge impact, it’s safe to say that they were a huge part of the reason I am the way I am today, both in artworking, writing the things I write (the TROPES I WRITE) and creating characters and worlds and how they all interconnects with one another.

Gods, I need to do another rewatch now. And I need to write more about this all, in any kind form I can. I need to. 

Well, thank you for reading this. <3

Let me leave you with a gif of my two lovebirds being ABSOLUTELY gorgeous and soft and omg I am going to cry for how much they mean to me.

-Nemo

[marta-bee]

I’ve got this pet theory about The Rings of Power; namely that a lot of their choices are driven by copyright, and that this is driving Jeff Bezos up the wall.

As far as I can tell Amazon has the rights to LOTR and The Hobbit but not the Silmarillion or the other posthumous publications. That means no Akallabeth, no essay about Celeborn’s and Galadriel’s history, no (ironically enough) “Of the Rings of Power.” What he gets are the tidbits in LOTR and The Hobbit including the appendices.

Now, Bezos says he’s a Tolkien fan and I’ll grant him that. But there are many types of fans out there. He likes the action, the excitement, the heroism of it all, but not necessarily the characters and friendship and themes we fanfic authors tap into. I can imagine him hanging out on gaming forums much more easily than FF.net. Not that there’s anything wrong with gaming, but I think we all know the kind of white man-child techbro gamer I’m imagining here, and how easily everything we know about Bezos fits into that stereotype. So I can easily imagine him coming of age on stories of elves in shining armor, their swords and spears glinting in the sun, as they faced down a horde of orcs in a glorious last stand.

Then finding out he can’t actually tell that story because the best details were told in stories he doesn’t have the rights to. Bezos is a man who’s made his entire career on acting like rules don’t apply to him and somehow getting people in power to go along with him, and it’s.... entirely possible he’s being nicked by a thousand cuts at the hand of the Tolkien estate.

And that’s just damned hilarious. Much more fun than thinking of this just as a money grab.

[anipologist]

A tongue-in-cheek practical guide for understanding Silmarillion fanart...

If they have red hair and are male...it’s probably Maedhros. If you’re still not sure (the Ambrussa are red-heads too) check the hands. If one is missing it’s Maedhros.

Gold braided into dark hair= Fingon

If they have a harp it could be any number all of them of musically inclined elves but best bet is either Maglor or Finrod. If blond with or without Sauron looming in the background it’s Finrod. If dark-haired it’s probably Maglor.

Finrod also tends to appear with a blinding necklace and a posse of friendly dwarves and men. Despite the fact that he canonically lost it and chucked his crown at his back-stabbing cousins he is usually smiling.

Thingol is the really tall one with silvery hair. He is probably scowling. May or may not be fondly contemplating roasting Beren and or Celegorm and Curufin assorted Fëanorians on a spit.

Lúthien is usually either dancing in a field or singing an assortment of Sauron/Morgoth/Mandos into agreement. Generally appears with inhuman amounts of hair, stars, a half-dead Beren and a wolf-hound.

Fingolfin -see Fingon minus gold braided into hair. Frequently on a rearing horse or charging a Vala ten times his size.

Earwen-she takes the title of Swan-maid seriously. Almost never glimpsed without accompanying swans and/or starry waves. Also fond of artful strings of pearls. Silver hair.

Finarfin- Gold hair, pensive expression. Occasionally wearing a crown. See Finrod without blinding necklace.

Galadriel- overwhelming amounts of gold hair, lots of white dresses, occasionally looks possessed and evil. Wise and fearless and fair.

Celeborn- fair and presumably wise and fearless. Mostly disappears into Galadriel’s shadow. Silver hair, has some reservations about dwarves and Gandalf.

Fëanor -tall, dark and occasional kin-slayer. Frequently waving some combination of swords and magic jewels. Also seen burning ships or accompanied by some other manifestation of fire. His mother named him well...

Aredhel- physically incapable of wearing anything other than white.

Nerdenal- pretty much all red-headed female elves that aren’t Tauriel. Deserves better on every level. Occasionally shown with Fëanor her handsome, driven and murderous husband. More often shown with a hammer or at a forge.

Turgon - seldomed seen as he is holed up in Goldolin. When he does appear he is ridiculously tall, dark-haired and possibly stubbornly standing on a tower surrounded by dragons and balrogs. Enjoys throwing the unworthy off of sheer cliffs.

Pretty, blond and hanging out with a human woman- Aegnor

Pretty, blond with two ill-fated blonde children-Angrod

Idril- blonde, happily shown with a human husband her father shockingly made no objection too. Also shown avoiding her creepy cousin and fleeing balrogs.

Maeglin- see Idril’s creepy cousin. Likes moles, treason and his cousin.

Gil-galad- tall, handsome and uses a spear rather than a sword. Parentage in dispute so equally likely to be with Fingon or Orodreth. Friends with Elendil (they were killed by Sauron together).

[nikosheba]

The Mother’s Choice

Hi, i want to talk about the theme of maternal abandonment via death in Tolkien’s works.

I’m certain someone else has already written meta on this subject, but I couldn’t find it, so, hey, two cakes. If you’ve already written one, sorry, I’m not ripping you off, I just also have thoughts.

Specifically, I want to talk about mothers who in some way exercise their right to choose death, and offer a brief thesis on why I think that is. We see this as a repeated theme in Tolkien’s works, so, first, a crumb of context.

Tolkien’s father died when he was quite young; the last time Tolkien saw him, he would have been three years old. His mother raised him and his younger brother, Hilary, back in England (they were born in South Africa). Mabel, his mother, was a Type 1 Diabetic. She also converted to Roman Catholicism, which becomes important to the story. They moved back in with her parents after the death of her husband, but her parents were Baptists, and she refused to renounce Catholicism. She taught her children at home, struggled to make ends meet, and died of complications of diabetes in 1904, when Tolkien was 12. After this, Tolkien and his brother were raised in an orphanage.

Of her, Tolkien said, “My own dear mother was a martyr indeed, and it is not to everybody that God grants so easy a way to his great gifts as he did to Hilary and myself, giving us a mother who killed herself with labour and trouble to ensure us keeping the faith.”

He does not say that she died of a disease. He does not say she was killed by lack of charity (her family stopped all financial assistance to them when she would not convert). He says she “killed herself,” specifically to ensure that her children were raised in faith.

Let’s take a look at Míriel, Elwing, Aredhel, and Celebrían.

Míriel þerinde

Míriel is the first wife of Finwë, and the mother of Fëanor. She is an acclaimed crafter, weaver, and needleworker, and passed a love of beautiful things on to her son, who loved her dearly, though he did not share her gentle and patient temperament. 

Famously, Míriel chooses to die. Giving life to Fëanáro saps her life’s essence, and she holds on until he is just barely an adult, then passes away and refuses to return, too weary of life. Her son is raised by his father, who himself is consumed by grief, and eventually by a stepmother he despises.

Elwing

Elwing, daughter of Dior and Nimloth, does not exactly die. She does, however, choose to throw herself off of a cliff clutching the Silmaril, rather than let it be taken by the Sons of Fëanor. She is then turned into a bird by Ulmo and spirited away across the sea, but as far as we know, never sees her young sons, Elrond and Elros, again (or at least not until the Dagor Dagarath). I could go deeply into Elwing’s choices here, but suffice to say: she chooses the Silmaril’s protection, and her belief that it keeps her people safe in a world falling to ruin, over staying with her children. It’s important to note that she had no idea she would survive. She did not call upon Ulmo. She simply jumped, and believed that she was going to her death, and her sons were raised by their kidnappers.

Aredhel

Aredhel is the only daughter of Fingolfin (and a particularly dear character to me). She is a free and unbridled spirit, until she is captured by Eöl and taken as his wife. Eventually, she escapes Eöl with her son, Maeglin, and returns home to Gondolin, only to be followed by Eöl. He throws a poisoned spear at Maeglin, and Aredhel throws herself in front of it--choosing death, in essence, and leaving her son without her, in a city where he is a stranger.

Celebrían

Celebrían is the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn, and the wife of Elrond. Much like Elwing, Elrond’s mother, she does not specifically die. She is attacked and tortured by orcs, and despite all of Elrond’s skill in healing (famed throughout Middle-Earth), no ease could be found from her torment, and she sets sail for Valinor, leaving her daughter and two sons behind.

Over and over, we see the same theme: mothers choosing death or permanent separation from their children, but not in a way that holds them to blame for it. (Lúthien could technically also count here but I’m not including her and I’m right not to.)

I just think it’s fascinating that multiple times, we see mothers dying--but in a way that always makes it clear that they have agency, they’re not just being killed to advance pain for a male character. It’s tragic and horrible that they die, and damn I wish Aredhel’s story had ended so differently, but I think it’s important to note that Tolkien was giving them what he thought of as the most possible dignity and power in their deaths, from what he saw at a very young age.

[legendariium]

from left to right: Hathellas, Ordil, Alagos

introducing Orophin’s three Galad-Ar-Tirith (Celeborn’s personal guards) buddies ! Orophin is the newest member, though technically he’s been a radiant guard for several centuries already and isn’t considered “new” anymore. Orophin was the youngest member to ever join. Alagos is the senior member and is considered their unofficial official leader; he’s been around since Amroth was king. Ordil is quiet and gentle, and Hathellas - his sister - is the very opposite.

Hathellas wields twin daggers & javelins, Ordil wields twin swords & throwing knives, Alagos wields a sword & spear, and Orophin wields a bow & sword.

[valacirya]

Maybe the vanyar and their return to middle earth during the war of wrath and their relationship with the Exiles, the Sindar and the Laiquendi ?

I was hoping for a Vanyar prompt, so thank you anon! This is written from the perspective of a young Laiquendi scout. 

All Lindi grow up with tales of the Great Journey that our people made long before the Sun and Moon rose. I remember sitting around the campfire with my sisters and cousins, listening to our grandmother tell stories of Denweg and his son Ndani-tharo, our king who perished in the First Battle. My sisters always wanted to hear about how Ndani-tharo led the Lindi across the Mountains to these western lands and reunited with Elwe Sindicollo, but I was a curious child. I wanted to know more about the Sundered Ones who had followed the Huntsman across the sea. And of those Sundered Ones, it was the Minyar, the First Tribe, who intrigued me the most. 

I see them now, at the end of this age. The Minyar have returned to the lands of their birth to defeat the Enemy once and for all. Golden-haired and dark-skinned, they are taller even than the Exiles, who seemed like giants to us. They wield their spears with deadly grace and the earth crumbles beneath their feet as they march ever north, singing old hunting songs. The Shining Ones march with them, and at times it is impossible to distinguish between the two kindreds. They sing and dance and laugh together as if they were one people. It is incomprehensible to me, for I met Queen Melian once, and felt as if time itself had stopped and there was only her bright gaze stripping me to the bone. She is kind and wise, yes, but I am glad I never have to see her again.  

The reunion of the Minyar with their Exiled kin is joyful, but tensions soon erupt as old resentments are brought to the surface. The king of the Faithful Noldor, who looks and acts like a Minya himself, has had to work with the king of the Exiles to break up many fights. Yet love remains, for many times I have seen soldiers from both sides brawling and then joking with each other a few hours later. The Iathrim under Oropher prefer to keep to themselves most of the time but are more willing to mingle with the Minyar than with the Noldor. I think it is because the Minyar came only to defeat Morgoth, not to establish kingdoms or claim land. Those who follow Celeborn are of course curious about them, these fair, fey folk from whom Galadriel proudly claims descent.  

My grandmother tells me that the war will end soon. The Lindi are preparing to go east, back over the Mountains we crossed so long ago. I have heard that the Minyar will return to the Blessed Realm. How can they bleed and die for this land and not care to see the fruits of their victory? This I do not understand. Perhaps one day, when I am telling stories around the campfire to my own grandchildren, I will. 

I am glad they came. 

Minyar -> Vanyar

Lindi -> Laiquendi

Denweg -> Lenwe

Ndani-tharo -> Denethor  

Hope you liked it anon!