#I adore this version of Galadriel

[thephoenixandthecrocodile]

Things I love about Season 2 of Rings of Power So Far – in no particular order

1. The entire beginning of episode 1

a. Love Sauron in his fair form off his game and a little shaken

b. Love Adar growing increasingly fed up with Sauron’s bullshit

c. Love the Ides of March moment

d. Love goo Sauron – love his little sigh. That’s me every morning when I wake up

2. Love that Sauron was always a shit and stole the badge instead of saving that guy

3. Love the Elrond-Galadriel brother-sister dynamic and poor Gil-galad caught in the middle

4. Love the Ahhh! Gil-Galad lets out when hearing that Sauron is back

5. Love Elrond jumping off the cliff. Worked for Mom (kinda) should work for me

6. I really want whatever the hell Cirdan is on

a. Also Ben Daniels is AMAZING!

7. Love that Gil-Galad gets to shine more as the grumpy, sassy, weary elf-king this season. Also love that no one is letting Galadriel get away with her bullshit from last season (and I loved Galadriel last season). Actions has consequences, even for elves.

8. YOU HAD ONE JOB, CIRDAN!

9. Why does no one ever listen to Elrond?

10. Sam Hazeldine is doing an amazing job with a tough job. I will always love Joseph Mawle’s take on Adar and he’ll always be MY Adar, but Sam is going an amazing job taking all the groundwork laid by Mawle and then adding his own spin

11. I know the internet is losing its mind over Orc families, but I LOVE the complication these writers are adding to the Orc lore (as well as Sauron’s arc). Even in Return of the King, the Orcs were shown to have their own personalities and weren’t exactly excited about attacking Gondor again. Even in Two Towers, we see the different personalities of Uruk-hai and the Morder Orcs, so it only makes sense to flesh that out further. It adds such an amazing dimension to Adar’s character and the Orcs he cares for and makes us realize that nothing in Tolkien’s world is black and white.

a. Also, also, I love that these writers embrace the fact that Elves are not impartial and they’re hypocritical bastards haha. Of course, they say dwarves and men are covetous and can’t be trusted. Of course, Orcs are irredeemable. To suggest otherwise would jeopardize their own world view. And the Elves have never been covetous or committed genocide for stupid gems. Nope, not ever.

b. Also, also, also love the idea that the Orcs are doomed because they’re convinced Eru will never forgive them, even if they were to ask for it. Such an interesting dilemma to add to the lore. I mean even Sauron considered asking for forgiveness but didn’t because of his pride. If the Valar forgave Morgoth once, and potentially considered pardoning Sauron, who says they wouldn’t forgive the creatures he and Morgoth twisted/corrupted/made?

12. Love Sauron “befriending” the warg. See even the Dark Lord likes dog.

13. Goodbye Waldreg, no one will miss you.

14. Who knew Benjamin Walker had such a nice voice?

15. I’m so surprised Elrond didn’t just completely lose it and go all rabid animal when Cirdan brought back the rings.

16. It’s so funny that this version of Galadriel gets a ring of power. Out of all the Elves to get one, she’s on the bottom of my list. At least make sure she’s Sauron free first.

17. DISA YOU ARE MY QUEEN AND GODDESS!!!

18. LOVE the dwarves.

19. “You don’t have to make this harder than it already is” YES I DO BITCH BECAUSE YOU’RE BEING A STUBBORN GOAT

20. Love that Disa can call out both her father-in-liaw (and king) and her husband for being jackasses

21. Also Durin III stop being a jackass and go apologize to your son, right now

22. Resonating is still so fucking awesome

23. Love the agricultural in Khazad dum

24. I know I was the odd man out because I didn’t mind the Harfoots last season, but I really adore the Stranger’s relationship with Nori.

25. I REALLY hope the Stranger is a blue wizard, but either way I love how Daniel Weyman plays a wizard. And it’s nice he can talk this season and we get a sense of his humor and sass.

26. “Further, Nori” *sigh of exasperation*

27. I have no idea who the hell this evil wizard is nor who the hell his moth minions are, but I love them. They’re so weird.

28. This guy better NOT be Saruman. -_-

29. Poppy! My lesbian Harfoots are reunited!

30. Celebrimbor *sigh* oh, Celebrimbor

31. Elrond “sand the anger away, Sand the anger away.”

32. LOVE the look Galadriel gives Elrond when he calls her out about NOT being manipulated. “He gave you everything you wanted”. True, but also damn, haha.

33. Seriously, I NEED whatever drug Cirdan is smoking.

34. Also love how in this show “yeah, let’s give the rings a try. What’s the worst that can happen” and in LOTR it’s “NO! DO NOT TRUTST THE RING! DESTROY IT ASAP”

35. I can’t believe Halbrand made it rain just so he can look more like a pathetic cat

36. Ok, that umbrella is ridiculous and super impractical.

37. Celebrimbor, honey, the whole “I won’t stay where I’m not wanted” is the oldest trick in the manipulator’s handbook.

38. I love the rollercoaster Celebrimbor goes on as Halbrand “confesses” that he’s not really a man. The utter confusion but also concern, like “my god is this man having a mental breakdown in my forge? And right when I was about to open a bottle of first age wine. Where’s Galadriel when I need her? She should be taking care of her pet human, not me.”

39. NOT THE FIRST AGE WINE!!!

40. I LOVE the reveal of Annatar. It was so over the time and beautiful and so religious. No notes. Absolutely perfect.

41. I was never on team silvergifting, but this show has converted me.

42. Also Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards are giving their ALL in these scenes

43. Love that Celebrimbor is like “ew, no, we can’t give men rings” but when Annatar tells him that Gil-Galad “doesn’t trust the dwarves” Celebrimbor takes it so personally. Like I think it’s because he’s annoyed with Gil-Galad and he wants to control his own forge, but it also sounds like he’s offended that Gil-Galad would insult his new dwarf buddies (who helped him build the new forge to begin with).

44. Durin proving himself the wisest of all peoples (not just dwarves) when he calls Annatar out on his bullshit

45. “Elrond would never say such nice things about me.”

46. Also love all the clever insults and phrases the dwarves have.

47. I’m still very angry with Durin III but I felt that line, “Miner’s punches hurt” “Just wait until your children grow up.”

48. ALSO, Durin III you bastard, your son tells you he DOESN’T trust the rings and you decide, “yeah, let me try out these rings” -_-

a. Also, yes, Celebrimbor and Annatar fucked before, during, and after making the dwarven rings.

49. Oh, Isildur, you disaster child.

a. Again, I might be in the minority here, but I LOVE what they’re doing with Isildur’s character – the perpetual screw-up, the one who tries so hard but can’t do anything right, the character who’s constantly trying to prove himself in a family that is already overly impressive. Makes his final fate just that more tragic.

50. Spider babies. Spider babies. Spider babies.

a. Reminded me of the facehugger birthing scenes from the Aliens franchise for some reason.

51. Super Berek! Here to save the day

52. So, I guess all the men in Aragorn’s bloodline were saved by their horses at least once. Good to know.

53. LOVE the entire ridiculous exchange between Isildur and Estrid.

54. God damn it, Isildur, don’t go to the funeral, save Berek!

55. ☹ Poor Arondir. RIP Bronwyn.

56. Fucking Theo

57. God damn it Arondir, maybe look around next time before telling one kid his family will be reunited in front of the one kid who’s lost his entire family XD

58. “Men can’t build things like that” ☹

59. So, Theo is going to be Isildur’s right hand man and/or will be a ringwraith, right?

60. Operation rescue Berek!

61. Ents? Are those Ents?

62. MIRIEL MY OTHER GODDESS AND QUEEN!!!

63. My brother and I when that woman slapped Miriel: “OFF TO JAIL WITH YOU!”

64. Fucking Earien. Kemen is soooo not worth it

65. Fucking Pharazon.

a. ALSO, love how the writers captured men’s creepy behavior around women in power, especially if they’re “not perfect”. Like when Miriel’s father was alive Pharazon was somewhat respectful around her, but my god that scene in her bedroom? So disgusting and creepy. AND fucking Kemen, “she was blinded while fighting Orcs and surviving a massive eruption. She can’t be queen now” Bitch you couldn’t even sabotage a handful of boats by yourself.

66. Also, also, I know everyone loves Haladriel, but can we talk about the other idiotic couple pining over each other: Elendil and Miriel? Love their dynamic sooooo much.

67. Ok Miriel’s coronation dress is GORGEOUS!

68. That poor eagle was so fucking confused. Like I came here for Miriel, not sure what you all are doing. Ok, this is awkward, I’m flying away now.

[melestasflight]

I'm aware some of this is later versions of canon, but Celeborn and Galadriel giving each other pet names is adorable and I LIVE for it!

Celeborn names her "maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance":

Thus the name Alatariel, which, according to the late version of the story of their relationship (p. 231), was given to Galadriel by Celeborn [...] which she chose to use in Middle-earth, rendered into Sindarin as Galadriel, rather than her 'father-name' Artanis, or her 'mother-name' Nerwen.

then in LoTR, Galadriel calls him "the Wise":

If our folk had been exiled long and far from Lothlo´rien, who of the Galadhrim, even Celeborn the Wise, would pass nigh and would not wish to look upon their ancient home, though it had become an abode of dragons?

and everyone around them is obliged to accept these pet names as their default names without question.

ROMANCE GOALS BABES

[sotwk]

hello Naneth!! Thank you for having me in the summer campfire sleepover event! 💛💛

Here are some bullet points about my oc Caspian Armani, in a pjo alternate universe

• 25, demigod, son of poseidon

• A genius but is a dumbass at the same time

• Worships his wife

• Bat shit crazy when on the field and will kill

• the sweetest person when not provoked

• Learning languages is one of his hobbies

• So is learning about different mythologies and dark history events

• Loves his mother more than anything

• Kids adore him

• Loves baking

I imagine him looking like Ross Lynch on tour, and here's a picrew I made

Im curious to see who you would pair Cas with!

<33

A water demigod! He sounds like a youthful firecracker, someone who just needs more years to learn and grow and mature into his powers and skills. He would definitely need someone who can both care for him and teach him, but also learn with him and be his equal.

Whenever he's ready to settle down, Caspian would do best with the Good Wife type.

All that said, the SotWK Matchmaking Machine pairs Caspian with:

CELEBRIAN, daughter of Galadriel (young version)

Celebrian is someone wonderful to start off with as "just friends", and then they can grow up and learn together, and eventually discover that they're actually meant to be together (yes, this is a bit how I HC her relationship with Elrond developed and slow-burned, but we're doing AU here, so shh bear with me). I think many people forget that Celebrian comes from very powerful lineage, and I definitely think she can match up with a demigod.

Thank you for trusting me to match up your OC! :)

This OC Matchmaking game is part of SotWK's Summer Campfire Sleepover 2024. (Requests accepted only on July 11-15, 2024.)

[brynnmclean]

❤️💬!

May, it is SO DIFFICULT to pick a favorite anything out of your fics because you are always writing absolute bangers, as the kids say. There is a REASON i have a tag "may never misses"!!!!!

For the ❤️ I'll pull from your second Telerin!Celeborn AU fic, demi-paradise:

“My lord Ossë,” Telpenen said, with fragile composure. “There you are,” Ossë said. “You haven’t been at sea much, have you?” “Not… as much as usual.” Telpenen didn’t look at Artanis, but she saw the back of his neck pinken beneath his sailor’s tan. “Have you made the acquaintance of Lady Nerwen?” “No,” Ossë said. He leaned close; Artanis smelled fish and ozone, and met the intelligent, inquisitive eyes of an orca. Ossë dwarfed the little boat; her heart was beating very hard. She felt Telpenen scrabble as unobtrusively for her hand as possible and hold it, and wanted to tell him that she was not afraid: but it was comforting, and before she had consciously made the decision her hand was squeezing tightly back. “Pleased to meet you,” Artanis said steadily. Ossë grinned with six rows of teeth, all of them apparently chosen at random from different creatures, and some which did not exist. “Same to you,” he replied, still much too close. “I can see why he’s interested in you.”  Long practice in Tirion meant Artanis neither looked at Telpenen nor blushed. “I -” she said. Ossë waved an arm that was also a flipper, too many fingers cutting through the air with barnacles attached, water streaming down. “Not Telpenen. At least -” he grinned again, meanly - “I can see you’ve got something between you, the way incarnates do. But that’s not my affair. I mean Melkor.” Telpenen’s grip closed on hers like a vise. “We haven’t met,” Artanis said as levelly as she could manage. “And I’m not sure why a Vala would be interested in me.” “That’s an interesting argument for Finwë’s granddaughter,” Ossë said. He made a noise which sounded like he was laughing, sank beneath the waves abruptly, and then reappeared as nothing but water - dirty water, strewn with fish guts and seaweed, a mouth made out of foam - on the other side of the boat. “The Valar are always more interested in incarnates than they want to admit. You’re Eru’s children. Even we can’t say that. And are you going to tell me you’re insignificant, Artanis Nerwen?”  “No,” Artanis said.  Ossë gave a gurgling laugh. “Good. Because you aren’t. Clever, aren’t you, bright, aren’t you? Just be careful, Olwë’s granddaughter. Melkor’s looking for tools. I hear it in the water, I smell it in the air. And you’re so very sharp.”

First off, just want to say that I always adore how you write Ossë. Every time he shows up in one of your fics, he just feels so delightfully mischievous and dangerous. Safe on my couch, he makes me laugh! If I were on a beach facing him though? Oh boy. Stark terror.

There are a MILLION other things I could say about this fic alone (I love everything Telerin! The customs! This version of Celeborn! The revelation that you have to go out to sea to see the stars!!! The quiet plotting of people building boats ALREADY to leave Valinor!) but I'm sitting on my hands and just going to focus on this section and also say that I love the menace of Melkor and that Ossë warns Galadriel about him. Those last lines: Melkor’s looking for tools. I hear it in the water, I smell it in the air. And you’re so very sharp. Perfect. Brilliant. I love this.

For the 💬 I'll go with the end of my own Celeborn fic for the Uncorrupted Mairon AU, grant a name to a buried flame:

“You’re a wreck,” Mablung tells Celeborn later, waiting up for him with Beleg after all. “I’m happy to see you weren’t incinerated, but you do look like you got mauled.” Beleg grins and plucks a niphredil flower out of the messy fall of Celeborn’s unbraided hair. “I’m glad they like their new names.” Celeborn can’t stop smiling if he tries, careless of the mud and grass stains on his clothes, the teasing of his friends. The wildflower crown did not last, but on the index finger of his right hand, a silver, floral filigree ring gleams.

What can I say, I'm really fond of it!

Thanks, friend!!!!

[ask me about fic quotes!]

[the-commonplace-book]

Celrond and/or Rory/Tana? 👉👈🥺

Send me a ship for the ship bingo chart: Celebrían / Elrond ( The Silmarillion / LotR )

Oh I am in no way normal about Celrond I won’t even pretend to be. 

I’m not the Celrond expert out here, so I won’t have quite as much to say about them as I do some other ships, but they’re genuinely one of my favorite couples in fiction. I’m particularly biased towards your (@runawaymun) characterization, so my thoughts on them will be primarily based on that version of Celebrian. 

We don’t have a lot to work with in the source materials (just a couple lines really), but there’s so much evidence of her all over her family’s lives in her children, in Rivendell, in Elrond. We know she was kind, and we can surmise she was gentle and didn’t have the same experience in war as her mother Galadriel or even her husband Elrond (a healer forced to take up arms). She and Elrond founded Rivendell, a house of healing, a sanctuary, a place of peace, sharing in that calling and vision for the future. They’re just soft and I love them. 

There’s the absolutely adorable mutual pining times a thousand with how long they took to admit their feelings for each other. Or rather, how long it took Elrond to actually say something. He pined for her for like a thousand years - the idiot. “He loved her and said nothing of it” and all that. 

There’s the tragedy of it all, in Celebrian sailing to Valinor due to her torture at the hands of the orcs. Elrond having to carry on without her because his work on Middle Earth is not yet done, knowing that at the end of it all they will finally be reunited. There’s some interesting parallels there to when they first met when you think about it. Longing for a thousand years. 

They’re just one of those couples who’s so sweet and so healthy and so heartwarming. There’s the cute romance, the steady warmth of domesticity, the bittersweet tragedy, and finally the great reunion in Valinor when at last they can be together again. It’s just *chef’s kiss* from start to finish.

[myfavouritelunatic]

The Blacksmith

This might be my favourite chapter I’ve written so far, I absolutely love it. Things get a little dark... 

Thank you for reading!! ❤️

Pairing: Halbrand/Sauron x Reader

Word Count: 2.9k (the longest chapter yet!😁)

Warnings: A little bit of smut, and like I said, things get a little dark. Can anyone say blood kink?

Links to Chapter One, Two, Three, Four, and Five.

Chapter Six

The next days were the best your relationship had been so far. Your secret was out in the open, and you could both fully be together, not having to worry about sneaking around or being caught any longer. Though part of you missed the thrill that it had brought. Nevertheless you began to properly experience what life would be like, could be like, as the future Queen of the Southlands. Still, it was all very surreal. If someone had told you weeks ago that this would be your fate, you would have laughed in their face. Good things like this just didn't happen to you, your tragic life had taught you that much. You were so used to the pain, the anguish, the heartbreak, that this... some days felt like nothing more than a fantasy. And despite knowing just how much Halbrand adored you, and you were certain you would never part, you couldn't help but begin to expect that darkness was approaching.

And approaching fast it seemed, as the storm that was rising within you was growing stronger and you were finding it harder to keep at bay. It had been over a week since the fleet had departed from Numenor, and over a week since you committed murder. You still had not spoken of it to anyone, not even Halbrand. He would be the only person you would tell regardless, if only you could work up the courage to do so. You wanted to be honest with him about every part of you, and he deserved to know what you were going through. And if you didn't tell him, he would decipher it eventually, as your face would give you away, so better to come from you first.

You had had another nightmare the past evening, another turbulent flash to this wasteland where the dark versions of the two of you reside and rule. In fact it was the third one in as many nights. It was beginning to become more visceral, more intense. You swore you could smell the sulphur in the air, feel the heat on your skin, and taste the ash in your mouth. You truly could not make sense of it, it was all so strange. What did it mean? What could it mean? Was it a premonition, or just your mind warning you of where not to tread? It was the combination of this and the killing that finally compelled you to be frank with your love about what was brimming under the surface. About what was starting to scare you, afraid it would cause you to lose it all.

It was definitely a risk in telling him, but you didn't care. You knew where his heart lay. After breakfast this morning, the nightmare still so fresh in your mind, you let the conversation steer in the direction you needed it to go. "Halbrand, I need to speak with you about something." His head turned in your direction as he dressed himself for the day ahead. "Yes, my love?" You sighed, bracing yourself. "It's- it's about the day... it's about how I-" Knocking on the cabin door halted your words. "May I enter?" It was the voice of Galadriel. Halbrand glanced back at you from the door, asking permission with his eyes. You decided yourself decent enough for company, and nodded silently. "Come, Galadriel." spoke your love. The she-elf entered your quarters, greeting you both good morning. "I hope I'm not interrupting." You and Halbrand exchanged knowing looks at her words, but gave nothing away. It seems the truth was not yet ready to appear.

Soon after, Halbrand departed to speak with Miriel and Elendil. His days at sea, if they weren't with you, were spent in meetings all day, with you left to your own devices. Generally speaking, Galadriel was never with you, always with them, so today was a different case. "Why did you remain with me?" you asked, moments after Halbrand had closed the cabin door behind him. "Because I fear you might be becoming isolated. You don't leave this room, and when you do, it is only with Halbrand by your side." Galadriel spoke with genuine concern for you. It seems you were friends now after all. She was right though. You hadn't really left the cabin, or the bed that much in your time on the ship, unless with your love. Whilst you felt comfortable being above deck with him, arm in arm, hand in hand, being alone however, just you yourself wandering around was a different situation altogether. This was of course partly due to the shadow looming over your soul, but also for another reason. "Be wary." The last two words Queen Regent Miriel had spoken to you during your very stressful and uneasy first encounter with her. You had not soon forgotten them, nor would you. You couldn't bear the thought of making another mistake and risk getting transferred to another ship or worse, so you had decided it best to stay out of sight, where trouble was hard to find. Especially now that you knew what you were capable of. It was interesting though that Galadriel would notice this in you first before your king.

You sighed and told her half of your truth. "I can still hear the words of the Queen Regent in my ear as if she's just spoken them. ‘Keeping a watchful eye’. ‘Be weary’. She is a most formidable woman. One that I would rather stay out of sight from."   "As someone that has also been described as formidable, I can assure you that despite this, the Queen Regent would never wish for you to feel this way. It is only her station, her duty, that has lead this action against you. If you would come out of this bed, perhaps you would glimpse that." Galadriel spoke firmly, her wise words making her point hard to unsee. "Has Halbrand spoken to you on this matter? Because he has shown no concern." "You know he cares." "Yes I do. But it just strikes me as odd that you are here right now having this discussion with me instead of him. He usually reads me so well. Unless he requested you do so in his stead?" Galadriel pondered her response briefly before she gave it to you. "He didn't ask me, but I offered." You scoffed at her in reply. "Unbelievable. Does he not think he can keep our matters between us?" The she-elf spoke your name with caution, "I offered to speak with you because I too also care for you. It was my idea, and Halbrand wanted no part in it, but I insisted. I pray you, do not be ill with him."

You sighed reluctantly, letting go of your rising temper. "I won't be. As long as you tell him to speak with me this evening about it. When did he first mention it to you?" "Two sunrises ago." You acknowledged her without words, and felt tears forming in your eyes. Seeing this, Galadriel moved closer to you, resting a soft hand on your face. "Do not fret nor fear. You are among friends." After a moment of letting your sadness and frustration wash over you, you found the words to explain it. "I just didn't expect to go from watching out for my father to watching out for my queen." you uttered, voice trembling. She pulled you into an embrace then, and it was unlike one you had ever received before. The elven touch was of a different kind, somehow more soothing, more gentle than the touch of a mortal. "Your father is not here. You are safe." she spoke, then broke away from you, but letting her hand fall into your own. You squeezed it tight. "I think some fresh air might do you some good, yes?" offered Galadriel. You nodded, a smile pushing past the sorrow that was starting to overwhelm. 

Whilst you were disappointed in Halbrand for not confronting you directly with his concerns, you realised you couldn't fully be displeased with him. For you still had not shared your secret, and you had been so close only minutes before. You agreed to step outside with Galadriel, and she was right, the sea breeze was a cool balm that eased the ache within you. The scent of salt water filled your nose, and you breathed it in peaceful and deep. The sea is always right after all.

After an hour or so had passed, Galadriel was summoned away to join your love in the meeting. Despite the overwhelming urge to retreat back to where you thought it was safest, you actually braved the deck of the ship solo. At one point, you even caught the eye of the Queen Regent herself as she exited her cabin in the distance. To your surprise, she smiled at you. Maybe it had all been in your head then? The paranoia of other things infiltrating rational thoughts and situations? Given all you'd experienced, this was not surprising. You smiled back at her, but chose to remain wary. It was what your queen had commanded.

Shortly following this, you wandered around to the stern of the ship, and found an area tucked away in a corner, slightly secluded, not far from the entrance to the cargo hold where you had first stowed away. You laid down on the cool wood, staring up into the heavens for hours, watching the colour of the sky alter itself as the sun and the moon prepared to switch places. The pink, orange, and red hues gave way to the blackness of the night, illuminated by the stars of course, and what spectacular stars they were. You could see the light of Eärendil near the horizon just before the moon began to rise.

"There you are!" came Halbrand's voice from across the deck. You smiled at the sound of it, but did not move from your place. Instead you listened as his footsteps quickly found you, and he called out your name. "Hi." you replied dreamily, all ill feeling forgotten from earlier, and you gazed up at the face of your love now framed by the stars. He shot you a small smile, then took his place at your side, laying on the wood with you, interlocking your fingers as he did so. You felt his eyes upon you, but you remained fixed on what was above. "You're outside? Alone? Are you well, my love?" Halbrand seemed a bit shocked to see you like this, but not at all displeased.

"I am very well. Thank you." You pulled his hand to your lips and kissed it gently. You sighed having missed the taste of him all day. "I hope you are not unhappy with me. I told that elf-" "The last thing I am with you is unhappy. She only spoke with me because she cared. I just wish you would have talked to me first." "But I could see, nay feel the anguish from within you, to my very core. I was unsure how to proceed. Forgive me. I am still only recently in the queen's good graces myself." "Oh?" You propped yourself up on one elbow, finally facing him. "You remember I told you our arrival in Numenor didn't exactly start us on the best of footing." "I do. I also remember hearing a rumour that the reason you got locked up was due to a street brawl." "They started it." "Ah hah! So it is true!" you exclaimed with enthusiasm. "They were part of the smithing guild, were they not?" Your love shut his eyes and sighed, not liking where the conversation was headed. He just nodded at you. "Then how exactly did you earn your guild crest, low man?" you teased him playfully.

"Right. That's enough out of you." As Halbrand uttered these words, he immediately planted himself on top of you, pinning you down, your arms above your head. His eyes found your neck. "Mmmm... the mark of the king." he spoke, observing the deep red and purple bruising that was only now starting to fade. "Do people stare when you walk past? Do they see the proof that you are mine? My queen." His voice was seductive and his breath becoming heated as he crashed his lips into yours, his tongue swiftly caressing you. He pulled away after a moment, moving closer to your ear. "How about we balance the scales...?" This whisper, the air from his lungs, the way they brushed your flesh this close was setting you alight. He sucked on your earlobe briefly, before biting down on where your neck was unbruised, and the pain, the pleasure from nights earlier had returned.

It burned so deliciously, and the sounds you made, your response to him, you didn't know if you were wincing or sighing. The two opposing feelings were twisting themselves up inside you, like representatives of the light and darkness within, fighting to take control. You didn't know which sensation you enjoyed more, his soft wet tongue lapping up your flesh, or his devilish teeth your skin was at the whim of. Halbrand moaned into you, clearly satisfying himself, his free hand wandering along your body, exploring every inch of you he could reach. Suddenly his gasps increased, his motions on your neck more rapid. It was driving you wild. "Kiss me, Halbrand." you panted, asking because your hands were not yours currently.

His obliging was immediate, but as his tongue slipped past your lips this time, something was different. A rustic, metallic taste hit you, and you knew it to be only one thing: blood. Your blood. He had pierced your skin. Your body fought with itself then. To give in to the darkness or come back to the light? The former was too strong to overcome, given your already aroused state, and you kissed him desperately, the danger driving you, begging you for more. But all changed after a few moments. "You taste... divine..." uttered your love in between touches. It was Halbrand that spoke but you heard someone else underneath his words. Something dark layered within his voice that was new to you. It had twisted itself around the sound of him, and suddenly fear took hold. You forced him off of you then, backing quickly away further into the corner you had called home all day.

"What's wrong?" Halbrand's voice was whole again, singular, as you had known it to be. The moonlight now high above illuminated him, revealing his bloodstained mouth. He saw your eyes lock on it, but he let it linger a few more moments, before casually wiping it away with his hand. He seemed unfazed by it, only concerned with your reaction. "I'm-I'm-," you were stammering, struggling to speak. Afraid of what he would say back. "I'm not sure I like that." Halbrand let out a small chuckle. "Hmm funny, the second your blood hit your tongue... your actions speak otherwise, my love." He called you his love but there was no trace of it in his tone. The fear was really sinking in now. "Don't." Was all you could manage. Halbrand chuckled again. 

"Who are you?" you asked him, terrified of the answer. "You know who I am." he responded, void of emotion. "No I don't. You refuse to tell me anything about who you are. About how you ended up on that raft with Galadriel! About your royal heritage! Hell, even about how you learned smithing!" Your voice rose in your fury, finally letting out your frustrations, not realising the mystery of Halbrand had been bothering you this much. "About how when you lay with me... that is the only time I'm with the true you."

"Well, since we are on the subject of secrets," he began, crawling towards you, "I'm not the only one with something to share." He stopped, his face no more than an inch from your own. You had nowhere to go. "You show me yours, and I'll show you mine." You felt the colour drain from your face as you remembered that only this morning, when things had seemed so perfect, you were on the verge of finally telling him what you did and what was inside of you. However now, you were too petrified to speak, and did not want to give him anymore satisfaction. Halbrand laughed, almost maliciously at you. He then rose to his feet, backing away, not letting you from his sight. "That's what I thought."

  Frozen still, you remained there as if you had merged with the wood of the ship itself. After a moment, Halbrand's face softened slightly, and turned shameful. His mouth slightly agape, he backed away from you further until he left you behind, alone. Tears did not waste any time in streaming down your cheeks, and the only sounds in the air were of the waves and your teardrops hitting the deck. Eventually you rose to your feet, shaking and cold. You knew it best to take shelter than to wait the remainder of the night topside for the sun to come up. However instead of returning to the place you knew to be the safest, for it was no longer so, you found yourself at Galadriel's door.

Rapping on the wood gently, you didn't have to wait long to gain entrance. You collapsed into her arms and broke down into sobs the moment you passed her threshold. She closed the door behind you, and led you over to her bed, where she proceeded to hold you for what felt like an age.

Tagging; @starlady66 @chimeracuddles @restless-tides @king-halbrand @lordhalbrand @denzit @wanderleave @anemarie 

[swanhild]

hi! I did your survey! can I ask what are your own thoughts on the order of the Finwean cousins? I'm trying to decide for a artwork I want to create

Hi anon, I apologize for taking so long to answer this (the last couple of weeks have been hellish). And I need to point out that the survey is not mine, but @ceescedasticity's, so you might want to ask them. I only reblogged it to help with the sample size and because I'm a nerd who likes fandom-related statistics.

That said, this is the birth order I myself have settled on for Finwё's grandchildren at the moment (and my reasons below):

Maedhros Maglor Fingon Celegorm Finrod Turgon Caranthir Angrod Curufin Aegnor Aredhel Galadriel Argon Amrod Amras

(No Orodreth, sorry. I'm an Orodreth son of Angrod truther. It just makes both of them more interesting to me as characters if they're father and son and I enjoy the symmetry of Fingolfin and Finarfin both having four children).

I tried to incorporate what we canonically know about their ages, which is

the oldest child and birth order of each sibling group

that Finrod and Turgon are the same age (born 1300 YT)

that Aredhel and Galadriel are the same age (born 1362 YT)

The first four in the list are just personal preference- Fingon could theoretically be the second oldest (or even the oldest) grandchild, but Maedhros is firmly The Oldest (TM) in my mind and he and Maglor are so inseparable that I prefer them to have been the only grandchildren for a little while until Fingon came along (or Celegorm*, but I prefer Fingon to be born right after Maglor and a bit older than Celegorm).

They are followed by Finrod and Turgon and then Caranthir and Angrod. The latter two being roughly the same age is amusing to me, because instead of being besties like Finrod and Turgon, I imagine they were already getting into fights and throwing sand at each other if you left them to play unattended in the sandpit.

Curufin being surrounded by Angrod, Aegnor and Aredhel age-wise feels right to me as well, as he was canonically close with Aredhel (and if I remember correctly there is at least one version of events where Curufin was close with Angrod and Aegnor as well?) Both Curufin and Aredhel probably looked up to and idolized their cool older brother/cousin Celegorm. (I guess Galadriel already did her own thing even back then, or she preferred to follow Finrod around.)

I chose Amrod and Amras to be the youngest instead of Argon because Feanor would like being the one to provide his father with both the oldest and the youngest grandchild(ren) in the family (a perfect crown prince and heir to start with and a pair of adorable ginger babies to fawn over to end the Finwёan grandchild boom.) Also because I like the idea of Telufinwё ("last Finwё") actually being the last grandchild of Finwё in addition to being the last child of Fёanor and Nerdanel.

Looking at the list written out like that, it seems Finarfin and Eärwen had all their kids pretty closely together, while Fingolfin and Anairё had Fingon and Turgon, then took a little break and had another two. (Maybe Finarfin's and Eärwen's kids were all pretty easy-going for the most part, while Fingon and Turgon were little hellions a bit more difficult to handle? Sounds accurate tbh.)

*I'm not completely sold on the order above. I have considered Celegorm being younger than Finrod and Turgon for example, making him and Caranthir very close in age, which could be used to explain why Celegorm is closer to Curufin- by the time Curufin was born, he could be an "older brother" to him, while a close in age Caranthir could have been more of a rival for his parents' attention and affection growing up.

It's also possible I'm missing some pieces of obscure inforamtion that would change my mind, so if you know of anything, feel free to let me know!

[greenjudy]

TROP notes

Some of these are love notes. Some are responses to criticism. Some of them are spoilers through ep 7, so proceed with caution.

-I still cannot wrap my head around why there is so much volcanic rage and hatred and contempt being spewed onto this vehicle. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever watched, ever (possibly the 2012 version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, or maybe the 2003 anime Ping Pong), but in many respects I like it better than the PJ films. 

-This weird memey new critique “The writing is bad” seems to have gained currency on Twitter over the last few days, but I do not find it borne out by repeated viewing. 

-As I see the writing, there are a few places where the wagon wheels leave the road entirely, but not that many. 1) I thought that even the Stranger repairing the orchard wouldn’t necessarily have earned him the trust of the Harfoots at the level they demonstrated it, so that turn felt a little abrupt.  2) Disa’s ambition could have used some foreshadowing and preparation in earlier episodes. 3) Tar-Miriel’s real position about elves needed a little shoring up in a similar manner earlier on.  

-In general, I find the writing quite nuanced. Elrond’s character is outstanding. On the evidence of his writing alone, I am prepared to meet an equally complex Celebrimbor when we get back to this dude. Although I adore the dynamic of her character, Galadriel’s writing is not, I think, quite the triumph that Elrond’s is (Elrond is very obviously a proxy for one or even both of the showrunners; I do not mean this as a criticism, just an observation), but Morfydd Clark has done great, great things with the material. 

-By the way, maybe Galadriel isn’t actually assuming responsibility for the eruption of Mount Doom? I’ve seen criticism that she shouldn’t know how the Key works and what it did. 

I personally think there are two layers to her asserting that it’s her fault. First, maybe she is saying she should have bagged Sauron by now, and the fact that he and his minions are wreaking havoc is on her. 

I am more inclined, based on how the scenes feel in the last 2 episodes, that she’s in fact assuming responsibility for the people she drove to undertake this catastrophic mission. This is different than saying, “I should’ve gotten Sauron by now.” Instead, I think it’s this very intense quest for revenge that is starting to come under scrutiny inside her soul. Her vendetta has proven extraordinarily destructive. I feel she’s taking stock, in a deadly serious way, with where she’s been left. She is now looking in the mirror, as advised by Adar. 

So I loved the final shots of Ep 6 where we see her looking steadily into the chaos unfolding before her. And I love the way she interacts with Theo and opens up to him in Ep 7. We might call these preliminary steps on a journey to the Galadriel whose mirror can show what was, what is, and what may yet come to pass.

-There is nothing reasoned or sensible about virulently hating on this show because it ‘breaks the lore’. Tolkien broke his own lore. There are no rules about stuff like this actually. Maybe in video games, because player agency can get banjaxed if the lore is inconsistent. But not in fiction. Dude, the writer is making constant adjustments to the lore. Some of them are chiropractic; some are apocalyptic. 

-Adar is one of the coolest and most interesting villains I’ve ever seen, enabling us to take up, in real time, the kinds of questions that must have plagued King Elessar at the opening of the Fourth Age. “Uruk,” indeed. 

-The ‘who is Sauron’ question is being rather deftly handled. He is pre-eminently a shape-shifter at this point. I like how they have put a few character beats into place to make you really wonder (**cough cough Halbrand the smith**). 

-The vibe: the Harfoots scenes, so far, are some of my favorite views of Second Age Middle-earth. Poppy’s song is glorious. 

-I was not in theory happy about the Galadriel-Halbrand ‘romance.’ As it’s playing out, though, I think their relationship is marvelous. 

-To me, the Stranger might be the most concise expression of the deep melancholy at the heart of this show. The Second Age is anguish layered on top of anguish, tragedy on top of tragedy. And all of it is in the Stranger’s face: his yearning to do something positive, his shock and sorrow at the malevolent effects his good intentions have when they go to work on the world.

[z-h-i-e]

Bunniverse: Twenty Years of Nibbles

This Sunday (9-24-2023) is the 20th anniversary of the writing of the story which would be the glue that bound together several dozen stand alone stories into a cohesive universe, which would continue to grow for the next two decades. While the initial seeds were sown December 19th, 2001, and stories would be developed and written for almost two years, on a Wednesday evening, while chatting through the Yahoo! Groups board for the Haldir Lovers group, the idea manifested of Haldir having PTSD and getting through some of his anxiety with the help of a plush purple rabbit named Nibbles which was made for him by Elladan and Elrohir.

Named "The First Homely House, or, Attack of the Purple Plot Bunny", it was readers who would begin to refer to this story and subsequent related tales happening in Elrond's Valinor residence where he lived with Celebrian, her parents and brothers, their spouses and children, later adding Erestor and Glorfindel when they reached the shores of Alqualonde, and the youngest of Arwen and Aragorn's daughters, a marchwarden named Elodien who chooses the path of an Elf instead of the race of Men not as the titles the stories were given, but as the 'Purple Bunnies', a name that would later stick as The Purple Plot Bunnies for the series of fifty fics set in the Fourth Age, from September 119 to June 121. The series is PG13, with a handful of 'half-steps' written at higher ratings for in-between stories between consenting adult characters.

While it was actively being posted, many sites and groups at the time listed any sort of slash (m/m or f/f pairings) as forbidden or considered to merit a mature rating even if the content was below a teen level. Therefore, there are two different versions of about 1/3 of the stories in the series -- in the versions posted at gen and het sites and groups, Glorfindel and Erestor were only referenced as having traveled to Valinor at the same time, did not kiss or hold hands, and no mentions were made of their wedding bands or marriage. In versions posted to slash sites, relationships between Elrond and Celebrian as well as Galadriel and Celeborn were downplayed, and the above content with Glorfindel and Erestor was included. Most of the het/gen variations no longer exist; the slash variations were edited to include some of the content from the het/gen versions and additional content between 2007 and 2008, when they were all printed in what is considered the merged v.2 of all of the tales.

It was around that time that the universe became known as Bunniverse; prior to this, it was listed as The Purple Plot Bunny Universe, or, PPB-AU for short. The name Bunniverse was suggested by Smaug, since PPB-AU required explanation for new readers. Bunniverse has its own layer of confusion, with some potential readers believing that the name implies characters are all rabbits in the universe. A series of drawings by Smaug on this theme were done, which really only lead to more confusion, but fellowship buns were too adorable for anyone to be mad about it.

Three companion 'bunny' series are also part of the universe of what now numbers over 400 stories -- the Orange Plot Bunnies (also referred to as Erestory, where Erestor became the character of focus), the Pale Pink Plot Bunnies (concentrating on Glorfindel and Erestor adopting a child in Valinor, and featuring Fingon and Caranthir in prominent roles), and the Baby Blue Plot Bunnies (also known as Fluff'n'Stuff, taking place in early Third Age Rivendell, heavily focused on Glorfindel, and containing some of the heaviest religious and faith-based themes in Bunniverse). Of the three offshoots, only the Blue Bunnies have been completed at this time.

If you managed to read through all of this, you might be interested in the party time weekend I'm hosting on the Bunniverse discord server. Come on over; I totally asked your parents and they said it's okay. Okay, actually, I'm not asking your parents, but you should come over anyhow. Come celebrate Nibbles' birthday with me. :-3

[helaelaemond]

My darling, for your fic writer asks: 3, 11, 18, & 24, please and thank you. 💜

tysm for asking im- :')

3. What was your first fandom? - gfhjdkgghfjd I was 11 and it was 1980s British ice dancing couple Torvill and Dean, niche, I know.

11. What's an idea for a fic that you'll probably never write? - I started a King Aemond fic that I absolutely adore, but have lost motivation for, so probably won't continue. Aegon refuses the crown, and the Small Council agree, after little persuasion, to perpetuate the story that Viserys named Aemond as heir. Aegon becomes a member of the Kingsguard to take himself out of the line of succession, with the promise that when the war against Rhaenyra is over, he will be allowed to live out his days in the pillowhouses of Lys. Aemond gets everything he wants - the crown, the queen, the legacy....... or at least that's what he hopes. It's Helaemond heavy and I thought it would be a hit, but it's not, really.

18. Is there some headcanon you've included in more than one fic? - yes, lots! I tend to stick to the same headcanons and incorporate them across my fics, for example: - Helaemond: even after Helaena marries Aegon, no one really cares if Aemond sleeps in her rooms, even when they get older. Everyone assumes Aemond is too dutiful to allow anything to happen, and Helaena is too simple to betray her marriage vows. They can hide in plain sight. This idea creeps into quite a few fics. - Helaemond: Helaena wore a blue dress on her wedding day. Alicent and Viserys chose her husband, and so they could at least allow this. Her favourite colour is blue; blue for Dreamfyre, blue for Aemond. His favourite colour is blue, too. Blue for Dreamfyre, the first dragon he ever rode. Like with many other people's Aemond fics, the colour blue comes up at significant moments! - Billy Washington x reader: on your first proper date, you smelled of lavender soap, and he associates you with lavender now. So he buys you sprigs, he buys you lavender trinkets. It is now his favourite smell, and colour. - Lord of the Rings, Elrond x Celebrian: according to one version of the history Elessar, Galadriel gave it to Celebrian after Celebrimbor gave her Nenya (essentially a jewel with ten times, a hundred times, the power of the Elessar). It is customary amongst the Noldor for the parents of a woman to give a jewel to the man she intends to marry, as a symbol of their approval of the match (hence why Galadriel bestowed it upon Aragorn in the book - amongst other reasons). Now, Celebrian was thousands of years old come the War of the Last Alliance, and my headcanon is that she gave it to Elrond not only as something for him to use to heal others on the battlefield, but also as a sign that she would marry him once the war was over. In return, he gave her one of his circlets as a sign that he entrusted Rivendell to her care while he was away.

24. What's the cringiest fic (affectionate) you've ever written? - oh god, I 've been writing fanfic since I was 13, there's a lot of nonsense out there! But I don't think there's anything that I truly cringe about looking back? I never wrote anything hateful, never wrote real-person fanfic. Maybe Thranduil x wife? Because that man is gay, and I truly believe that.

[saurondrielprompts]

Sci Fi-ish Multi-Universe-ish AU where future Half-Maia Celebrian goes to the past (which is actually the present) to avoid such ending in Return of the King. She went to the past-present to ensure that she will be born and prevent Bby Boy Halbrand go full Shane errr Big Bad Sauron. While on this mission, she needs to hide her identity to all except Galadriel, who is a bit shocked to know that she needs to make THE MOVE to ensure #halfmaia #Celebrian is born. To stir the pot and for a lil bit of #Celrond, she needs to hide her obvious chemistry with Elrond who is her husband in the future.

Ohhh this is brilliantly unique! And I adore Celebrian seeing the past version of her husband and having to hide her love/attraction, how sweet! I really really love this idea nonny.

[katcirce]

My thoughts on Rings of Power so far

My boyfriend and I started watching rings of power (yes. we are late to the party), and I have a couple of thoughts on it. As of writing this we are on episode 7 (meaning just before the finale.)

*obvious spoiler warning*

Unfortunately I was spoiled by twt before even watching the show as to the whole Halbrand situation, so I have been watching the entire show knowing who he is, but god I wish he wasn't. Or even, I wish the show was its own thing, and not a half-way between a tolkien canon and whatever it is. This principle kind of extends thoughout my wishes for this show; I do really like it, but I also have some critiques I will outline.

Cinematography and beauty prioritised more than pacing and immersion

There is no doubt that this show is absolutely gorgeous. Every shot is an artform and a feast for the eyes, however, in some cases it seems the pacing suffers as a consequence. Take for instance the scene between The Stranger and the Brandyfoot girl, where she hands him an apple. I assume they had so many shots in order to give the impression of the grandness of it all, however it came across as someone not being able to choose between which shot to take, because they were all great, and subsequently ending up adding all of them. It just felt a little awkward. This is also the case with combat scenes where we felt the immersion was often lost in favour of an aesthetically pleasing shot.

2. Galadriel and staying true to canon

The showrunners obviously took some liberties with the characters, and die-hard tolkien fans might feel more conflicted with the difference in presence of characters they already know and love from Tolkiens universe. My boyfriend hasn't read the books, and had no issues with the characters, because he didn't already have a strong pre-conceived notion of who the characters were. For me, adjusting to this new Galadriel was more challenging than say Elrond, simply because her energy is so different. That being said, I see the point in showing her in this young version, and as a character I adore her; but I can't help but still feel a little conflicted that the two characters are the same. Galadriel is one of the eldest, and is therefore supposed to be one of the wisest elves, but I find her nature to still be very young compared to the other elves. I love her characterisation, but where it kind of glips for me, is when compared with Elrond, who seems wiser.

3. Halbrand...

This especially is where I wish this show was its own seperate universe, and he did not become the Sauron known from LOTR, embodiment of pure evil. Even in the series they mention sauron being controlled by Morgoth, and after his fall seeking to better the world. In my own personal little bubble, I wish this could be the story of someone having been a puppet and the hand of a greater evil; witnessing themselves comitting atrocities without being able to control it. After gaining free-will seeking to right the wrongs, while having to hide their identity, because they know, they cannot be forgiven. I know that is not the case, but I wish it was.

4. The harfoots :)))

This is both mine and my boyfriends least favourite part of the series. We both found the harfoots quite annoying. The whole "We are harfoots. We stick together", just doesn't really catch on with us when they literally have a book of left-behinds. That, and they all blame The Stranger for a branch falling (why the did no adult stop the kid from stepping out under a clearly fragile branch!?). It seems insane to banish the Stranger after a branch fell when he also saved them from wolves, disproportionate through and through.

I've basically written an essay now, and I have so much more to say on Elrond, dwarves, the southlands, Isildur, Elendil, etc. However, I'll stop now and maybe add on after we watch the finale. :)

[aniseandspearmint]

I posted 9,990 times in 2022

That's 3,901 more posts than 2021!

153 posts created (2%)

9,837 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@mikkeneko

@dysfunctionalghost

@typhlonectes

@everythingfox

@phoenixyfriend

I tagged 9,968 of my posts in 2022

#art - 1,841 posts

#lols - 1,789 posts

#video - 1,756 posts

#has sound - 1,029 posts

#current events 2022 - 916 posts

#pretty pretty - 851 posts

#cats - 423 posts

#animal photography - 409 posts

#has music - 386 posts

#america - 361 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#it was either the bruce banner quote or the 11th doctors 'good men don't need rules now's not  good time to find out why i have so many' one

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Don't Make Me - MALINDA (ft. Thomas Sanders)

@sparklecryptid

60 notes - Posted March 13, 2022

#4

YO, PSA FOR ANYONE TRYING FOR THE STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS.

IT”S NOT GOOD NEWS.

It’s an NPR article so there’s also an audio version.

(article dated September 30th 2022)

86 notes - Posted October 1, 2022

#3

I really love that not only do Sherlock and Joan never get together in the entire run of Elementary, it's never even really played as a possibility.

As an ace person I appreciate that so much. Like, there's a few one off minor characters that assume Joan is Sherlocks girlfriend, but only one reoccurring minor character that flat out asks Joan if she ever considered dating Sherlock. When Joan says no, they drop it and never bring it up again. SEVEN SEASONS and that's it.

I know more than one allo person that expressed disappointment that there was never more than friendship between the two of them, and that to them the series finale was unsatisfying, but for me it was the opposite.

A man and a woman were allowed to form a deep friendship with a strong sibling energy, and no forced romance.

Both Sherlock and Joan have aro vibes to me. Sherlock has two romantic relationships in the entire series that we see. One with 'Irene Adler' who is also this series's Jamie Moriarty, and one with a computer programmer named Fiona (goes by Mittens online) who is openly autistic (a bit stereotypical but not a bad representation tbh). Neither relationship is exactly standard. Aside from those two, Sherlock maintains a handful of amicable physical relationships with a revolving cast of women that are mostly played for laughs and niche knowledge for cases.

Joan, she dates a few people here and there, including Mycroft Holmes, with there being one other major romance that we see with a man named Andrew. That ends sadly, right as Joan was poised to break up with him anyway (which is an extra layer of guilt for Joan) because she's just not feeling the depth of emotion she knows she should as they hit the 'meet the parents' milestone.

A few seasons later, Joan goes through a whole character arc focusing on her trying to adopt a baby as a single woman and how that would affect her and Sherlocks relationship.

Joan goes on to, in the last skip ahead episode, adopt a child as a single woman, no guy in sight, with Sherlock implied to have fallen happily into an Uncle role.

Just two aro self adopted sibling detectives, raising a kid, solving crimes. I love it so much.

207 notes - Posted October 12, 2022

#2

tbh what kills me about this whole Rings of Power mess is that, if they had just done this RIGHT they would have had a home run hit. Every Tolkien fan I know would have watched it and made art and fic and bought merchandise and urged their friends and family to watch it! It would be the lotr movies again. It would have hit like the first couple of MCU movies were. It would have been ADORED.

But they chose to cheap out on EVERYTHING and to CHANGE everything to make it ‘sexy’, chose to have their stuntworkers perform dangerous stunts with not enough safety equipment, chose to take beloved characters like Elrond and Galadriel and Celebrimbor and twist them into barely recognizable caricatures... I would be here all day if i tried to list all the things wrong in the short clips we’ve gotten.

It’s gonna fail, and they paved the road themselves. We could have had it all, but instead we got Amazon.

340 notes - Posted August 27, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Hey, anyone need spices right now? Good quality, knock your socks off spices?

Penzeys spice company is offering two (2) 25 dollar gift cards for 35 dollars! They’re suffering an annoying boycott bc they’ve chosen to publicly say Choose Love, not Republican Racism and could use some extra purchases right now.

They’re affordable and have some of the most potent rosemary I have EVER used, and cheerfully toss several sample packets in with every order I’ve ever gotten from them.

They have a ton of wonderful salt free spice mixtures, and (wonder of wonders) For people with allergies to certain spices, they’ve actually got LISTS of what’s in their spice mixes! They don’t just say ‘spices’ like most companies do!

@ ing this at several people who get more traffic than me;

@systlin

@deadcatwithaflamethrower

@prfury

4,307 notes - Posted January 28, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[nerdishpursuits]

Rings of Power is unbearably pretty 🥹🥹🥹🥹 Galadriel, Arondir, Nori, Durin and Disa and Elrond. All the feels, alright? ALL THE FEELS 👀😍🥹❤️‍🔥

Honestly. I hadn’t realized how starved I was for this aesthetic until I saw it. It feels whimsical and mythical and an homage to beauty. It has a dreamy, fairytale like quality. I’m so sick of the gratuitous gore a la GoT. This feels like a breath of fresh air, for now. Has its flaws, sure, but so far I’m glad to back in Middle Earth.

[zonie-az]

okay so ilithyia

interesting fact about her name is it's a latinized version of the name of a greek goddess of childbirth and midwifery which fits with her being a mother of six

ilithyia is the former miss utah so she looks like the other miss americas we saw in the dating game video but with subtle variations that set her apart from the others

not every miss america is a perfect soulmate to their state counterparts, in fact romantic attraction between them is actually a very rare thing so they are the exception not the rule

when she married utah she gave herself the name ilithyia because she wanted to have her own identity aside from being mrs utah

the miss americas are immortal just like the states

ilithyia is mormon just like her husband and they raise their six kids in the mormon religion, their faith is important to them and they pray together on serious issues and are active in the church

ilithyia is very involved in her children's lives being a hands on parent while still finding time to help her community as a midwife

she loves hearty spicy meals and shares housework and childcare responsibilities with her husband

ilithyia cares about women's rights, reproductive rights, state history, the preservation of nature, she's also a sci-fi geek

ilithyia is seven feet tall with blonde curly hair that reaches the middle of her back and soft physical features and she's beautiful in an awe inspiring way like a golden sunset is surrounded by orange and pink skies

a goddess? a goddess. she's a goddess.

ilithyia is friends with all the other miss americas

she's warm, friendly, loving, kind, and a genuinely happy person who is fiercely protective of her loved ones

she adores utah, doting on him and loving him as much as he does her, they're each other's best friend and they love spending time together, conversations flow easily and they make each other laugh

imagine a woman who's equal parts galadriel, starfire, and morticia addams if she existed in the southwest for hundreds of years

that's ilithyia

Omg that's amazing.

I love how everyone is in agreement she is a goddess.

I love putting her as a miss America I always am not her about how to have her be immortal like Utah. And how you have it really works well. I love it.

She and Utah are so in love. She definitely being a big part of the community. She helps out so much. The community loves her. As everyone should.

Okay but sci-fi geek amazing love that. Need more.

Utah and her have date nights regularly. They of course have to plan them well in advance, the community helps with child care and keeping stupid other states and government from messing up their date night.

Those two are so happy during date night the can't keep their hands off each other. Holding hands swing them as they walk. Lots of soft kisses, just Radom kisses on the hands cheeks wherever. Totally gigging.

I love this all so much.

[sauroff]

What attracted you to Sauron so much, and why do you think he is so popular, despite the fact that so much of his characterisation is in obscure material, and in the most popular adaptation, he is just a big eye?

Hello there! I love this question It's hard for me to talk about serious things because, besides not trusting my knowledge and my own interpretations of the characters, there is a language barrier that makes me feel limited when trying to explain myself. But I'll try my best

I think that, basically, we know very little about every character in The Silm. We kinda pick some extra info here and there from all the other sources, then ignore what we don't like (I sure as hell will ignore that version in which is Galadriel who founded Eregion and Celebrimbor just took it from her). We cling to the little info we have, and construct our own version of the characters. There might be a general fanon, but there are as many flavors of each character as there is people in this fandom. So, we might not have that much info about Sauron, but we do have enough to build over. And what you can build over what you got from The Silm and Morgoth's Ring is a lot more interesting that the whole eye tower/abstract representation of evil. There are so many holes you can fill, so much you can explore with him. Like, if he was so obsessed with order and control, and didn't like how the Valar managed things (very valid point there), how exactly did he thought that Melkor of all people could change that? We are told that he served him as his loyal right hand out of adoration. Why did he adore him? From the very little we know from each of them, they are opposites. Then we have the fact that we are told that at some points he did want to make Middle Earth a better place, for real. And we are also told that he did teach the elves and men things. That last part didn't age well, since that knowledge, and the progress done with it, is seen as corrupted and bad within the story. Based on that, you can theorize about his time in Eregion: Was the making of the rings and complete control of them his plan from the very beginning? Did he went to Eregion with only evil in his mind, or maybe he was just lost and on the look for a new path to follow? What if he really started with the rings as a way to heal Middle Earth, but fell into his old bad habits in the middle? (I mean, I'm sure that, in his mind, he still thought that he was doing what was best for everyone). I just love those things, and what you can build over them. On one hand, you have this talented crafter, loyal and efficient right hand, semi god that knows things of the very creation of the world and shares them with elves and men- A character whose awful actions are probably rooted on good intentions, but very very twisted by his own pride and obsession with control. A man who isn't very good at fighting (those physical fights we know he had, he lost), but it's good at singing and much better at seducing his way into and out of trouble. On the other hand, you have a man who thought that the very incarnation of chaos was just the right guy to put order into the world. A man whose ego is so big that once thought he was the greatest wolf in existence, because why not? A man who saw an already corrupted island of men and thought "I can make it worst", sent all the men to die instead of maybe recruting them, and died while laughing at God (being fair, he did manage to piss said god so much that he finally took direct measures. Nice one Mairon). A man that was obsessed with control, yet couldn't manage to make his own forces competent enough to at least use the language that they have created for them. And I mean, knowing that he isn't a big eye in a tower, but rather a (literally) hot Lucifer-like figure does help a bit too. But almost every character on those books is hot, so that alone doesn't do the trick. Also, for those of us who like to add queernes to our interpretations of media, there is this constant in his story about seducing/being seduced by male characters, while also being basically the only male presenting character that wasn't smitten by Luthien as soon as he saw her, that gives him a certain queer vibe we kinda dig. He also has some strong genderfluid vibes, but I can't explain those besides "There is not such a thing as a cis shapeshifter".

Anyway, that's my (very long) explanation. I'd apologize for it, but you asked :P Have a female presenting Annatar I sketched sometime ago