#arda needs more pride

[shitsndgiggs]

arda x turkish!reader? maybe comofrting him after the loss or something

NIGHT OF COMFORT - ARDA GÜLER

After the heartbreaking defeat for Turkey in the quarter finals, Arda finds comfort in his partner.

Arda Güler x turkish! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

The atmosphere in the stadium in Berlin was electric as Turkey faced off against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.

From my seat among Arda's family, surrounded by a sea of Turkish flags and jerseys, I watched intently as the game unfolded.

In the 22nd minute, Arda made a breathtaking dash towards the goal, weaving past Dutch defenders with skillful precision. With a thunderous strike, he aimed for the top corner, but Verbruggen, the Dutch goalkeeper, defied gravity with a spectacular save.

The collective gasp from the stands mirrored my own disappointment.

"He was so close!" Arda’s sister exclaimed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

"He'll get another chance," I reassured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Arda's influence on the game was evident, and in the 35th minute, we erupted in jubilation as Samet Akaydin capitalized on Arda's brilliant assist to give Turkey the lead.

Arda's sister clutched my hand tightly, her eyes shining with pride for her brother's contribution to the team's success.

"That was amazing!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with admiration. " His assist was perfect!"

As the game progressed into the second half, tensions rose once more. In the 56th minute, when Arda was fouled by Nathan Aké,

I gasped in concern, my hand flying to my mouth. "Is he okay?" I asked, my eyes glued to Arda as he got back on his feet.

"He looks fine," Arda's sister replied, watching as Arda lined up for the free kick. When his shot hit the post, I groaned softly, my disappointment evident. "So close," I murmured, shaking my head.

The game took a turn in the 70th minute when the Netherlands equalized, and in the 76th minute, Turkey conceded an own goal, leaving the turkish fans in stunned silence, and giving the dutch a 2-1 lead.

The Turkish team was visibly shaken by the own goal, and I could feel the disappointment radiating from the players.

Arda's sister sat back in her seat, her hands covering her face in disbelief. I put a comforting arm around her shoulders, feeling the weight of the moment.

With time running out, Turkey pushed forward relentlessly, desperate to level the score. Arda, determined to redeem himself, tried again to hit the goal.

His shot sailed towards the top corner, but the Dutch goalkeeper managed a miraculous save, denying Turkey a goal once again.

"I can't believe it," I murmured, my voice trembling with emotion.

As the match entered extra time, the atmosphere was charged with tension and anticipation. Turkey continued to press forward, but the dutch defense held firm. Despite their relentless efforts, they couldn't find the breakthrough they desperately needed.

The final whistle blew, signalling the end of the match, and therefore also the end for the turkish team in the Euros 2024.

"They fought so hard," I said quietly, my voice filled with pride despite the outcome.

"They did," Arda's sister agreed, standing beside me. "Arda played his heart out."

Together, we joined Arda's family as they waited outside the stadium. When Arda emerged, she embraced him tightly, her emotions raw. "You did your best, Abi," she whispered.

Arda hugged her back, his own emotions evident. "Thanks" he replied hoarsely, his voice filled with gratitude.

When he approached me, I could see the apprehension in his eyes, fearing my reaction to the loss.

"Arda," I called softly, stepping forward and enveloping him in a comforting embrace. "Seni çok gurur duyuyorum."

He hesitated for a moment, then buried his face in my shoulder, his body trembling slightly with emotion.

"I'm sorry" he murmured, his voice choked with tears. “I really wanted us to win“

"You played with heart and determination," I reassured him, gently stroking his back. "You gave everything out there. That's all anyone can ask for"

Arda pulled back slightly, searching my eyes for reassurance. "I thought you would be upset" he admitted, his voice wavering.

I shook my head, cupping his face in my hands. "I could never be upset with you, Arda. Bizi gururlandırdın," I said earnestly, my own voice thick with emotion.

He managed a small smile through his tears, his gratitude evident. "Teşekkür ederim," he whispered, leaning in to kiss my forehead tenderly.

"Come with me," I suggested softly, taking his hand in mine. "Let's go somewhere quieter."

Arda and I walked silently to the parking lot, his hand tightly holding mine as if afraid to let go. The stadium lights cast long shadows across the pavement as we made our way to the car, the air thick with unspoken emotions.

In the quiet of the car ride, Arda's grip on my hand remained firm, his eyes occasionally glancing over with a mixture of sadness and gratitude.

"Seni seviyorum askim, " he murmured softly, breaking the silence, his voice laced with emotion.

I smiled reassuringly, feeling the weight of his gratitude. "Seni seviyorum," I replied tenderly, emphasizing my unwavering support.

Arriving at my hotel, we ascended to the room in solemn silence. Inside, I turned on the TV, seeking the comfort of a movie to distract us both.

As we settled into the couch, Arda lay his head on my chest, his body draped over mine, seeking comfort in our closeness. I ran my fingers through his hair, whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

"You did amazing, askim. I'm so proud of you," I whispered, my voice soft and soothing. "You're my hero, and you'll always be. No matter the outcome, you'll always have my support and love."

Arda sighed contentedly, nuzzling closer to me. "I needed to hear that," he murmured, his voice filled with emotion.

"I'll always be here for you," I continued, my fingers tracing gentle patterns on his back. "You can always count on me, Arda. I believe in you more than anything."

As the night progressed, the tension from the match slowly dissipated.

Wrapped in each other's embrace, we eventually drifted into a peaceful sleep, the weight of the day's events easing with every steady heartbeat.

[cilil]

Narrative echoes, or: The dynamic of Fëanor and Melkor

(And some notes on The Morgoth)

I promised an analysis for these two and I shall deliver. There will be three parts (the titles will make sense in the end), with the second being the longest. Obligatory disclaimer that this is just somebody on the internet expressing their thoughts and research and all that and there is no need to get upset. Let's go.

Huge thank you to @caitlincalculator and @mirkwood for their support and encouragement so I can finally tackle this.

𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝑶𝒏𝒆: 𝑺𝒌𝒚

Fëanor and Melkor. To call them mere enemies may be an understatement, considering how they sealed each other's fates. But there is more to their dynamic than enmity - there are also strong narrative parallels that enhance both of their arcs and the underlying message, painting a fascinating picture of the dangers of pride and the pitfalls of potential.

Let's begin by highlighting some key traits they have in common.

Firstly, and perhaps most notably, Melkor and Fëanor are the greatest of their kind, mightiest of the Ainur and mightiest of the Elves respectively. Both were born/created with incredible potential to accomplish great things. And they have undoubtedly been great; in Fëanor's case more obviously so, with all the marvelous works he created (the Silmarils, the Palantíri, etc). In Melkor's case one may wonder if his deeds can truly count as great accomplishments that would in any way be comparable to either Fëanor or his own peers, given how many of his plans and goals were destructive and a significant amount also ended up as failures or backfired in some way or another.

Yet, while Melkor doesn't have that one masterful work on par with the Silmarils to present, he has single-handedly changed the fate of the universe through his discord, so thoroughly that his influence can never be fully eradicated until the world is remade ("a seed that does not die and cannot be destroyed; and ever and anon it sprouts anew, and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days"). Him pouring his spiritual essence into Arda has undoubtedly weakened him on a personal level, but also created an ultimate lose-lose situation where defeating him for good necessitates the end of the world. Melkor essentially has his own One Ring and said Ring is the very world that Eru made indestructible via fate itself, even if someone tried (at least until Dagor Dagorath, if one wants to still consider it part of their personal canon). Thus, Melkor has accomplished something terrible but nevertheless great, and both he and Fëanor have closely identified themselves with a piece of creation that they had a hand in making and shaping, to the point that their fates and possibly lives are tied to it.

Even so, they could have used their potential to achieve even greater things or at least more great things. As far as Fëanor is concerned this is made explicit in the text - "The works of wonder for the glory of Arda that he might otherwise have wrought only Manwë might in some measure conceive" - and I would argue that it's very likely that Manwë thought and felt similarly about Melkor who "he knew that in the beginning, in the thought of Ilúvatar, [...] had been even as he". One can only imagine the possibilities if things had been different.

Both Fëanor and Melkor are, or at least at some point were, known for ambitious creative pursuits. They feel the need to and were destined to, putting it in very general terms, make things. Furthermore, they both seem to prefer working alone generally, but ultimately can't create all on their own. Once again, Fëanor shows this more clearly by willingly seeking the company and wisdom of Nerdanel in particular. Melkor on the other hand thinks himself above such partnerships and, if he ever had or at least desired a relationship like this, refused to admit so. Yet even he was made to cooperate with others and, despite his best efforts, finds himself in need of some sort of creative partner who picks up and carries out the project he starts. This role was supposed to be taken by Manwë and later taken over by Mairon.

Tying into this, Fëanor and Melkor also appear to feel drawn to fellow creatives. Nerdanel, Mairon and various other associates of Aulë, Maiarin or Elven, come to mind. One may even say they were drawn to each other, at least Melkor to Fëanor. Perhaps the feeling would have been mutual in another scenario too. Whether they like to admit it or not, the creativity and works of others can rouse their curiosity as much as their own and they may seek to get involved in one way or another, one example being Melkor's attempt to claim partial credit for the making of the Silmarils.

Fëanor and Melkor also share a connection to the element of fire. Aside from the usual connotations of fire - passion, destructive potential, rage, zeal and divinity (within the context of Christianity), energy, fear, heat, beauty - it has a special importance within the context of the legendarium, being connected to the Flame Imperishable with which the ëalar of the Ainur were kindled and a spark of which is within every fëa, granting sentience and free will. For Fëanor it's even in his name: Spirit of Fire. Melkor is, while being jack-of-all-trades among the Ainur, most commonly associated with fire and ice, as well as extreme heat and cold, and many fire spirits serve him.

Another interesting parallel between Fëanor and Melkor is the lack of a mother figure. Once again this is more palpable in Fëanor's case, since he was born to Míriel who then grew weary of living and departed. Being the only Elfling at the time who had lost a parent, Fëanor grew up in unusual circumstances and was deeply affected by it. One can only imagine a young Fëanor seeing other Elflings with their mothers and trying to understand why his was no longer with him.

Melkor on the other hand never had a mother in the first place, as do all the Ainur; they're also not born like Elflings are, but instead created by one single parent. Eru is a sexless and likely also genderless entity, but has chosen to present himself as a father, most likely to make his existence and role a little more comprehensible to his creations. He also acts - if his behavior can be compared to any concept or experience familiar to us - more like a father, a distant one at that. Thus, one may conclude that, even if Melkor had a limited (if any) understanding of what a mother is and no exposure to his peers having another parent, he has certainly lacked at least the abstract concept of motherly qualities in a parent, and that it has affected him at least insofar that he may have turned out differently if the situation had been different.

One last interesting observation I've made while comparing Fëanor and Melkor that I want to highlight here is that they both also have the capacity to master the tools of others in addition to their own creations. In the Silmarils, Fëanor preserved the light of the Two Trees of Valinor which had been created by Yavanna. Melkor learned language in addition to ósanwë - which is the native form of communication for an Ainu - to communicate with incarnates whose minds weren't open and became quite adept at Quenya. This shows not only adaptability and intelligence on both of their parts, but also that their skill and influence isn't limited to one designated craft or realm. They're not afraid to expand their reach and set of skills to accomplish what they seek to accomplish.

To be continued in part two...

[arofili]

Tolkien Fandom Event Calendar

Recently I’ve received some asks about events/weeks in the Tolkien fandom, so I thought I’d compile a list of those that I know about. This is not exhaustive, and dates are subject to change by the organizers of these events!

Other blogs you can check out are @tolkieneventsblog and @tolkienfandomevents, though I’m not sure how active those are. The @silmarillionwritersguild Discord also has a channel dedicated to signal boosts for all sorts of Tolkien-related & general fandom happenings, which is another excellent way to keep up with fandom goings-on.

Want to run your own event? Here’s some of my tips!

If your event is not on here and you’d like it to be, let me know and I can add it :) Note: I will only add events that have announced dates!

~

JANUARY Screw Yule My Slashy Valentine @myslashyvalentine — work time Lord of the Rings Secret Santa @lotr-sesa — reveals Thorin’s Spring Forge @thorinsspringforge — signups Second Age Week @secondageweek

FEBRUARY Hidden Paths My Slashy Valentine — reveals Thorin’s Spring Forge — claims Maedhros and Maglor Week @maedhrosmaglorweek

MARCH Back to Middle-earth Month @spring-into-arda Thorin’s Spring Forge — work time Fëanorian Week Fun with Fanon Fest Round 1 @funwithfanon

APRIL Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang @tolkienrsb — signups Silm Remix @tolkienremix — signups & assignments Thorin’s Spring Forge — reveals  Aralas Week @aralas-week Barduil Month @bi-widower-dads All of Arda is Autistic @all-of-arda-is-autistic F3: Focus on Friendship & Family, Phase I @spring-into-arda

MAY Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang — claims Silm Remix — reveals Aspec Arda Week @aspecardaweek Angbang Week @angbangweek Gondolin Week @gondolinweek F3: Focus on Friendship & Family, Phase II

JUNE Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang — work time Scribbles and Drabbles @fall-for-tolkien — signups Tolkien Ekphrasis Week @tolkienekphrasisweek F3: Focus on Friendship & Family, Phase III

JULY Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang — work time Scribbles and Drabbles — claims Tolkien Gen Week @tolkiengenweek LotR Ladies Week @lotrladiessource Tolkien Appreciation Week @tolkienweek Tolkien Latin American & Caribbean Week @tolkienlatamandcaribbeanweek

AUGUST Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang — deadlines Scribbles and Drabbles — art reveals Innumerable Stars Exchange @innumerable-stars — nominations & signups Tolkien of Colour Week @tolkienofcolourweek Silvergifting Week @silvergiftingweek Tolkien OC Week @tolkienocweek

SEPTEMBER Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang — reveals Scribbles and Drabbles — work time Innumerable Stars Exchange — signups & assignments Sindar Week @sindarweek Dor Cúarthol Week @dorcuartholweek Finwëan Ladies Week @finweanladiesweek

OCTOBER Innumerable Stars Exchange — reveals Scribbles and Drabbles — work time Half-elven Week @halfelvenweek

NOVEMBER Tolkien Secret Santa @officialtolkiensecretsanta — signups & assignments Scribbles and Drabbles — fic reveals Nolofinwean Week @nolofinweanweek

DECEMBER Tolkien Secret Santa — advent calendar & reveals My Slashy Valentine @myslashyvalentine — signups & assignments Lord of the Rings Secret Santa — claims Khazad Week @khazadweek

MONTHLY EVENTS: These events have prompts/challenges occurring every month. Teitho Contest Tolkien Short Fanworks Silmarillion Writers’ Guild @silmarillionwritersguild

(this list was last updated 5/4/23)

LEGACY EVENTS: These events used to occur, but have not happened within the last year. Arda Needs More Pride @ardaneedsmorepride (bimonthly; last run 2020) Kiliel Week @kilielweek (timing variable; last run 2021) @oneringnet monthly events (last run 2021) Atani Week @ataniweek (January; last run 2021) Legendarium Ladies April @legendariumladiesapril (April; last run 2020) Gates of Summer Exchange @gatesofsummerexchange (May-June, last run 2022) Tolkien South Asian Week, run by @arwenindomiel (June; last run 2022) Arafinwëan Week @arafinweanweek (July; last run 2019) Fëanturi Week (August; last run 2019; no official blog and the creator has deactivated) Imladrim Week @imladrimweek (November; last run 2019) Doriath Week @doriathweek (November; last run 2020) Tolkien Family Week @tolkienfamilyweek (November; last run 2021)

[and-the-times-we-had]

I find it interesting that the Teleri's refusal to give Feanor the ships parallels with Feanor's refusal to give the Valar the Silmarils.

But the thing is, even though on the surface there is this parallel (and many more as well such as the parallel between Feanor and Melkor on the 'murder during the course of a theft' thing), the situations are different in terms of the differences in power between the characters.

Like, when the Valar ask Feanor to give up the Silmarils, they are asking from a position of power over Feanor. As awesome an elf as Feanor is, he does not have the power of a Vala (as is made clear to him multiple times). He is expected to give them up simply because they ask. His place is below them is the hierarchy of Arda ("for the less even as for the greater"). But when Feanor is asking the Teleri for the ships, he does so first from a place of friendship ("he resolved to persuade the Teleri, ever friends to the Noldor, to join with them") and as Olwe indicates, equal standing ("in the land of Aman we were to dwell for ever, as brothers whose houses stand side by side").

Interestingly, Feanor attempts to pull an argument on Olwe similar to the argument that the Valar pulled on him. Tulkas saying "Speak, O Noldo, yea or nay! But who shall deny Yavanna? And did not the light of the Silmarils come from her work in the beginning?" and Feanor saying "you renounce your friendship, even in the hour of our need yet you were glad indeed to receive our aid when you came at last to these shores, faint-hearted loiterers, and well-nigh empty-handed. In huts on the beaches would you be dwelling still had not the noldor carved out your haven and toiled upon your walls" have very similar "well look at what we've done for you in the past now you are obligated to us" vibes. Of course, this doesn't work for Feanor in regards to Olwe anymore than it did the Valar in regards to Feanor.

There's probably also something to be said about the parallels of Feanor's pride in regards to the Silmarils and the Teleri's pride in regards to the ships but that's a different post I think.

[sotwk]

As I plot out my headcanons and detailed story/history timeline for Thranduil, I realize more and more just how much this poor king lost and suffered as a result of Sauron choosing the Woodland Realm as the headquarters for his comeback.

In SotWK-verse, here is the tally of Thranduil's losses:

His wife. The single love of his life. His soulmate, his primary source of light and comfort, his very heart. She should have been his companion for life, and now he must wait for who knows how long to see her again in Valinor.

His sons. They were good kids; he adored them and they worshipped him. He started with 5, and by the end of the Third Age, he is left with 1. He loses them one by one, each as a result of fighting the Enemy. You hear all those stories of parents driven mad by the loss of one child; multiply that four times. He even loses Legolas emotionally because of their grief. Honestly, how Thranduil managed not to fade from heartbreak makes him the strongest elf in Arda. His is a Silm/First Age-level tragedy.

His home. He once had a beautiful palace that he had built for his wife and their family, where all his children were born and over a thousand memories were made. He was forced to abandon it and move elsewhere like a refugee due to the Dol Guldur infestation.

His realm. At its height, his kingdom once spanned the entirety of Greenwood the Great. Check the maps--that forest is MASSIVE. It was home to the largest elven population in Middle-earth, and his people were happy and prosperous. As the darkness spread from Dol Guldur, his lands shrank as they retreated not only to a small corner in the north-east, but they were driven into underground halls, away from the stars and open spaces they loved. Elves died and ceased to reproduce as they once did, so their numbers shrank too. (Still did not stop the badass Elvenking from fielding an army at BotFA.)

His pride and legacy. In the first part of the Third Age, the Woodland Realm had a thousand years of peace and prosperity under Thranduil's rule, but they were pretty quiet and humble about it. His family was generous and extended goodwill and aid to outsiders who sought or needed it. But when the Woodlands darkened under the Necromancer's influence, outsiders were quick to rename the kingdom, "Mirkwood", or "The Forest of Great Fear", and call his people "more dangerous and less wise". That's what people chose to remember and talk about, not the years of Thranduil's Golden Age. Furthermore, help did not come from other kingdoms in Mirkwood's long struggle, but certain people got angry at Thranduil for not sheltering them when they were attacked and driven from their home. (How does it feel, Thorin? (I still love you, though.))

I mean... it really looks like he lost EVERYTHING because of Sauron, doesn't it? Because he refused to abandon his people, and chose to stay and fight with everything he had.

So maybe he's a bit of a cantankerous, ruthless, closed-up bastard in the events of The Hobbit. Can you blame him? A lesser being would probably be a homicidal, ultra-paranoid maniac after suffering so much. He deserves to behead every orc he comes across, no questions asked. I'm all for mercy, but even I give his rage a pass on this one.

How awkward that I try to keep my blog a source of positive vibes, yet I am writing about the life and family of an utterly tragic character! (I need to make sure I maintain an appropriate fluff-to-angst ratio!!!) But I think the reason I feel compelled to point all of this out repeatedly is to remind y'all: King Thranduil Oropherion is amazingly strong of will, mind, and heart to continue ruling and protecting his people, fighting against Sauron even after he's been beaten down repeatedly for centuries. He always gets back up--stubborn, brave, and unbowed.

For more SotWK/Thranduil headcanons: My Masterlist

[fuckingfinwions]

Your mind is fucking awesome. You've completely convinced me of Sam-Dean Maemags. What's the end point, in your opinion? Do they ever come together (in Arda, after the twins leave, post reimbodiment, etc) Hell, even Maedhros dying and leaving Maglor to live life alone like Sam had to live after Dean's death is a near match in theme. I am a romantic at heart and I like to imagine that somewhere thousands of years down the line they share their own little reimbodied corner of the universe just like Sam and Dean share a heaven. Maybe it's a fortress, or a cabin in the woods, or maybe just a little camp in a plentiful forest where they won't be bothered (or noticed, if they sleep in the same bed roll...)

The boring answer is that they never actually commit that final sin/devotion with each other before Maedhros dies, and once Reborn they're no longer trapped together alone. They almost never speak of "how things were in the end", and do their best to ignore how much they need each other. They try to build separate lives as separate people.

But like I said, that's boring.

I think they fuck at least once in the late first age, with a flimsy excuse, probably due to one of their injured pride.

Maglor does a bad job hiding in the woods one time and Maedhros hears someone moving nearby. Maedhros tells him to come out and face me, would you really sneak attack someone who's jerking it? Maglor walks into the clearing so that Maedhros will no it's just him, not an orc or a bandit, and will stop yelling and giving their position away to actual threats. Maedhros says "Maglor!" in surprise, and comes.

After that, the boundary is broken. The other of them might as well stay and keep watch while his brother masturbates. (At minimum Maedhros should get to see Maglor's O-face once, so the intimacy between them stays even with neither having an imbalance over the other (that's a huge lie.) But also it's maybe practical.) The one who's keeping watch has to keep his stare moving, alert for any danger. And when Maglor is masturbating he gazes at Maedhros, so he'll know in an instant if Maedhros goes on alert. Not because he likes looking at his brother while stroking his cock, of course. But they both notice - and say nothing about - that they come faster than when their brother was off in the woods giving them "privacy".

I like the idea of them reembodied in a little cabin together. Somewhere far up in the mountains where no one else goes. Maedhros goes into Tirion for Fingon's centennial birthday parties, and Maglor goes to the every twenty years greatest concert in Aman, and the both visit Nerdanel once a decade. Other than that they keep to themselves. Their family knows that each of them is off living alone in the wilderness, but not that they're doing it together.

They don't get many visitors, but even when they do it's not hard to hide that they're living together. Maedhros will claim to be just visiting, or perhaps Maglor will spot the visitor before they spot him and vanish into the trees for the entire visit. The house has one bed, a few clothes that are short on Maedhros and long on Maglor, a rocking chair and an armchair that perhaps are just fir the inhabitant's different moods. There isn't anything as obvious as only two bowls or plates, they packed up a full set or ceramic dishes and half of it broke when hiking in. So there are three mugs and five plates and two bowls, and you gave no idea how many people live there. The weapons in the closet might reveal that someone is here who favors the longsword, or the bassoon in the corner reveals a musician. But even Curufin, when he visits, just believes that Maedhros visits Maglor more often than he does. After all, the cabin is so tiny, two people could never get away from each other there for even a moment, no one could possibly share that space without going insane.

Fic rec: Strange Currencies by jouissant is about Maedhros being reborn in Valinor, after he and Maglor married each other mostly by accident when wandering dying Beleriand. And elves can see in each other's eyes when someone is married, so Maedhros is trying to avoid anyone else putting two and two together that the brothers were both unmarried when last people saw them, and then wandered off together. It's very good and very similar vibes to this.

[tanoraqui]

My Take on the Oath of Fëanor, half based on analysis of the text and half on what I personally find most interesting from a storytelling perspective

[AO3]

SUMMARY:

It really did have a real, “supernatural” effect on the oath-takers’ future actions, not like the Oath itself is sentient but rather like they locked themselves into the Great Music itself as being a certain way, that way being “fire-hearted gem-chasers/vengeance-seekers” and now can’t stop.

It’s not literal, but it can be and is no doubt often rules-lawyered; what is being rules-lawyered is not the literal wording but rather what Fëanor and to a lesser degree each son meant at the time. 

The primary goal is to retrieve the Silmarils, with maybe a secondary goal of killing Morgoth and maybe anyone else trying to keep the Silmarils from them.

It will last until the end of time. Retrieving the Silmarils (after fucking up anyone in their way) will satisfy it, but not actually make it go away. If the gems were stolen again, it’d reawaken.

Even Fëanor doesn’t have the power to cast himself out into the Void, and the Valar aren’t going to do it for him. Eru would be well within his rights to do it while remaking Arda one day, but Eru would also be well within his rights to ignore the whole thing, at that point. Seeing as he’s re-composing anyway. But Fëanor and his sons have permanently Marred themselves, made themselves dangerous to everyone else’s peace, in such a way that Mandos is never going to let them out of his Halls even if their spirits are whole and healed in every other way.

EXTENDED EXPLANATION:

1. It really did have a real, “supernatural” effect on the oath-takers’ future actions, not like the Oath itself is sentient but rather like they locked themselves into the Great Music itself as being a certain way, that way being “fire-hearted gem-chasers/vengeance-seekers” and now can’t stop.

Fëanor put great power into his words, and invoked the power of Eru to back him up, and the result was that he changed the very nature of himself, of who and what Fëanáro Curufinwë is and forever will be, in the Music of Arda. On their own strength, and riding his wave, and also invoking Eru, his sons all did the same. 

Or rather, they didn’t “change” themselves so much as froze themselves (if such language can be applied to such blazing spirits). All the burning rage and blinding pride, all the fear, guilt, and terrible grief being fed to the fire of pride and rage in order to forge determination, courage, something like hope and something salvageable out of all this horror— The selves Fëanor & Sons were that terrible night-before-night is now who they are forever. 

And who they were was strong. They were a light in the darkness! They were the possibility of joy salvaged from sorrow, even if “joy” could only be defined as “bloody vengeance”! They changed the course of history with these few words!

They can calm down. They can lay slow siege, when interminably slow siege is the only option. They can resist the urge to chase the Silmaril for decades. But those emotions, that fire-steel strength, simmers in their veins, and the only way to access it is to lean into that fervor, into being who they were in that moment. Who they Sung themselves to ever be. The Oath-fire never fades, when all their other reserves grow weaker, and they need more and more strength just to get through the day, as Beleriand fell battle by battle...and it has gravity. They don’t even need to actively lean. When they don’t resist it, or promise their worse selves that they are pursuing the Oath (we cannot attack Angband outright...we’ll use the children as hostages...) it grows in their hearts and minds whether they mean it to or not. 

The more each Oath-taker naturally grows past who they were that night-before-night, the more the Oath feels like an other thing, even an outside force. But even referring to it as “the Oath”, while convenient, makes it sound more like some single other force than it is. It’s just Fëanor, Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin, Amras and Amrod each in one of the worst (but grandest) moments of their lives, and the fact that they set their mentalities in that moment as their personal baselines/first instincts for the rest of time.

2. It’s not literal, but it can be and is no doubt often rules-lawyered; what is being rules-lawyered is not the literal wording but rather what Fëanor and to a lesser degree each son meant at the time.

3. The primary goal is to retrieve the Silmarils, with maybe a secondary goal of killing Morgoth and maybe anyone else trying to keep the Silmarils from them.

Of course it’s not literal. The literal text of the Oath [reference] makes no mention of even retrieving the Silmarils, just murdering literally anyone who so much as holds one, even if they immediately throw it away, and Eru help anyone who tries to stop us. It doesn’t even clearly exempt “Fëanor and Fëanor’s kin” from this promised murder, just says that they’re the ones who will do the death-dealing. Or, hell, if it IS literal, the translation we have into English is not, because it says “ere Day’s ending” and “days”! did not! exist yet!

Also, some offense, but anyone who genuinely thinks dwarves, hobbits, etc. races are “allowed” to hold a Silmaril because they’re not specifically named, rather than just enjoying the idea as a crack au, is an idiot. Fëanor first said “Be he friend or foe, be he foul or clean”—the specification of Maiar, Eldar, Aftercomer, etc. is just for dramatic effect. We’re not saying a woman can hold a Silmaril because her pronouns aren’t he/him, are we? It’s not literal like that, and even if it was, your interpretation would be wrong. Pay attention to the tone!! 

The text clearly suggests that the non-literal primary aim of the Oath is to regain the Silmarils: "[Maedhros and Maglor] prepared...to attempt in despair the fulfillment of their oath; for they would have given battle for the Silmarils, were they withheld…” and Eonwë responds in kind, speaking as though the only question is will he give them the Silmarils. If the Silmarils weren’t withheld, Fëanor’s last sons would’ve walked away satisfied, gems in hand. Killing anyone between them and the gems is undeniably a key element of the Oath, the explicitly defined method of its completion, but it’s not actually required for its “fulfillment.” Negotiation was an option. Killing anyone who had held a Silmaril after getting them back is also not at all mentioned.

Of course, a secondary objective on Fëanor’s mind almost certainly WAS to murder the shit out of Morgoth no matter what, for Finwë. And murder maybe anyone else who deliberately stole and/or withheld the Silmarils from him, maybe even retributively after (hypothetically) stealing them back...

But here we reach the debate I’m certain Fëanor’s sons spent ~600 years at: What did Father mean when he swore the Oath, and the related but different question, What would Father want us to do right now? Because, while I said above that each Oath-taker is essentially haunted/semi-possessed by the fiery shadow of who they personally were that night, Maedhros, Maglor, etc. did not swear the individual Oaths of Maedhros, Maglor, etc. They all swore the Oath of Fëanor. Or I could say: part of who they were that night, what drove them so furiously, was siding with their father and doing his will, in defiance of cousins and gods alike. That is what the fire in their veins requires.

The nuances and maybe even the primary goal of the Oath may then differ dramatically by son! I think “What did Father mean when he swore the Oath?” is likely pretty well-agreed-upon between them, because Fëanor was projecting his fey temper and savage intent like a fire projects heat. But it’s still a question based on their personal understandings/interpretations of Fëanor at that time. And “What would Father want us to do right now?” is that PLUS things like,

“What might Father have said once he had a chance to calm down/experience additional, more slow-motion trauma/hit what is surely rock bottom (oh hey, shovels!) like we have?” 

“Would Father ever have calmed down? Shouldn’t we act as though in the first glorious burn of the Oath at all times, like he surely would with his eternal fire?” 

“What could I, personally, persuade Father into, for practical, personal or moral reasons?/What line might I refuse to cross, even to his face, even to the point of my own death?”

It’s notable that despite likely differing opinions on all of the above, Fëanor’s sons only ever acted as a group. That’s consistent with the way the Oath, the burning echoes of their past selves, can be reasoned with in things like, “we can’t just charge at Angband.” All Fëanor’s sons are following the best path to victory that they can a) see and b) morally/emotionally endure, and that means working together even if they likely disagree in their hearts on nuances of what the Oath requires. 

Though it is what they believe in their hearts that matters ultimately, because the Oath is a thing of emotion, not logic. So, would those nuances have cause bloodshed between them if they ever arose in a way that couldn’t be ignored, and bloodshed was truly the only option left to settle them? Maybe. Depends on the Oath-taker, depends on the nuance... No Oath-taker would ever be, like, puppetted against their conscious will to do something. It’d be more like...at the extremes of resisting the Oath, the obsession it brings, they might become like Smeagol and Gollum. Who were, ultimately, the same person. Ultimately, either they hew to the aims of the Oath or they’re tormented ceaselessly by the desire to do so, or they kill themselves—and because of who they are, who they already were before they swore the Oath and who they still are with it, they will all take option 1 or, at best, 3.

Example of a hypothetical struggle against the Oath: I headcanon that Maglor saw Elrond and Elros as his sons, and thus permissible Silmaril-holders—ie, he did NOT want to kill them, and in an ideal world Grandpa Fëanor would also find the idea abhorrent. But I don’t think Maglor thought he could’ve convinced his father of that, born of Fingolfin’s line as they were. I think if Elrond and Elros held and refused to surrender Silmarils, Maglor would’ve done his fucking best to knock them unconscious rather than kill them, then stood and argued with his father in his mind that this was enough, he had the gems and he could leave the children... 

And if he couldn’t pull that off, he would’ve made their deaths as swift and painless as possible, then likely flung himself into the sea with the gems in guilt. Maybe at a different time in a different place, with the world and his last vestiges of mental health not both crumbling, and less inertia to the Song of killing Beren & Luthien’s heirs generation after generation, and less desperate need for this to all just be OVER, he could resist the burning despair...either walk away to live forevermore in yearning torment, or decide “you know what, yes I COULD persuade Father of this”, or at least let them kill him instead... But not at the end of the First Age. 

(The whole course of the First Age, and Morgoth’s ambient malevolent influence pushing everyone to be their worst selves, definitely exacerbated the effects of the Oath. I don’t think he specifically targeted them that much about it, though. I don’t think he needed to. He was just catching them in his psychic AoE and eating popcorn while they tore Doriath and Sirion apart.)

Or maybe Maglor could have resisted, in this scenario! Maybe he loved them enough, and had enough shreds of hope left, to pull through! But “what does Maglor think Fëanor would do/demand, and thus psyche himself into being Oath-compelled to do” is the lens through which we should be interpreting the issue.

Another edge case is Celebrimbor. In contrast to the peredhil, I do think all of Celebrimbor’s uncles, and even his father, would’ve been (unhappily) satisfied with him holding the Silmarils, had that option been offered. Even after he defected from their House. Due to a combination of: they know Fëanor himself would never have thought of harming his own grandson, and even if Celebrimbor had defected...even if he was then deliberately withholding the Silmarils, rather than merely holding them on behalf of the House of Fëanor while not officially associating with them anymore...could they picture their father drawing a sword on Tyelpe then, with the fell fire that had been in his eyes at Alqualondë, at Losgar...

(Note to self: write like 500 words about Curufin having this nightmare post-Nargothrond.)

I think they still could’ve endured all that. For much longer than they gave Elwing, for sure. Through a combination of You Have To Draw The Line Somewhere (eg, around still-beloved nephews), and knowing that if Fëanor had, in such circumstances, killed his own grandson in order to regain the Silmarils, he would immediately have done something like, oh, charge forward and get himself killed by Balrogs.

A note relevant to both these scenarios: the phrase “Fëanor, and Fëanor’s kin” describes who is going to be doing all the death-dealing from which neither dread nor danger nor Doom itself shall protect an unlawful Silmaril-taker. But per the “the Oath means whatever Fëanor meant” rule, it IS also a good rule for who is a lawful (to Fëanor) Silmaril-taker. Fëanor had no intention of turning his sons against one another over who exactly was holding a Silmaril; I do NOT think that is a concern at ALL (except in fun angsty fic). His whole thing is clinging desperately to the few people he believes love him utterly and trusting nobody else. He names “Fëanor, and Fëanor’s kin” in his terrible Oath about completing what he feels in this moment is the most important job in the world, and his seven sons promptly prove themselves deserving of such trust by swearing it themselves as well, so of course they’re all allowed to hold Silmarils! …and nobody else. Except little Tyelpe, and Nerdanel if he could be SURE she wouldn’t just give them to Aulë (how can he be sure...). And Finwë, of course, if only…

4. It will last until the end of time. Retrieving the Silmarils (after fucking up anyone in their way) will satisfy it, but not actually make it go away. If the gems were stolen again, it’d reawaken.

Okay, this is literal wording, as expressive of savage intent; and implied in Point 1; and pure What I Like: The line, “death we will deal him ere Day's ending, woe unto world's end!” indicates Fëanor’s intent that this is a FOREVER promise, and so it is. Their role in the Great Music of Arda is changed by this Oath, and it will never be changed back. (Because you need an ASTONISHING amount of personal strength of will and/or fever-pitch of driving emotion/determination to do something like that, maybe the sort that unlikely to happen even once in a lifetime, or maybe the sort that is a finite resource for even the Spirit of Fire? Or maybe because this sharp shift into a menacing minor key was part of the Great Music as written already? ...Yes.)

They are the Oath-Takers, Fëanor and his terrible Sons. Inventors of murder, initiators of fire and war, monsters of late First Age Beleriand and countless horror stories and dark folklore for many Ages after. They are Silmaril-seekers, kin-slayers, simultaneously unstoppable in their quest and fated to never achieve the one goal to which they’ve committed themselves. They are pride and wrath personified (and guilt, fear, grief, determination, hope, bitterest despair and the dream of joy salvaged from it); they are walking death and fire. That is who and what they are, until the world is unmade and remade. Even if they could regain the Silmarils (which they won’t, not until the End of Days), they would only be satisfied-for-now, Oath-flame simmering lower and quieter than ever, until anyone should dare take one of those precious gems from them again.

(Because I’ll give the ‘literal interpretation’ take this: there’s no actual mention of regaining the Silmarils in the Oath, and there’s also no mention of being done once they achieve that. “Woe unto world’s end” COULD mean “we’ll seek vengeance even after getting the gems back”, but as discussed above, that’s contra-indicated in the text, so...eternal Oath!)

However, as suggested in Points 2/3, the Oath can be...lived with, while unfulfilled. It’s pure canon that it can be approached slowly (Siege of Angband), or even outright ignored, albeit maybe only temporarily (not attacking Sirion for a few decades)! So maybe if the Oath-takers were to go through a lot of therapy in Mandos and conclude that they REALLY regret everything (except ably guarding Beleriand, etc. good things) and have no interest in doing it again, that they’d even rather stay in Mandos rather than bring violence back to everyone else in peaceful Aman...maybe if they then were released, and got to live without the stressors of war, sudden loss, Melkor actively fucking with them...maybe if Fëanor finally accepted Fingolfin (et al) as “full-siblings in heart” in truth, and thus Eärendil as trustworthy kin, and he agreed that Eärendil is doing well at his undeniably important job with the Silmaril (and Eärendil doing that job is a Notable Part of the Great Music by now in his own right, so he can’t just give it to someone else).....

And if in his 6000+ years of depressed, somewhat off-sane beach singing, Maglor achieved through steady building/tread-wearing of repetition, rather than through sudden blaze, the same Music-shaping intensity of emotion (guilt/grief/abnegation/pride/veneration) and determination/certainty (never again/[that star above] is the Best Thing and also Not For Me) as that terrible night-before-night in the Great Square of Tirion... Not enough to undo the Oath, no; that’s not an option, and he doesn’t even call on Eru for anything. But enough to kinda...twist it...in conjunction with:

(not quite lucidly) ceasing to mentally/emotionally distinguish between Eärendil, the Silmaril, the Star and the whole concept of Hope (Estel); and

concluding through keen literally analysis that Hope is one of the most important things in the world, one of the primary messages and gifts from Eru Iluvatar to his Children

...the functional sum of which is that Maglor, when Elrond drags him gently and mercilessly onto a ship, will now defend Eärendil’s bearing of the Silmaril with Oathly fervor and lethality-if-necessary, albeit more on the verge of tears about it than he used to be.... (Tears about the possibility of losing Hope more than about the necessarily lethality, though that, too.).... And neither Fëanor nor any of his other sons have ANY interest in fighting Maglor, especially when he’s not still, like, weirdly emotionally fragile about this..... 

I’m a huge fan of stories where people literally magically curse themselves as a metaphor for some big emotional issue and/or bad life choice, and then eventually figure out that they can reverse the curse through the power of major character growth. But what if instead characters literally magically curse themselves as a metaphor for some big emotional issue and/or bad life choice and it’s NOT reversible even with major character growth? What if sometimes you just have to live forever with the possessive, paranoid, vengeful, murderous instincts you cursed yourself with, and growth is about not just moving past them with the rest of your heart, but accepting that they’re permanently part of you and learning how to manage them without making them anyone else’s problem? While living with your newly-welcomed extended family in a land of, okay, not the pure peace and bliss that was once promised, but close enough because now we’ve figured out how to work around all our respective Marrings?

5. Even Fëanor doesn’t have the power to cast himself out into the Void, and the Valar aren’t going to do it for him. Eru would be well within his rights to do it while remaking Arda one day, but Eru would also be well within his rights to ignore the whole thing, at that point. Seeing as he’s re-composing anyway. But Fëanor and his sons have permanently Marred themselves, made themselves dangerous to everyone else’s peace, in such a way that Mandos is never going to let them out of his Halls even if their spirits are whole and healed in every other way.

...but what if he did, huh. What if he let them give it a shot. What if we salvaged a happy ending out of this after all?

[nothinghereisworking]

Wrought In Secret

Rated: G Wordcount: 1,500

Nolofin and Arafin disagree on the need for weapons, and their sons grapple with questions on the nature of swords.

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

_____________________________________________________________

Excerpts: 

“Fëanor’s words I have heard with my own ears, those are not whispers or rumors.  I will not be left defenseless when our brother decides we are more of a hindrance than he cares to bear,” Nolofin cried.

Arafin continued to look at him without betraying his emotions, only saying, “Then defenses you should have prepared.  This -” he gestured to the sword, “- is not a shield but a weapon.”

~

“Grandfather thought this was better for us,” Turgon said.  “And I have seen no reason to think otherwise.  Being malcontent is not the same as being unfit.”

“We were created to dwell in Arda,” Finrod agreed softly.  “But Arda is not what we were created to dwell in, for it has been marred.  The Valar brought us here so that we might live as we were intended, in peace.  And so we have for an age.”

“I do not think this is what Eru meant for us,” Fingon said, but he was staring at his hands, uncertain still.  “To be locked away from the world in which we awoke?  Kept behind high mountains?”

"To be kept safe?" Turgon countered.  "Is that a truly an evil to be resisted, and by force of arms no less?"

[solmarillion]

If you're still taking drabble prompts, silvergifting and 27?

“I feel your absence in everything that I do alone, in every place I go without you.” ♥ Ao3 link

It will not be much longer, now, before Sauron’s forces completely overrun Eriador. Everything seems to be going according to plan— the corpses, ashes, ruined structures left in the wake of his armies are evidence enough.

But this plan should not have been necessary in the first place, and of that Sauron is painfully aware, his heart still enflamed with the sting of betrayal. To think, if the stupid Elf had just told him where the Three were, so many lives could have been spared, none of this would have needed to happen! And he could even find it in his heart to forgive the Elf for making the rings without him, for even Sauron is not without mercy.

The stupid Elf had a name, didn’t he? Ah. Now I remember, Sauron hums to himself, but how could I ever forget? He returns to his delusions, feelings he tried and failed to bury with each fatal swing of the death-hammer, now clinging to life like roaches.

“Celebrimbor,” Sauron recalls, laments, his voice dripping with affection, “my sweet Tyelpë.”

He lifts a limp hand from a faceless corpse— he recognizes it, from the burnt-away clothing, as one of the survivors from the fall of Eregion— and he holds the hand against his cheek, kissing the cold flesh, taking in every callus and every scar. How inconvenient these feelings were, as he found himself caressing a smithing-hand that did not even belong to Tyelpë, and wasting time when he should be preparing for battle. If only he had turned Tyelpë to his side, so that his beloved could rule alongside him, and make all others bend to their will.

Only Tyelpë had the hands and mind to match Sauron’s own, to bring forth in the world objects of great power and beauty that would transform the shape of Arda itself. For Tyelpë’s fëa could sing with Sauron in such perfect harmony, and no other Incarnate could ever lay claim to his heart.

Together, they would have conquered all.

Sauron lets the limp hand fall into the dirt, gazing at the gold band around his finger with tainted pride. Though he will soon have all of the power he desires, once the Three are in his grasp, the new world he will create is one he must rule alone. That was his plan, the day he first arrived in Eregion, though Tyelpë had changed all of that; it was not long before Sauron dreamed of Tyelpë, sitting beside him on the throne of the world.

But that dream, Sauron reminds himself again, is now forever lost; in fact, he was never meant to have it, for in spite of all of Tyelpë’s precious qualities, he never would have understood Sauron’s truest visions and desires. They were always meant to be on opposite sides of this war.

And Tyelpë had won.

Everyone Sauron loves is always destined to leave, and he will always be left with an endless void in his heart.

No more will Sauron attempt fruitlessly to rekindle these useless feelings, he vows. For now, he has nothing left to lose but the power he has amassed for himself.

There can only be one Dark Lord on the throne, and it must be Sauron alone.

[reylohno]

Call me Halbrand

Halbrand. The name is plain, and so is his mortal form, but he decides to keep them both as he returns to the Southlands. His days of aimless wandering are over, and it is time for him to finish what he started when he served under his former Master. He will bring order to Arda, and thanks to the Elf, he now knows where to start. He may have lost Galadriel’s trust, but the Men of the Southlands welcome their king with open arms.

*

Despite the protests of his new subjects, he spends as much time as he can in the smithy. Though mending tools and sharpening weapons is hardly a suitable task for a king, he needs the distraction to keep his sanity intact.

He cannot afford to reveal his identity yet, and ruling over humans without the using his powers is near torture. His yearn for order and perfection is a part of his very being, etched into his core by Ilúvatar himself. Men need a firm hand to guide them, because if left to their own devices, they choose whims and desires over common sense. Since Halbrand cannot be that hand yet, he hides away in the smithy, distracting himself with things that can be broken, remade, and brought to perfection with the steady beat of a hammer.  

*

In Mordor, under the heavy clouds created by the eruption of Orodruin, the Orcs prosper under the leadership of the traitorous Adar. Halbrand protects his people from the Orcs’ occasional attempts at expanding their territory, but he does nothing to prevent their steadily growing numbers. He’s going to need that army one day. When the time is right, he will deal with the traitor, and the Orcs will rally to his side once more.

*

He knows that Galadriel will come for him. When he ripped her mind open, he saw the raging darkness within her; a merciless, insatiable tempest, stronger and more destructive than he could ever have imagined. She will come for him, and her desperate need to see him dead will be her undoing. Her wisdom is clouded by pride and arrogance, and despite her formidable age, she is still naïve. Once she realizes that she alone cannot defeat a being like him, she will reach out for the power he once offered her, believing herself strong enough to resist him. The fall of Galadriel will be a sight to behold. Patience has never been one of his virtues, but for this, he is willing to wait.

He does not need a queen to accomplish his goals, but the vision of the Elf standing by his side still haunts him. Sharing his power was never a part of his plan, yet he still convinced the Elven smith to create two rings instead of one. He figures that this might be the price a being like him has to pay for choosing to take the form of a low Man. There is a longing inside him that he does not recognize, something irrational and unexplainable that burns almost as hot as his yearn for order and control. He does not need Galadriel, but he wants her.

She will come for him, and when she does, he will be waiting.

*

Halbrand’s days of aimless wandering are over. His plan has been set in motion. He will rid Arda of chaos and disorder, and he will rule Middle-earth with a queen by his side; a Dark Lord and his Lady of Light. 

[trucbiduleschouettes]

Ok, as mentioned in all the previous posts, finally managed one recording without laughing (can you tell from my voice I’m so tired of this) 

special shoutout to @dulaman-na-farraige , enjoy how senseless it sounds- (recording is a bit low so might need to up the sound a bit)

Text  under read more

It is told that for un certain temps, Melkor ne fut pas vu again dans Valinor et aucune rumeur was heard of him, jusqu’à ce qu’il se présenta soudain à Formenos.

Il s’addressa à Fëanor before his doors. 

L’amitié il feigna avec des arguments de la ruse, urging him à son ancien état d’esprit of flight from the trammels des Valar; 

And he said:

‘Behold la vérité de tout ce que je t’avais dit, and how thou art injustement banni. But si le coeur of Fëanor est yet aussi libre et bold as were his paroles à Tirion, then je l’aiderai, et l’emmenerai loin from this narrow land. 

Pour suis-je pas Vala aussi? Yea, et more encore than ceux qui siègent en pride dans Valimar; et j’ai toujours été un ami to the Noldor, most skilled and plus vaillant des peuples of Arda.’

Now, Fëanor’s coeur était still bitter d’avoir été humilié devant Mandos, et il regardait à Melkor in silence, pondering s’il pouvait truly lui faire confiance so far as to help him dans son flight.

Et Melkor, voyant Fëanor wavered, et knowing que les Silmarils tenaient son coeur in a thrall, dit enfin:

‘Here is a strong château, et well gardé; mais ne pense pas that the Silmarils vont s’allonger safe dans any treasury dans le kingdom des Valar!’

But sa ruse overreached his but; ses paroles touchèrent too profond, et avaient éveillé un feu plus fierce qu’il n’avait designed.

Et Fëanor looked upon Melkor avec des eyes qui burned through son fair appearance et perça the capes of son esprit, perceivant there son fierce lust pour les Silmarils. 

Then la haine l’emporta over Fëanor’s peur, et il cursed Melkor et lui enjoignit be gone, disant:

‘Get thee gone de ma gate, thou jailcrow de Mandos!’

Et il ferma the doors de sa house dans le visage de the mightiest de tous les dwellers que portait la surface dans Ea. 

Then Melkor parti en honte, pour il était lui même in peril, et il saw not son time yet for revanche; mais his heart était black with colère.

[shitsndgiggs]

Being Kenans little sister and when he joins the Turkey NT and they have a little get-together, she meets Arda and they both develop a hard crush on each other. The following days Arda asks Kenan stuff about her and Kenan soon notices he's into his little sis bla bla bla so Arda gets green light from big bro but don't you dare hurt her you hear me 😁

THE GREEN LIGHT - ARDA GÜLER

In which Arda finds himself drawn to Y/N, the younger sister of his new teammate

Arda Güler x Kenan Yildiz’s sister! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

As my older brother Kenan's career took off with the Turkish National Team, our family's excitement bubbled over.

To celebrate, we organized a small gathering at our family home. Kenan had invited his new teammates.

I mingled with the group, feeling a mix of pride for my brother and curiosity about the players who had become his extended family.

Among them was Arda Güler, a standout player from Real Madrid.

I watched Arda from across the room, intrigued by his charisma and the way he effortlessly engaged with everyone around him. When our eyes finally met, he flashed a warm smile that instantly put me at ease.

"So, you're Kenan's sister?" Arda asked as he approached me, his tone friendly and genuine.

"Yeah, that's me," I replied with a smile, grateful for the opportunity to chat with him. "It's nice to finally meet you, Arda."

"Your brother speaks highly of you." Arda asked, flashing a warm smile that made my heart skip a beat. "So, how does it feel to have a brother on the national team?"

"It's surreal, honestly," I admitted with a laugh. "But I'm incredibly proud of him. He's worked so hard to get here."

Arda nodded thoughtfully, his eyes reflecting a mix of admiration and camaraderie. "Kenan's a great guy," he said. "You must be really close."

"Yeah, we are," I replied, smiling at the thought of our childhood antics and shared memories. "He's always been there for me."

As the evening progressed, Arda and I found ourselves gravitating towards each other in conversation.

We discussed everything from football tactics to our favorite travel destinations, discovering shared interests and laughing over silly stories.

Over the next few days, Arda's presence lingered in my thoughts. He'd send a text asking about my day, share funny stories from training sessions, or simply check in to see how I was doing. Each interaction bringing us closer.

Little did I know that my name popped up frequently in his conversations with Kenan. He'd ask innocent questions about me—my favorite music, what books I liked to read, and even my thoughts on certain movies.

Kenan, always perceptive, soon caught on to Arda's growing interest.

Then one evening, at training, Kenan pulled Arda aside for a private conversation.

"Arda, can I have a word with you?" Kenan started, his tone firm yet not devoid of warmth.

"Sure, Kenan," Arda replied, sensing the gravity of the moment as they moved to a more secluded spot.

Kenan studied Arda for a moment, gauging his sincerity and intentions. "I've noticed you've taken an interest in my sister," he began, his voice carrying a hint of protective brotherly instinct.

Arda nodded, his expression earnest. "She's amazing, Kenan. I've enjoyed getting to know her these past few days."

Kenan nodded thoughtfully, knowing his sister's heart was precious to him. "I trust you, Arda. You seem like a good guy, and I can see how much she likes you," he said, his tone softening slightly.

"I care about her a lot," Arda admitted, his eyes reflecting his genuine feelings. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

Kenan nodded, reassured by Arda's sincerity. "Just remember, she means the world to me. If you're going to be with her, you need to treat her right," he emphasized, his voice firm but filled with brotherly concern.

"I understand, Kenan," Arda replied sincerely. "I won't take her trust or feelings lightly."

Kenan placed a reassuring hand on Arda's shoulder. "Good. Just know that if you ever do," he paused, his gaze firm, "you'll have me to worry about.”

Arda nodded solemnly, appreciating Kenan's protective stance. "I won't let you down," he vowed, his voice steady with determination.

"Hey, Kenan," Arda began, pulling out his phone. "Mind if I make a quick call?"

Kenan nodded, curious but not entirely surprised. He watched as Arda stepped away a few paces and dialed Y/N number.

The breeze carried snippets of their conversation back to Kenan as he stretched his muscles.

"Hey, it's me," Arda said warmly. "Yeah, I'm with Kenan. Listen, I talked to him, and... he's cool with it."

Kenan could sense the nervous excitement in Arda's voice as he listened intently, pretending not to eavesdrop.

"Yeah, he said it's okay," Arda continued, a smile evident in his tone. "I know, right? I'm really happy too."

Kenan couldn't help but grin at Arda's obvious happiness. He respected Arda and believed he was genuine, but as a big brother, he couldn't help but feel protective.

After a few more minutes of conversation, Arda bid Y/N goodbye and joined Kenan again. He could see the anticipation in Arda's eyes, mixed with a hint of relief.

"Everything okay?" Kenan asked casually, though he already knew the answer.

Arda nodded, unable to contain his smile. "Yeah, she's really happy. Thanks, Kenan," he said gratefully. "I appreciate you trusting me with this."

Kenan clapped a hand on Arda's shoulder, his expression serious but warm. "Just remember what I said earlier," he reminded him. "She's important to me, so don't mess it up."

Arda nodded earnestly. "I won't, Kenan. I promise."

With a nod of approval from Kenan, Arda felt a sense of relief and gratitude. He knew that having Kenan's blessing meant a lot, and he was determined to show Y/N just how much she meant to him.

[cilil]

Why did Manwë let Melkor out of jail? - Ainur answers

(by none other than JRRT himself)

Like Námo's silence regarding important events in the future (for an explanation of that, see here), the decision to free Melkor after three ages of captivity has been subject to very understandable confusion and frustration on the part of many readers. Instead of the unsatisfying, dismissive answer "we wouldn't have a cool story otherwise, duh", there actually are in-universe reasons, but the answers are somewhat hidden in deeper Elf and Ainu lore that not everyone comes across or finds pleasant to read and research (which, again, is very understandable).

I thought long and hard about how I could present this in a digestible way and upon revisiting the texts, I realized that, conveniently enough, Tolkien himself has provided an explanation for Melkor's release from Mandos, which of course is even better than anything I could have scraped together.

The passage in question can be found at the end of the essay "Ósanwë-kenta". I'm going to summarize Tolkien's explanation in a hopefully clear and helpful manner and am happy to provide screenshots from the PDF (best I have access to right now, sorry) if needed. There's also a tldr at the bottom.

⪼ Previously, Tolkien has described how ósanwë works. The key takeaway is that not even someone as powerful as Melkor can forcibly "read someone's mind" or perform "mind control" or anything of this sort because every sentient being is able to close themselves off and not reveal their thoughts unless they choose to. Thus Melkor was able to deceitfully approach some people, convince them to "let him in" and gain access to them that way, but others essentially blocked him. He learned language as a secondary tool to circumvent that barrier by other means of communication.

⪼ Tolkien then moves on to the issue of the Valar being deceived by Melkor. He acknowledges that it may seem strange to a reader that the Valar couldn't see Melkor's true intentions and how Manwë "appears at times almost a simpleton compared with him" (his words), especially when we as readers already know that Melkor is too absorbed in hate and pride to repent

⪼ He states that Melkor could read Manwë's mind because his was open, but Manwë couldn't do so in return because Melkor had closed himself off/projected a sort of false openness that hid his true intentions

⪼ Tolkien then poses the question: "How otherwise would you have it? Should Manwë and the Valar meet secrecy with subterfuge, treachery with falsehood, lies with more lies? If Melkor would usurp their rights, should they deny his?"

⪼ According to him, Manwë's mind was always open, both as in receiving instructions from Eru and doing his will and as in being open to others because he had nothing to hide. Melkor knew this and relied on Manwë being consistently honest and acting in accordance with Eru's rules and laws, even if he (Melkor) broke them and did whatever he wanted

⪼ Tolkien writes: "Thus the merciless will ever count in mercy, and the liars make use of truth"

⪼ He makes it clear that Manwë couldn't force Melkor to reveal his true thoughts. Melkor had to be believed until proven false and be given an opportunity to fulfill his promises

⪼ The force that was used against Melkor - Angainor, the captivity, etc - was, as Tolkien clarifies, not a way of forcing any sort of confession ("which was needless"). It could be called punishment, but should more accurately be thought of as "putting Melkor in timeout" (not his words), so that he has the opportunity to reconsider; for the sake of Arda, but also his own

⪼ Tolkien stresses that, should Melkor choose to return to the allegiance of Eru, he has to be given his freedom back and could not be enslaved or denied his part

⪼ He also stresses that Manwë's task as Elder King was to keep everyone in Arda in the allegiance of Eru and bring back those who strayed, BUT he is to leave them free within that allegiance. This is important to understand about Manwë's role and kingship in general

⪼ Because of this, it was only when Eru finally allowed it that the Valar went after Melkor (presumably referring to the War of Wrath, but the same idea applies to the Chaining)

⪼ Tolkien describes Manwë as acting reluctantly when he went to war against his brother. The reasons given include grievous hurt to Arda, as is the result of Ainur fighting, but also that, while the use of force was lawful here, it didn't accomplish much: Melkor's evil wasn't eradicated and couldn't be; only maybe if he had repented, but he didn't. The captivity made him more hateful, more adapt at lying, more vengeful

⪼ Next Tolkien argues that while great pain, suffering and loss came from Melkor's release, this chain of events also led to his ultimate defeat which otherwise maybe couldn't have happened

⪼ Finally, he discusses the question whether Melkor's continued captivity in Mandos would have led to a better outcome. Even when diminished, his power is "beyond our calculation". It could have been that, being denied his freedom and when he asked to be released, there could have been a "ruinous outburst of his despair"

⪼ But Tolkien says that this wouldn't have been the worst outcome. Rather the main concern is that Manwë breaking his promise to Melkor would have been a step down the same dark path his brother chose, even if done with good intentions. He would have acted like a mere worldly king who takes advantage of a defeated rival and ceased to be Eru's representative

⪼ Tolkien concludes by saying that this would have resulted in a world split between two proud Valarin lords striving for the throne and reminding us that one evil Vala was more than enough to handle, especially for us incarnates

Tldr:

Due to the way ósanwë works, nobody had any way of knowing if Melkor was speaking the truth or not and he couldn't be forced to reveal his true thoughts

Manwë had to, according to Eru and Eru's laws, give Melkor the benefit of the doubt

Not doing so would have been an evil act and disqualified him from being Eru's appointed vice-gerent

Melkor's lies and ultimate refusal to repent caused untold sorrow, but also his own final downfall which otherwise may not have happened

Obligatory disclaimer: As should be evident in the text, this is Tolkien's opinion, Tolkien's answer to this question and Tolkien's intentions for his own universe. The above summarized explanation he gave is not an "opinion" or "headcanon" of mine. You are entitled to your own opinion on this, I merely felt like it's only fair - and arguably necessary or at least helpful in terms of understanding - to hear out what the author himself has to say.

Like I said in the beginning, the intention behind this post was to compile his take for your convenience. The intention is very much not to attack anyone or their takes. In return, I ask you to please don't attack anyone either, please don't bash characters and please keep the conversation nuanced. Thank you!

[simiansmoke]

@fearless2ndmate

“Tch, I’d loik ta see em try.” the kid huffed. “I’ve eaten fings scarier van a cop.”

Monkey kid wouldn’t be wrong; in all honesty, the pirate kid was just a tail away from being indistinguishable from the other residents of the Kong Kingdom. Whenever he’s not being told to clean something he’s always climbing somewhere, gorging on fruit or anything edible really, then sleeping somewhere that should be uncomfortable...Or maybe he’s more like a raccoon.

“Oh, wouldn’t ye loik ta know?” he smirked back but quickly gained a shocked expression from being shaken, that didn’t mix well with having downed some rum earlier. “Tch, don’ need whot I’ve already got.” he lied gloated. “YIf ye wanna insult me, ye best try ‘arda’!”

“Eh, dunno whot they are, huh?..Don’ worry about it~” more money for him to keep, though this does mean his pride is solely on the line...And Link was delusional enough to believe he has a chance. 

“I wouldn’t undaestimate me if I were ye. Didn’ go too well fer th’last guy yer size...eh maybe even bigga. So yer just gonna keep ‘oldin’ me loik a wet cat or are we doin’ vis?”

------

"Yer goin' to jail. I can see'em draggin' ya off now. "Musing, DK flicked the kid on the nose like he did to Diddy so often. "Y'need an exit plan, dude. Otherwise you're fuckeroonied."

Laughing, he reached out and poked the other between his eyes for funsies. "I wouldn't...but I'll hear ya out anyway. Need somethin' stupid to laugh at."

And stupid he did laugh at. Snatching the back of the kid's shirt, he lifted him up and dragged him over to sit in a time out by his foot. "You gonna shut the hell up or am I gonna make you, little twerp~? You're too damn small to stir me up."

[the-quiet-fire-of-defiance]

Some Gender Headcanons On the Eldar:

In my opinion, the close proximity of the Amani elven cultures to each other lead to a lot of cultural exchange and overlap in certain areas. So although gender carries different significance for the Vanyar vs the Noldor vs the Teleri (for example, we know that in Noldorin culture it’s usually men who cook but women who make bread) their concept of gender and classification systems are pretty much the same.

Eg, fa’afafine / leiti / vakasalewalewa / ’akava’ine are words from different Pacific islands but all refer to essentially the same concept; multiple culturally distinct Native American tribes who had frequent contact with each other all recognised five genders pre-colonisation; and so on.

But the elves of Beleriand diverge culturally from their Amani counterparts the moment that the two groups part, because we know that there’s no communication between them. So their cultural development and concepts of gender head down different paths. In a similar fashion, some groups of Avari separated earlier in the Great Journey and remain relatively isolated during the First Age (especially those who never enter Beleriand).

So what are their actual gender systems? I haven’t quite pinned down my thoughts on that yet, except that Valinor doesn’t really have much of a concept of genderfluidity. It’s much more commonplace and understood on the other side of the sea. In Laiquendi culture, they conceive of all gender as fluid to a degree (but that fluidity looks different for every person). They have beautiful swirling dances inspired by the fluidity of gender.

I also hc that the Haladin have three genders; man, woman and bigender. Bigender people often have special roles in spiritual rituals. Haleth herself is bigender, and thus their spiritual leader as well as a social one. There are many more customs around gender for the Edain, but I’ll give them their own post.

[lesbiulmo]

Valaquenta: "But when they desire to clothe themselves the Valar take upon them forms some as of male and some as of female; for that difference of temper they had even from the beginning, and it is but bodied forth in the choice of each, not made by the choice, even as with us male and female may be shown by the raiment but is not made thereby."

What this means is, gender is decided by fëa (spirit), not body.

If Varda wanted to don the body of a man, she could. She'd still be female. It isn't the genitals that decide, it's the 'difference of temper' that's been there from the beginning. And that's canon. Conceivably a fëa could get clothed in a body of a sex that's different from the gender of the fëa. Ainur don't have those issues because they aren't created with physical bodies, they choose their bodies and by extension, their sex as they would choose clothing, so of course they choose what feels good and fits right. If they don't like any clothing, they don't have to wear anything. (See my post about Ulmo.) Anyone who isn't one of the Ainur could experience this, though.

Trans, non-binary, and other gender non-conforming characters in Ëa exist and are valid!