#I feel bad for Maglor

[aragornsrockcollection]

Look, I love Maglor.

Maglor makes me feel things.

I am firmly in the camp that Maglor is the Most Gentle Feanorian, he hates violence, he sees the wrong in all they do, he has an immense amount of empathy.

And don’t you see… this does not make him The Best Feanorian, morally superior to his brothers, pure and good.

This interpretation… kinda makes him the WORST of his brothers?

Maedhros stands aside when the ships burn. He believes abandoning their cousins and people is wrong and takes a stand no matter how futile. Maglor doesn’t. Maglor burns the ships.

We don’t know that Maglor thought that was wrong, we don’t get his perspective in that part of the story. But once we start getting his perspective we get him arguing against the final acts of murder that would retrieve the Silmarils, with full knowledge that it is a bad thing to do… and then doing it anyways. I think Maglor knew burning the ships was wrong.

If you interpret Maglor this way… he doesn’t come out looking good. At least Curufin and Celegorm had conviction that attacking Doriath was right. Going along with it knowing it’s wrong is WORSE. It’s FUCKED UP.

Maglor, in many ways, is a coward. Not when facing the enemy, but when facing his brothers, or his father. He may have had the most of Nerdanel in him of his brothers, but he didn’t get her spine, her ability to say “no this is wrong” to someone she loves, and step away. I even think Maglor’s “no this is wrong” was internal until the very end, when he only had his closest brother left.

There is a period where Maglor is in charge, after Maedhros’s capture. And a lot of people headcanon Maglor having a lot of guilt over his inaction in this time. I agree he has a lot of guilt over it (I think guilt and conflicted emotions drive almost everything Maglor does) but I also think this is the BRAVEST AND MOST CORRECT MAGLOR ACTS IN THE ENTIRE FIRST AGE. The Noldor should absolutely just be seeking to survive at this point, trying to rescue Maedhros would get them all killed. Inaction is the correct call here, despite pressure to do otherwise.

And also, I can’t remember if I made this up, but I have a memory of Curufin and Celegorm both clamoring for Maglor to give up the throne in favor of Celegorm, who is absolutely a more decisive leader in line with what their father would have wanted. Fending this off would be the only recorded time when Maglor stood firm against his brothers.

Some people portray Maglor taking in Elrond and Elros as an act of defiance against Maedhros, to which I say… why? Maedhros frantically searched for Elured and Elurin to save them, he clearly was very against the murder of children, and Maglor has exactly zero instances of putting his foot down against Maedhros.

Tl.dr. Maglor having the most developed moral compass of the feanorians, far from making him a perfect angel, actually mixes with his actions and inactions to make him INCREDIBLY flawed in a completely unflattering way, and I think that’s fascinating.

[victorie552]

I don't know when exactly Nerdanel left Feanor, so I am choosing to believe that they 'divorced' when Feanor was banished from Tirion and Nerdanel refused to go with him and their sons to Formenos. But I also headcannon that things between them were bad long before that. As in, Amras and Amrod suffered from "Our Parents Should Divorce Already" situation.

[nailsinmywall]

hallo ✋i have put together a little zine about maglor 🦀🎻 it features 8 awesome little fics about him as well as my best remastered maglor art and 2 new artworks 🤩 (and it's free!) you can download it here ⭐️

[eight-pointed-star]

maglor

[thesummerestsolstice]

How the elves react to Elrond getting sick:

Maedhros & Maglor: Absolutely freak out. Assume Elrond is dying and that the Doom of Feanor's house has finally caught up to them. Maedhros insists he says in bed and makes him soup. Maglor starts planning a lament for his funeral. (He has a cold)

Gil-Galad: Tries to convince Elrond to rest. Always fails. Has resorted to getting Elrond a bed desk so he can do his work while he rests. Frequently checks up on him to make sure he's alright or to bring him little gifts to make him feel better.

Erestor: Also half-elven, so gets it. Inevitably gets sick whenever Elrond does because he refuses to stay away. They always end up sick together, but they are together, and that means something.

Celebrimbor: Has read multiple books on human anatomy for the sake of his cousins (Erestor, son of Caranthir included). Theoretically understands how to care for someone who is ill. *Checks notes* according to this, if I give you chicken soup every day for a week it will cure your *checks notes again* pneumonia. He's trying his best.

Galadriel: Does not understand human or half-elven biology very well. Has taken Elrond on a ten mile hike in the snow when he was getting over a cough. Elrond's Feanorian followers have never forgiven her for it.

Celebrian: I would say she uses Elrond being sick as an excuse for them to stay in bed and cuddle, but let's be honest, she doesn't need an excuse for that. Knows he can take care of himself, and is a lot more Normal about it than everyone else on this list. Elrond loves her very much.

Glorfindel: Fully willing to pick up Elrond (or Erestor) and take them back to bed so they rest. Takes his duty to protect his lord very seriously. A very comfortable pillow for sick half-elves.

Lindir: Absolutely freaks out. You thought his anxiety about the dwarves was bad?? Elrond always has to calm him down and assure Lindir that is, in fact, not about to die. He does sometimes ask Lindir to play for him when he's ill though.

[nelyos-right-hand]

Guys. Guys, we seriously need to talk about kidnap fam and all the arguments surrounding it.

Because the Silm fandom is easily the most peaceful fandom I've ever seen by far, and I love it, it's just so much easier when you don't constantly have to deal with fans bashing heads over their different takes. (To clarify, people do have different takes in this fandom, which is good and exactly how fandom is supposed to be, and sometimes heads do get bashed, which isn't great, but still happens far less than in any other fandom I've ever seen.)

Some people love Morgoth, and some people love the Valar, but they don't argue over it, instead they solve the problem by engaging in deep philosophical discussions or just in so much smut. And that's great. I'm not saying you shouldn't have discussions. It's such a big part of fandom to exchange different point of views, and sometimes people change their minds, and other times you agree to disagree.

And I think we all know that of all the different corners of the fandom, the kidnap fam corner is probably disagreeing the most, and that's alright! You can defend the characters you love, you can voice your own opinion, you can disagree on other people's takes, but please, PLEASE stop insulting the fans.

This isn't everyone, there are so many incredibly kind people in that corner who are always peaceful, but it's also the only corner where I've seen people using opinions on characters as a judge for the fans that have those options.

"People who hate Elwing are so stupid", "People who love Elwing are toxic" Just stop, okay?! Just stop.

Hating a fictional character is not morally wrong. They are fictional, you can't hurt their feelings, they don't care if you hate them or love them or ignore them. Hating real people is wrong. You can hate Maedhros, and you can hate Elwing, you can even hate Elrond (no, seriously, don't hate Elrond, or I will come for you).

Your opinion on a character doesn't have to be morally correct. Even if Elwing was a terrible monster who abused her kids, it still wouldn't be somehow toxic to love her. Why would you even think that? And even if Elwing was a complete saint, it still wouldn't be stupid to hate her. Your opinion on a character doesn't have to be rational. (Example: I dislike Arwen. I know there is absolutely no rational explanation, she's a perfectly written character, she's a strong woman, she's the perfect woman for Aragorn. If she were a real person I would have to get over my dislike for her, but since she's fictional I can keep disliking her, even if I can't explain it. Even if she's a great person this isn't somehow wrong or toxic)

This post isn't about my personal opinion on Elwing, or on how much Maedhros was involved in raising the boys, or whether they called Maglor "Atar". This post also isn't saying that you should stop defending your favorite characters or headcanons, or that you should stop criticising characters you dislike. I'm not telling you to stop saying your own opinion, or to make your post and fanfictions neutral so that no one is confronted with a take they don't like. Please don't do that! You can continue making 10 000 word long posts supporting your opinion, in fact, you should do that, because if it weren't for those posts I would still have all those boring, one-sided opinions that made eleven year old me hate Boromir. It's good to sometimes be confronted with something you don't agree with.

This post is about fans insulting other fans because they don't agree with them. This is about fans making opinions on fictional characters look morally wrong, and therefore make the people behind those opinions look like bad people.

Again, this is a minority of the fans. Most people in this corner of the fandom are great and civil and deserve all the love in the world. But I'm just so tired of all the arguments, I don't even care who's right anymore, I just want us all to get along. Fandom should be about having fun, about enjoying things you love, not about bashing heads with people who disagree with you. Cause you won't get very far in real life if you can't deal with different opinions.

[dfwbwfbbwfbwf]

Maeðros never intended to survive the "Fourth Kinslaying".

(I use quotations because I despise the definition of kinslaying in Tolkien, which is only ever used one way around, but I digress. Besides, that's not what this is about.)

TW: talk about suicide, suicidal intentions, Nelyo just being generally very unwell, that sort of stuff. This is definitely darker than my normal stuff.

I have a whole post here on how Maeðros has Ainu-related trauma, and that's a major reason why he refused to treat with Eönwë. I have another post here, also about Maeðros, to put things in perspective, about why he fell into despair and the "Nothing I do is going to work out anyway, go out with a bang" mentality.

If you don't feel like reading those, that's fine. I'll sum it up:

By the time the War of Wrath ended, Maeðros was completely disillusioned with everything. Despite doing everything he could to do things the right way, it never turned out right, and it culminated with the death of Fingon and, essentially, the destruction of the Noldor. He sent letters, and, at best, received no answer. Additionally, he's had a great deal of experience with Ainur, and most of it had either been bad from the beginning (Angband), or the positive had soured upon reflection (post-grandpa murder and Flight).

He was in an incredibly bad place mentally and spiritually. He didn't have any amdir left, let alone estel. I can't imagine he improved after Elrond and Elros left - regardless of what you think of their relationship, I think having them around would help him emotionally, at least a little.

So here's the sitch - Maeðros is down to one brother. He has no army. He has no sons hostages. He has no friends. He has no purpose other than to get the Silmarils or die trying.

(And dying isn't as terrifying a prospect as it had once been. Even Everlasting Darkness, whatever it was, had to be better than this. [He understood why Haruni Míriel ... left.])

Maeðros doesn't trust Eönwë. He's an Ainu, and Ainur lie - sometimes intentionally, and sometimes because they simply cannot keep their promises. An Ainu killed his grandfather and father. Ainur abandoned his people even before Alqualondë. Ainur killed his best friend.

At least Eönwë was upfront about his intentions to take Maeðros and his brother prisoner. As if Maeðros wouldn't kill Maglor himself to prevent that. As if Maeðros wouldn't raze Valinórë to the ground before letting the Valar so much as look at his last brother.

Maeðros is tired. He'a been tired since the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, but in the century since, it has grown to be nearly overwhelming. For a time, it lessened, and he actually took care of himself - not for his own benefit, or even for Maglor's, but for the boys, for who knew what horrific atrocities Maglor would expose them to and call it "food". But now they are gone, and what little he'd gained has already wasted away.

(Maglor worried and fretted like a mother hen over his elder brother's sunken cheeks and eyes that, despite the Treelight, were duller than an abused, iron blade.)

Maglor begs him to consider letting go of the Oath, and Maeðros can only pity him. His poor brother, still trusting that the Valar care, that Eru cares. That this will be the one good thing that actually pans out. That this is estel instead of amdir.

Maglor had always been close to the Valar, having studied in Valmar, and even marrying a Vanya. His trust in them had never truly shattered the way the rest of the family's had. (The hollowness in Tyelco's fëa after Huan abandoned him had nearly sent Maeðros after the mutt himself.) Maglor didn't know the Ainur as anything but their façade.

Maeðros has no intention of changing that.

He manipulates and threatens Maglor. He doesn't care - he literally can't. He doesn't plan on either of their survival, but the least they can do is go out trying one last time. Maybe that will be enough to save their family from the Void.

-----

Maeðros doesn't expect Eönwë to let them go. Maglor had to drag him away from the camp. From Arafinwë's disappointed face. From their boys staring at them in horror.

But opening the box and beholding the Silmarils almost makes the last six hundred years worth it. For the first time in centuries, Maeðros feels his father's soul.

Atya. Haru. Hányar. We did it. You can rest now.

-----

Pain beyond anything he's ever felt before.

-----

Maeðros hears a horn in the distance. He turns away.

-----

About half a millennia later, Elros drags his soul kicking and screaming to Mandos.

[lemonhemlock]

The thing that's getting lost in the weeds when it comes to talking about being a book purist vs. a show HOTD fan is that the main issues, imo, aren't necessarily the departures from the text, it's the REASONS why Condall and Hess made those departures. Maelor not being included, and having Helaena have a Sophie's choice moment between the twins would have been fine if they also kept all the other details in Blood and Cheese and Helaena's grief after the fact. If you want to use child labour laws as an excuse, fine, altho Condal went on a podcast and said that they changed B and C because of Alicent's 'propaganda' lol. But let's take Condal's words at face value for a moment. Then why cut out the maid being strangled? Why cut out Alicent being tied and forced to watch as it happened? Why cut out the threats to Jaehara? Why cut out Helaena offering her life? Why were Criston and Aemond not shown trying to get in the room as it happened? None of those changes involved having a toddler on set being subjected to triggering scenes, so the that excuse no longer works, and none of them involved spending more time or money on the scene. They simply should have cut out the buddy comedy between Blood and Cheese and that stupid dog to give more time to Helaena and the kids.

Instead we have Alicent having sex with Criston, Helaena not offering life, Helaena not feeling any grief and getting over it almost immediately because heaven forbid Daemon and Rhaenyra look bad because of a grieving mother.

Every single change to Blood and Cheese was done to white wash Daemon, by extension Rhaenyra, and by further extension to white wash team black. I'm not a book purist by any means, but almost every single change to the source material that isn't due to budget constraints is done to cynically white wash Rhaenyra and push the agenda that you are a misogyny loving Woman for Trump if you side with Alicent and the Greens.

Other changes like Rhaenys choosing to go fight instead of being ordered by Rhaenyra, Laenor not being killed by Daemon so he could marry Rhaenyra, Rhaenyra not ordering Vaemond to be killed and eaten by her dragon, Nettles being cut because the writers can't have their Girl Boss 'lose' to another woman and be humiliated by her husband cavorting with a teenager, Helaena not feeling grief because that would make Rhaenyra/Daemon/TB look bad. Maelor wasn't cut because of budget or kid issues, he was cut because his storyline made Rhaenyra look bad. THAT's the issue here. I don't for a minute buy that they cut Maelor because of child labour laws, there are in fact ways to have kids in scenes like that where they don't have to see or hear anything offensive using smart editing, etc. That's my problem here, all of this was a very cynical and transparent way to whitewash TB and further demonize TG.

Any time people in the fandom are baffled as to why certain changes were made, just ask yourself how it serves Rhaenyra and you will get your answer.

^^^^^^^ i don't really have anything more to add, anon, you spelled everything out! 👌

tumblr user maglors-grief even recently commented that they actually aged down aegon iii and viserys ii, so, if using toddlers is such a hassle and a problem, why didn't they age them up instead? it's just a invented pretext to wave away their bias

[elswing]

i hate posting discourse it's pointless and doesn't do anything for me except prolong my annoyance but i'm Tired™ and feel like shouting into the void. apologies to my beautiful feanorian mutuals please look away i love u

i neeeeeeed everyone to stop claiming they like elwing if their characterisation of her is completely made-up biased bullshit that paints her as an immature and disdained ruler (?????) who couldn't balance her responsibilities with the husband she married too young (at 22. practically a child bride honestly) and the children she never wanted (where. where does it say this). she's clearly such a bad mother that she abandoned them at first opportunity (she knew the feanorians were more than capable of killing a pair of twin boys because they literally already did that. that's very much a thing that already happened. to her brothers) and it was her selfish nature that made her soooo eager to flee (she had no reason to think ulmo would save her it was literally a suicide attempt. she wanted to make sure the deaths of her people and presumed deaths of her sons weren't in vain by ensuring they never obtained the silmaril)

like i'm gonna touch your hand as i say this. it's okay if you hate her! just don't pretend that you weren't thriving in the 2016 era of silm fandom where everyone pushed all their male fave's negative traits onto any other woman in a 5 mile radius to grab Poor Little Meow Meow status for war criminal #1 #2 and #3 to then turn around and spout the exact same (factually untrue) sexist rhetoric concealed under seven layers of buzzwords just because it's the year of "unlikable and complicated female characters" like buddy who are we talking about here. have you perhaps considered making an oc?

and i'm NOT saying i want the whole fandom to mimic my exact opinions and thoughts about elwing i realise that one of the best parts of the silm is how divisive it is and how you have so much wiggle room to come to your own interpretations because of how VAGUE the source material is but i'm genuinely convinced everyone's just parroting shit they saw in ao3 fanfics where maglor is secretly lindir and the premise is elrond sneaking him into valinor and elwing yells at him for slaughtering her people. TWICE. and this is framed as a category 5 Woman Moment so elrond disowns her and calls maglor his real dad

(eärendil misses this entire ordeal because he went on a voyage to save the world that one time and no one's let him live it down since because the whole fandom as a collective decided he did this because he's a terrible dad and not because the whole continent was at war and about to be wiped out and maybe he came to the unfortunate but reasonable conclusion that leaving is the best thing he could do for his family if it meant there was a chance his sons could grow up safe in a world that wasn't ruled by Fucking Satan so now his whole Beloved Sacrificial Lion: The Thin Line Between Doomed and Prophesized Hero™ shtick is tossed out in favour of.... *checks notes* Guy Who Forgot To Pay Child Support? oh and they're a lot louder about this because he's a man so no one can call it misogyny that's why no one ever goes the #girlflop #ILoveMyBlorbosNastyAndComplicated route with him and he gets dubbed as that one asshole who just wanted fame and glory even though that goes against the general themes for tolkien's hero characters. and tolkien loved that dude to bits that was his specialist little guy so you can't seriously tell me you think that's what he was trying to portray???????? is that seriously what you think he was trying to portray????????? babe????????????

also there's a BIG difference when it's a character that's only named in one draft and doesn't exist in the rest or gil-galad who has like three and a half possible fathers but ELWING??????? the only possible way you could be coming to these conclusions is if you read the damn book with your eyes closed. FUCK.

[feanoryen]

Elven tattoo headcanons

I think tattoos will never be fully permanent for elves, they fade every hundred years, maybe they'll last a few hundred if your ink is of the highest quality & your tattoo artist is exceptional. It's not a flaw with the tattoos that they're never permanent permanent, elven biology just doesn't allow for it.

Miriel, being brilliant with a needle as ever & Finwe, who was a patron of the arts, invented tattoos in Cuiviénen.

Most of the Minyar weren't so fond of them but they were appreciated by several of the Tatyar & Nelyar.

It started out as Finwe just… painting on himself & his GF because why not? He started out using henna commonly used by his friend Elwe & the Teleri but he liked color so then he & Miriel decided to be ✨experimental✨ & *boom* tattoos! He developed the ink & she learned how to work a needle in skin.

Finwe has one on his back that Miriel did right before she got pregnant with Feanor that he never let anyone touch it up after she died even though it was fading, until Feanor got older and asked for his dad’s permission to do it himself.

Miriel used to have a tattoo on her back as well like Finwe’s but she didn’t get it redone after getting reembodied. She also used to have a few on her arms and legs and was overall quite bohemian before what happened, happened. She doesn’t regret co-creating tattoos but they don’t fit her anymore.

Feanor has 1 segmented tattoo along his collarbone. He has 2 stars about an inch tall/wide closest to his heart representing his parents, a slightly smaller but almost as big one near them representing himself, and seven even smaller ones trailing his left collarbone representing his sons.

Nerdanel doesn’t have tattoos, she’s chill if her kids want them but they’re personally not for her.

Fingolfin doesn’t have any for several reasons, they don’t fit him, he’s half Vanya & they’re not really into tattoos, & they were partially invented by Feanor’s mother so it’s weird. Findis doesn’t have any for the same reasons.

Finarfin despite also being half Vanya & closer to that side of his family than Fingolfin, is actually open to them despite not having any yet. He just does not gaf about what other people think.

Earwen has a ton of aesthetically pleasing sea themed motifs on her body.

Fingon has an eagle tattoo.

Maedhros has the star of Feanor tattooed on him but that’s it.

Maglor has a bunch of well put together gorgeous tattoos including both music motifs and symbols honoring his family like the Feanorian star and something for Elrond & Elros as well. They fade after he starts wandering the shores but he gets most of them redone in Valinor.

Celegorm used to have tattoos symbolizing Orome’s hunt but he lets all of them fade away in middle earth. If he ever joined the hunt again after getting reembodied, I imagine he only ever got 1 more tattoo symbolizing Orome. He’s accepted a part of his old life again but it’s not going to be the same.

Aredhel has a bow & arrow tattoo.

Curufin also has the star the Feanor & that’s it.

Caranthir used to have some in the equivalent of his teenage years but cringes looking back at them. They didn’t actually look bad at all and were quite nice but he just gives off the impression of someone who’d be unimpressed with his old self. He has none now.

Amrod & Amras get whatever they’re feeling whenever they’re feeling and change up their tattoos every couple centuries.

Galadriel has none because she thinks Feanor would feel smug if she did get them & she can’t let him be satisfied. (She loves henna though!)

Finrod has a bunch of different motifs representing all 3 of the clans that make up his heritage.

[victorie552]

Ok, so Noldolantë, "The Fall of the Noldor" is a lament composed by Maglor about what happened before, during and after First Kinslaying at Alqualondë. It's such a good song that it's played regularly in Aman and Valar listen to it often (I swear, I swear it was in the Silmarillion I just can't find it now).

It's also a more or less common fanon that Maglor continues writing Noldolante through the whole First Age. Makes sense - it's about fall of the Noldor, and Noldor did a lot of falling back then.

Headcannon time: So my first thought was that Noldolante must a long, long, long epic of a song. So it probably has many parts, right? Iliad has 24 books/parts, somehow I think Noldolante would be at least just as long, and there are longer epics. And again, just like Iliad, unless you're a scholar, in the daily life you don't really listen to/read the whole thing, just reread and repeat the most dramatic fragments. What I'm trying to impress upon you all is that the story would have different segments, or chapters, if you will.

And if Maglor continues to write the story during the FA, there would absolutely be a moment in the lament where the OG Noldolante becomes Noldolante 2, and even Noldolante 3. There may be the same musical motif or something, I decided that Maglor IS that good of a bard to keep it all consistent enough so you know it's all the same story, but the style changes a lot - it's been 400 years in the making, let The Music Elf have fun!

So, Point 1: Many, Many Parts, basically Maglor's FA WIP

My second thought was that, while Feanor invented his alphabet, elves learned their history mostly through oral tradition aka songs and spoken stories. Noldolante is definitely a historical record, where a historical event was archived for future generations.

(It was a also a way to deal with grief, guilt and blame Maglor and all Noldor have faced regarding First Kinslaying - free therapy! But that's not what this post is about)

Archived.

My 2.5 thought was that Noldolante isn't just recallings of how pretty and horrified the beach looked during the murdering or how mad and sorrowful the sea was at everyone during the voyage or even how awesome and charismatic Feanor looked during his speeches that every single Noldo was ready to fight Morgoth barehanded in his name - no, this is a record of who killed who, who got killed by whom, and how.

Noldor and Teleri knew each other (were friends, even!) before the First Kinslaying, so I'm confident that after a lot of interviews, detective work, and cross-referencing, Maglor could and would create a very good... name list. Practically every Noldo and Teler present during First Kinslaying would get a stanza in a song, more if he killed someone, most if he killed many people. Killers and killed would show up twice, first in a fragment listing the killers and their victims, then in a part listing the victims and their murderers. Basically it's the same thing twice, but from different POVs. With when, where and how included.

(It was seen to be in bad taste to compare kills during Maglor's Regency, when most of his interview-part work happened. People did it anyway. There were a Saddest Kill, Funniest Kill, and Weirdest Kill discusions. There was a Tier List. These were weird times to be a Feanorian Noldo.)

(It WAS in Bad Taste, but at least people talked about it. I cannot stress enough how much free therapy this lament provided)

(Little did they know, when Teleri started getting reembodied in Aman, they had very similar discussions, but more in a "I can't believe he killed me like THAT" way. Long, long, long after the First Age. Noldolante is a gift that keeps giving)

So, Maglor had all the historical grith and no common shame to create a "We Killed All These People And We Feel Bad About It" banger of a song, and every Noldo had a very personal reason to at least remember the fragments they are in. It's a hit on a scale never seen before.

(I'm not sure how to tackle the issue of Nolofinweans and Arafinweans learning about Noldolante after crossing the Ice. But there were discussions. There was anger, there was "????", there was controversy. Basically, the song got bigger and bigger rep no matter what your opinion on it was. By the time of Mereth Aderthad it was an important cultural and political piece and at least Fingon's forces were included in the main song. It had parodies.)

Point 2: Archive Function/Kill count storage. Cultural phenomen, every Noldo included

This is where my personal nonsense begins: Main Noldolante was done, there was nothing more to say about First Kinslaying, all killings and deaths were well documented.

But the Siege started. And the Noldor kept dying.

It was less dramatic than it sounded - between the big battles the siege was maintained, but orc raids also happened and sometimes one to few Noldor died in skirmishes. The legal procedure was to document the death of a fellow elf and send a word to king Fingolfin. The cultural procedure, technically started by Feranorians but adapted by many more, was to send the name, common characteristics and cause of death to Maglor's Gap. After few months, King Fingolfin would send reinforcements, short condolences and financial compensation if they had family. After few months, family of an elf would also receive a personal lament for them and a place for them in a Noldolante.

Yes, every lament Maglor created in that time was technically part of the Noldolante. Noldolante 1.5, if you will. Laments make in that time were very customized, and simpler than Noldolante Main, but were still considered a part of the same song. Of course, nobody was expected to know and remember laments for every single Noldo, younger Noldor born in Beleriand could even only know fragments about their family members. Only Maglor would ever know Noldolante in full, but it was understood that everyone had their place in The Song.

The results of Great Battles were harder to document, but Maglor did that. Of course, Dagor Bragollach was hard on him personally, but he worked his way through.

(High King Fingon forbade creating laments for his father. There were no songs for Fingolfin. Apart from in Noldolante, of course. Of course. Maglor did not share the lament with anyone, but he sat long hours and many nights with a blank paper before him, looking at the candle flame and thinking of the past and the future. The song unsung, but there)

Nirnaeth was... Maglor was never more hated and more approached at the same time than then. Still, Noldolante grew and grew, as if people knew the end was near.

It was Second Kinslaying that destroyed the myth of Maglor's song. Feanorians didn't know the Sindar they killed, but surely, they couldn't just left their names unmentioned like they did with orcs? So, Noldor talked, but the battle happened in caves - it wasn't uncommon to find dead bodies in empty rooms, with no witnesses to what happened. Surviving Sindar didn't want to share any names, even when Maglor strong-armed some into talking with him, and good for them. Maglor made a big lament anyway. Maglor, wild, with no shame and dead brothers, with legacy crumbling around him. Noldolante, with holes.

After Third Kinslaying, Noldor didn't want to talk. Lament for Sirion didn't have any names. Clearly, songs weren't a way to go anymore, it was always about live witnesses. And so Maglor raised the twins.

Lament for Maedhros was sung repeatedly. There was no one to hear it.

Point 3: Only Maglor knows Noldolante in full. But that doesn't matter, because everyone knows the important part: the Noldolante is finished. The Star of Hope rises in the West and the story goes on. The Fall has ended.

[eri-pl]

the Silm has not enough of women making bad decisions.

(One cursed Niniel, one ambiguous Galadriel, and one Numenorean queen with cats) (Marrying a guy that turns out to be evil or stupid isn't enough of a bad decision. there should be like... Bedchel test for evil / bad decisions. Is she evil in a way not related to a guy she's in love with?)

So I propose:

Maglor's and Curufin's wives were full on board with the Oath & kinslayings

And other wives of Feanorians, if you assume there were any.

To make it make sense:

Maglor married later than his brothers, shortly before the Darkening. Or he wasn't even married, just dating, but she followed him and they married on the ship. She was a warrior and was more effective in Alqualonde than Maglor (he still was effective, don't get me wrong).

She was one of the elves accompanying Maedhros to the negotiations and Maglor had been extremely relieved that she died, and not ended up like his brother, He hated himself for this.

Curufin's wife... She made awesome swords. She left him at the Luthien situation, similar to Huan leaving Celegorm. But she looked too Noldo and got shot by some random Doriath elf before she could explain herself. (The Doom of the Noldor works!)

(Disclaimer: I'm bad with C&C&C lore, so this may not make sense)

Also, if you want to make it more pointed:

Furious that they were not invited to the original swearing of the Oath, they swore later, together. (They invited Galadriel, but she refused in very impolite words).

Depending on how sadistic you feel, they either swore verbatim the same words as their husbands&co, or a more reasonable version of it. (without the blasphemy and more focused on supporting their family? And actually reclaiming the gems?)

[chaos-of-the-abyss]

im sorry but i find it funny how you went from tolerating feanorians and those apologists to just straight up admitting your disdain for them. seriously, i feel you on that, because its those type that pushed me away from liking the feanorians, and sadly, it drove me away from liking elrond as well (i know, i'm horrible) because of the many times he's been used as a weapon to shit on elwing or any of her family like y'all i can see the bs from miles away with that

let me tell you anon, i've reached my limit for "everyone can have their own opinion uwu" after the continuous slew of """opinions""" that have zero canon basis and are obviously trying to make the feanorians look better and more moral while simultaneously condemning their literal victims. it is funny too bc like i've said they used to be some of my favorite characters - and i still very much enjoy them as they are in the story - but the refusal of so many of their "fans" to engage with the people they actually are is frustrating and ridiculous. you'd think if you like a character you wouldn't feel the need to sanitize their actions. at that point just write your own original story of misunderstood "forced by circumstance to commit mass murder" tragic heroes, because whichever characters it is you're stanning there, it's not the feanorians

i still do adore elrond (the canon version of him, not the fanon "maglor is my real dad!!11!1! also i hate my parents bc they Abandoned Me" knockoff), but i do steer clear of content that's not from my mutuals lol. like you said some characterization choices are so blatantly just using him as ammunition for their "we want m&m to be elrond and elros' real parents, so we have to make elwing as bad as possible so m&m become better caretakers by comparison despite being the reason elrond and elros no longer have their family, home, and friends" pipeline. it's transparent as hell and especially annoying considering that elwing lost her family and home and was displaced as a toddler thanks to the feanorians' actions. then when they come back and take everything from her a second time you want to vilify her while glorifying them? using her sons who in canon clearly loved and respected her? lmao

[aylen-san]

Maglor: Curufin, I understand your resolve, but attacking Doriath will only worsen our situation. Deaths and fratricide are not what we should aim for. There are other ways. Why not try a different approach?

Curufin: We’ve tried everything. Dior will not negotiate. We cannot allow them to continue tormenting us and our allies. We need to act decisively.

Maglor: I understand your anger, but this could lead to great bloodshed and discord. Maybe it’s better to think of an alternative strategy? For example, bribing their allies or finding a compromise.

Curufin: Negotiations? They do not listen to us, Maglor. Conversations waste time, and we need to prepare for the next strike.

Maglor: We cannot act without considering the consequences. If we win the battle but lose everything we’ve built, it will not be a victory. Think about a strategy that will bring us long-term benefits.

Curufin: Alright, what steps do you propose? How can we prepare for a more favorable outcome?

Maglor: Remember how the Silmarils were obtained? We could simply steal them. The girdle of Melian is no longer there. It’s better than openly attacking Doriath. I have a bad feeling about the attack.

Curufin: I understand your concern, but Dior is not an easy target. He is smart and cautious. If we attempt to steal the Silmarils, we need to plan every detail carefully, or we risk falling into a trap.

Maglor: Therefore, I propose we prepare thoroughly. Let’s study their defenses, find the weak points, and develop a plan. If we do everything right, we can avoid open conflict and losses.

Curufin: Alright, but how exactly should we act? What steps are needed for success?

Maglor: First, we’ll gather intelligence about Doriath and its defenses. We need to find out who is in charge of security and where the weak spots are. Then, we’ll prepare tools and resources for a stealthy entry. We can also use allies for diversionary tactics.

Curufin: That sounds reasonable. We must be very cautious and use all resources to avoid mistakes. If everything goes according to plan, we’ll achieve our goal without unnecessary casualties.

Karantir: Maglor, your plan looks promising. Amras, Amrod, and I believe this is indeed the best approach. Moreover, we could make it appear as though it is the work of Morgoth. This will divert attention and create additional pressure on Doriath.

Amras: We’ve already discussed possible methods. If we create the appearance of Morgoth’s attack, it will distract Dior’s forces and create chaos within Doriath. This will make it easier for us to approach our goal.

Amrod: I agree. We can use old tricks to forge the evidence. It will require careful preparation, but with our skill and attention to detail, we can succeed.

Maglor: I’m glad you support the idea. We need to create false evidence pointing to Morgoth and ensure that our actions look like part of his plan. This will require detailed planning and coordination.

Amrod: I will handle the preparation of fake evidence and diversionary tactics. Karantir, you’ll need to ensure everything is ready for the start of the operation.

Karantir: Agreed. I’ll handle the coordination of all resources and preparation of necessary means. We’ll act quickly and carefully to ensure the success of the plan.

Maglor: Alright, let’s begin preparations. We need to act cautiously and strategically. If everything goes according to plan, it will improve our position and reduce losses.

Karantir: I would also like to add that the Dwarves of Nogrod could become our allies. They have a long-standing grudge against Doriath, and they could provide significant assistance.

Amras: Great idea. If we enlist the Dwarves, they could provide the necessary resources and help organize the operation. Their hatred for Doriath will be useful for distraction and creating chaos.

Amrod: Agreed. The Dwarves know the mountain paths well and can assist in developing the plan. They can also supply us with necessary equipment and materials.

Maglor: If we enlist the Dwarves of Nogrod, we’ll need to discuss the terms of their participation and ensure they are willing to work with us. This will require additional negotiations and planning.

Curufin: We’ll consider their demands and interests. If they feel their involvement will bring them the long-awaited revenge, they will work resolutely. We should also discuss how we will coordinate our actions.

Karantir: I can take on the negotiations with the Dwarves. We need to offer them the benefits of our cooperation and convince them that it will bring them satisfaction and gain.

Amras: With this ally, we’ll significantly strengthen our position. We need to create a clear plan for joint actions and distribute tasks to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Amrod: I will handle the technical aspects—creating fake evidence and ensuring we have the necessary means. We’ll also ensure our actions are synchronized with the Dwarves.

Maglor: Alright, if the Dwarves agree to help, it will be a powerful addition to our plan. We’ll start with negotiations and then continue preparations, considering their involvement. We must be ready for unforeseen circumstances.

Curufin: Agreed. Let’s prepare everything necessary and act quickly. Time is on our side, and we must use it as effectively as possible.

[silvantransthranduiltrash]

What if the silvans came across maglor?

Like, the silvans, led by lasgen, are doing a routine check in along the coasts. Basically they keep an eye on everything that’s going on in middle earth, not just mirkwood, but only really interfer with mirkwood bc they do not have the numbers to help all of middle earth but do want to be kept in the loop.

So one day, this group comes across what at first looks like a mound of ratty hair and rags attached to what looks like a corpse.but then it starts moving and singing and the silvans go “oh, ok, so this is an elf”

And then they remember that there’s only 1 elf that they know of that doesn’t live in an established elven haven and that would allow himself to get this bad.

And then their like “oh, ok, so this is Maglor.”

And they drag him back to mirkwood.

Well “drag” is an overstatement. Lasgen picks him up in one arm and doesn’t let go bc he weighs about as much as a toothpick.

So they get to mirkwood and Maglor is promptly shoved into the healing ward bc 1. That’s Miriel’s grandkid. And 2. Even the ones who are still a little pissed at the kinslayings take one look at the sad bag of bones that is maglor and go “yeah, no, i think he payed enough for his sins. This is just sad at this point.”

So the silvans collectivly agressively heal him and smother him in kindness. And maglor has absolutely no idea what the fuck is happening bc he never interacted with silvans and shouldn’t the sindar who survived from doriath hate his guts?

The sindar: babe, at this point hating you feels like kicking an abused puppy. It’s been over an age. We have more important fish to fry.

But despite all that, they can’t stop Maglor from singing about his woes as he’s done for millennia. Everyday. Every hour. He does not shut up unless unconscious.

Eventually they get so sick of it they tell elrond to come get his dad.

Elrond: and to what reason do i have the pleasure of hosting the silvans today?

Legolas, sick and tired of hearing the same sad song for weeks on end: come get your father, his singing is making our forces depressed.

Elrond: ... wha-

Legolas: please, maglor is driving us crazy with his kicked puppy demeanor. He does not understand that our sindars have already forgiven him and his. He keeps wailing and at this point you’re our last hope to get him to stop.

[nelyos-right-hand]

I've been reading post-reembodiement fics lately, and Fëanor trying to fix his relationship with his sons/ making amends for his mistakes is a pretty common occurrence in them.

Whenever that happens Curufin is almost always the first to forgive his father, and if Fëanor starts to make stupid choices again, he is often the first to support him.

And I see why many people see it that way. In the Silm, Celegorm and Curufin are their father's strongest supporters and the most ruthless when it comes to following their oath. Curufin is also described to be Fëanor Junior and they probably had a very close relationship.

But what if that changes after the first age?

Through the entire first age, Curufin continued to believe in the oath and their father. Sure, the others followed the oath as well, but I don't think that any of them did it because they actually believed in it.

Maedhros did it because Fingon was dead and he had stopped caring. Maglor, Caranthir and the Ambarussar did it because the oath was driving them. Celegorm did it because he was no longer sane and wanted revenge and bloodshed. He did it because he was hurting and now it was time for others to hurt.

But Curufin still did it for Fëanor. Because yes, right now things were looking pretty bad, but in the end everything would turn out fine. They were going to get the Silmaril, and then they were going to defeat Morgoth, fulfill their oath and make their father proud. Things were still going according to plan. Curufin himself might be unable to see it right now, but that's just because Fëanor was a genius. He had planned for this because he wouldn't have made them swear the oath if he hadn't, right? Everything was gonna be fine, all he had to do was trust his father.

But then suddenly he turned around just in time to see Dior drive his sword through Celegorm's chest. And he didn't even have time to process that because in the next moment he was hit by an arrow, and another, and another, and another.

Curufin didn't live very long after that, maybe two or three seconds. But in that time he realized something.

Things were not going according to plan. They couldn't because there was no plan. Fëanor didn't have any idea what he was doing when he swore the oath. And he most certainly didn't have his sons' welfare in mind at that moment.

They wouldn't get the Silmarils, not even one of them. They wouldn't fulfill the oath and they wouldn't defeat Morgoth. They wouldn't even survive.

Celegorm was dead and Curufin was dying and their other brothers would die soon too, and it would all be for nothing. He had spend the last five-hundred years believing in and fighting for a purpose that wasn't even a real purpose but the fantasies of a dead madman.

He had been betrayed by the person he loved most and now he would die for him.

(Hint-Celebrimbor-hint)

(Alright, so Fëanor didn't actually betray Curufin because that would mean that he did it on purpose or that he had any ill intentions towards him. That, of course, wasn't the case because Fëanor did love his sons dearly, he just, you know, went absolutely mad after Finwë's death. Curufin just feels betrayed because he is dying and stuff.)

So back in Valinor Curufin has the most trouble forgiving his father. That surprises Fëanor as much as the rest of the family cause it kind of contradicts his actions in his previous life but maybe death does that to people.

In the end he does forgive him of course, but it takes some time to fix their relationship and it takes way longer for him to trust Fëanor again then it did for the rest of his sons.

These are just some loose thoughts cause it's the middle of the night and I'm bored but I think it's interesting because it's different from what we usually see of Curufin.