#brandir son of handir

[theserpentsadvocate]

Five Women Who Never Loved Brandir Son of Handir

Uhhh... so I've been sitting on this one forever, I don't know why. Enjoy my original author's note:

Five things fic, because I wanted to. This is the third five things fic I’ve started, but the first one I’ve finished. (Besides, the Handir one has sort of mushroomed into this weird 5+2 format and I don’t know if it even qualifies anymore.) So, until I finish Five Things That Never Happened To Nienor Daughter Of Hurin and Five Ways Handir Son Of Haldir Could Have Survived The Nirnaeth Arnoediad (And What Would Have Happened If He Hadn’t), have Five Women Who Never Loved Brandir Son Of Handir. Unapologetic shippy fluff, OCs, and odd pairings ahead. Well, odd pairing.

1.

Niniel

It’s spring when she comes to him and takes his hand and at first he doesn’t think anything of it because that’s what she does.

Then there’s a movement of her thumb against the back of his hand and when he looks up she blushes, though her eyes don’t skitter away, and he’s never seen her blush before, and everything changes.

There’s a nervousness in the way she bites softly at one side of her lip, and Niniel isn’t nervous – she gets along well enough normally, but she doesn’t have that sense of embarrassment other people do. She doesn’t fidget. She doesn’t blush.

But her face is flushed, and he wants to raise a hand and brush it against her cheek. He doesn’t.

Her smile is hesitant, and he’s never seen that before either. There are a lot of things he’s never seen.

“I think,” she says, and the smile still edges around the corners of her lips, “that maybe you love me.”

“Maybe,” he says blankly, and although his lips feel numb his voice comes hoarse from his throat.

“I think,” she says, “that maybe I love you.”

Maybe? he means to say, but there’s no sound. The smile dances back and forth across her face, barely there but clear enough.

“I don’t know a lot about love.” It’s half apology. “I can’t remember ever loving anyone.”

And maybe she doesn’t know enough, not to choose. He doesn’t think it really, wouldn’t think it if she’d chosen elsewhere, but he’s used to cutting back, turning away, making endless small sacrifices because that’s what he does, that’s what’s necessary, because his happiness is always second. That’s what it is to be chieftain, to be healer, to be –

To choose happiness is selfish, surely. It’s always felt that way.

“That’s all right,” he says, voice rough as if he’s swallowed a roomful of smoke. “We’ll learn together.”

2.

Moriel

Brandir knows Hariel a little, though she and her family live outside of the Ephel. She’s a trapper and her son’s a woodsman who knows his game so they come to trade. Her daughter’s never come.

“We brought her,” Moriel’s brother says, blunt but apologetic. “I would have come ahead to tell you but Onda wanted me with her. I’m better for calming her down.”

“They’re not fits of emotion,” the girl says clearly. It surprises Brandir; she’s kept her eyes down this whole time, shy or nervous. He can see now she’s a bit older than he thought, maybe only a few years shy of his own age of twenty-five. The shyness, combined with her delicate looks, had thrown him off by six or eight years.

“Getting upset never gets you breathing better,” Aradir points out.

That doesn’t help much. “Hariel mentioned you didn’t travel because of this ailment,” Brandir says, voice friendly and neutral.

“The dust makes the fits come on,” she tells him straightforwardly. “The dogs can’t come inside the house anymore or it happens. I can’t run at all. Sometimes if I get very upset,” she allows, although she quite pointedly doesn’t look at her brother.

She doesn’t look at Brandir either, eyes fixed on her lap, though her voice is far too firm to put it down to shyness. He’s had people avoid his gaze before, but never avoid looking at him entirely. Is it so disturbing –

No. He has a patient.

“Flowers in spring?” he asks.

“Eh, sometimes,” she says. “It used to be fine. I didn’t start sneezing like Aradir. But now it seems like I move and I start wheezing.”

“It wasn’t always like this,” her brother says, more matter-of-fact than worried. “But she started getting ‘em when she was near ten year, they just weren’t so bad then.”

“Sometimes I think I’m going to die,” Moriel says. “The air just won’t go in. It’s worrisome.”

If she’d looked at him even once since they’d come through his door, he would like her for that. It’s worrisome.

“I can examine you,” he tells her. “But I think I know already. I can’t cure it, but I can give you medicine for when it happens. You’ll have to put it in boiling water and breathe in the smoke.”

“Good thing there’s always water on the boil,” Aradir comments. Brandir pushes up from his chair, trying not to notice that Moriel turns her head away while he arranges his crutch.

“I’ll fetch you some,” he says. “But I’ll have to prepare more.”

He left the door open as he puts together a packet and after a few moments hears Moriel whisper harshly to her brother, “That’s the chieftain’s son?” He swallows hard.

“What about him?”

There’s a soft thwack. “You never warned me he was handsome.”

Brandir almost drops his entire bundle of dried herbs on the floor. He swallows hard and fixes the crumpled leaves properly inside the cloth packet and then makes himself walk back through the door before he loses his nerve. It feels a little like the world’s turned sideways.

He’s never been handsome before.

“You’d better keep these with you,” he says. His voice is too brisk, but he forces himself to look at her. “About half what’s in the packet in a pot of hot water, to ease your breathing. I can make up something that will make the attacks less likely, but they’ll still happen.”

“But we don’t really know for certain if this works yet,” Moriel says diffidently. She meets his eyes, briefly, and then her gaze skitters around the room before she focusses somewhere just above his left shoulder. Her entire manner seems very different. “On me, I mean. I probably shouldn’t risk an attack somewhere with no hot water anyway, until I’m a bit better.”

“That’s probably wise.” His voice sounds even, which is a marvel considering all he can really think about is that Moriel herself is very pretty and surely she’s had practice speaking to all sorts of men?

“Then I guess I shouldn’t leave just yet.” She forces her eyes back to his and smiles a little awkwardly, but her voice is more confident. “I suppose I’ll have to stay a while.”

“Ah,” Brandir says articulately.

Moriel’s brother grumbles something under his breath, and she kicks him.

3.

Lalaith

The dog doesn’t really look like a dog, but it’s clearly an animal of some kind. That doesn’t feel like much of an achievement, when his father’s birds are so detailed that you can identify the species even when they’re not the same size as real ones, but it’s… something.

Nienor plops down beside him, all carefree eight years of her. “What’s that?”

“It’s just a… thing,” Brandir says, setting it down.

“Lemme see.” She picks it up.

“It’s supposed to be a dog. It’s not very good…”

“I like it,” Nienor says decisively, putting it down again. “You should give it to my sister. She has all kinds of animals Labadal made her, but she doesn’t have a dog. Only wild animals.” She frowns. “Maybe there’s a wolf.”

“I’m sure your sister would be nice enough to accept it,” Brandir says, cringing at the thought of his rough effort next to that of a lifelong carpenter, “but it’s really not good. My father does much better.”

“I bet she’d like it,” Nienor says. “She likes you.”

“I know.” Urwen likes everyone. And everyone likes her, but she isn’t conceited about it.

“Don’t you like her?”

Brandir frowns. “Of course I like her. She’s very nice.”

“Then why haven’t you given her flowers or something? Girls like flowers from boys they like.” She frowns back at him in consideration. “You’re kind of a boy. You’re younger than Turin. Maybe you’re too old to give her flowers. You should give her a necklace or something. Or the dog.” She brightened. “Can you make a necklace out of wood? Or a bracelet? Do you think you’ll get married? Naneth wasn’t that much older than Lalaith when she got married. If you get married, can I be – ?”

Finally Brandir manages to drag his internal organs back into his chest from wherever they’ve disappeared to and stop her by waving his hands in the air in front of her face. It’s not very polite, but he’s having difficulty with words.

“That is not what I meant,” he says finally, as calmly as he can manage. “I like your sister. And I like you, and I like your father, and I like…” He hesitates. Morwen always makes him feel deficient, like he’s broken, not just damaged.

“Oh.” Nienor stares at the ground. “She’ll be sad.”

Brandir wants to argue with her – clearly she misunderstood her sister the same way she misunderstood him – but he can’t think what he should say first.

“Maybe you could like her?” Nienor suggests hopefully. “She’s really pretty, you know. And nice. And she knows lots of funny stories –”

“Why don’t you keep the dog?” Brandir says loudly. “Go on, I don’t mind.”

Nienor looks hurt – she hates being talked down to – but she takes the thing sullenly and sulks off, pouting, without saying anything else. Brandir slides down off his hillock and leans back against it, rubbing his hands over his face. Urwen is pretty and nice, and he likes her stories. And he really, really doesn’t want her to feel sorry for him, which she would if she heard about this conversation.

“I guess…”

He jerks upright. Lalaith is standing there, smiling a little sadly. “I guess things are different in Brethil.”

“A little,” Brandir says, feeling his heart shrivel up inside his chest. “Were you looking for Nienor?”

“She ran off towards the house,” she says. “I guess Mother doesn’t need me to fetch her anymore.”

“She said you had a whole bunch of little animals,” he offers lamely.

Urwen nods. “From Sador.”

Sador. Not Labadal.

“I guess… when Haladin girls want to be sweethearts with a boy, they just…” She makes a vague motion signifying action.

“I… yes, I think so…” He wouldn’t really know how it goes. He ought to stand up, while she’s standing, but his walking stick is too far to reach and he doesn’t want her to see the kind of hobbling he’s reduced to when he doesn’t have it.

“Turin told me about… um, I think it was Bariel…?”

“They don’t usually punch anyone in the face!” Brandir exclaims, humiliation momentarily forgotten. “That’s very unusual!”

Urwen smiles. “I don’t want to punch you in the face,” she says.

“I don’t want to punch anyone in the face,” he responds without thinking. Her expression shifts a bit, but she smiles again with effort.

“Right. I just thought maybe it was… Nienor was embarrassing you, but… well, I guess I was being silly. I’ll just…” She turns to leave.

“Wait, wait,” Brandir says, reaching out for her arm. It’s too far up and he gets a handful of the skirt of her pretty yellow dress instead. It’s soft. She’s a little bit like the dress, and that sounds stupid even in his head. “I can’t… um, I can’t…” He can feel himself going red. “Get up.” Just when he was thinking he hadn’t been humiliated after all. He can’t look at her.

“Oh…” She turns and fetches his crutch for him. His face is still burning when she hands it to him but instead of making some excuse and hurrying away she sits down next to him. After a little while he gets up the courage to look at her again. She smiles.

“I do still like flowers better than wooden bracelets,” she says.

4.

Daerwen

His first duty, after burying his father, had been to bear his condolences to the families of the other fallen warriors. There had been a great many.

It shamed him to think that he couldn’t remember most of those meetings clearly, but it was true. Even those who had been angry, insulting, reaching out for someone to blame and striking close to the places that would truly cause pain – ‘And where we you, safe at home?’ ‘How could you understand, you’re no warrior!’ ‘Do you think to purchase my support, thus?’ – blurred together enough that they, and their suffering, were no individual, distinct entities in his mind.

He should have done better by them than that.

“You probably don’t remember me,” the woman by the fireside said. She smiled, but sadly.

“I do,” Brandir told her. “Daerwen.” He refrained from listing her husband’s name, although they both knew that must be how he thought of her. He’d meant to hold the bereaved in his mind as people, to remember their sorrow, their anger or guilt or acceptance – instead, he’d only managed to catalogue them by their dead. Daerwen’s husband had been Harlas, a spearman, and he’d bled out during the retreat, but all he remembered of her was that she hadn’t screamed or thrown him out of her house.

“You are kin to Aradis, I think,” he said to break the silence. They could have been merely friends, of course, but there was a strong resemblance in Daerwen to Aradis’s grandson.

“She was married to a cousin of my father’s,” Daerwen said, faultlessly polite. There was something in her quiet manner that put him in mind of his mother, so he imagined there was steel underneath. “Though not a close one.”

That meant that Aradis’s dead daughter was Daerwen’s kinswoman and agemate. If she’d ever had children with Harlas, they likely would have played with Mireth’s orphaned son.

“How unfortunate,” he said, meeting her eyes steadily so she would know him sincere. “I am afraid such losses are common.”

“Certainly.” She peered into the soup-pot, and, apparently satisfied, rose and came to sit nearer him. “I stifle, the way no one ever mentions it. But I suppose it is different for you.”

He looked at her cautiously. The last time he’d been in this house, Aradis had tried to throw him out, but ended by weeping so hard he’d had to hold her bodily from the floor. She seemed to hold no animosity or embarrassment, only worry over her grandson’s injury, but he could never be quite sure of his reception in such places.

“Having no time to grieve, I mean,” Daerwen said. She gave him that smile again, sad and half-yearning but not melancholic.

“And yet I did anyway,” Brandir said, “somehow. It was greatly against my judgement but I fear I could not do otherwise.”

Her smile spread a little, deepening, and lost some of its bittersweet quality. He only got a brief glance before she turned her face towards her lap. “It must have lost its hold on you, if you can say such things.”

“I –” It was necessary he be able to speak without tears or the suggestion they might be coming. “I still miss my father very much, and very frequently. But certainly I am no longer prevented from… going onwards in my life.” Was she unable to do so? At least she wished to, which was a good sign.

“I wonder if… you could put it that way to Aradis? Going onwards. It sounds much… friendlier than the words she uses when I mention hovering less over her grandson.” Her jaw clenched. “Or that I would like to marry again.”

“I think,” he told her seriously, “that you are admirable. And I shall do my best, although I cannot meddle if she has no wish for my help.”

“Of course not,” Daerwen told him. “And I want to thank you. Just hearing someone say it’s not wrong to want to move past him… it’s a comfort. I knew that –” She stopped.

“If you need help – not just interference, but advice or conversation – I am not so far away.” He’d made the offer many times in the last year, although it wasn’t frequently accepted. “You are always welcome, as long as you can find me.”

“Thank you.” There was a pause. He could hear Aradis descending the steps in the other room. Daerwen smiled a little. “I knew that you were the right choice.”

5.

Nienor

The envoy leaves in two days.

It shouldn’t matter quite so much – things have been as productive as they can be, when Dor-lomin’s new leader has somewhat unreasonable expectations – but it does.

Brandir silently and emphatically calls himself a fool.

“Why the stormclouds?”

He laughs despite himself, although he’s startled Nienor managed to approach without his knowing. “The storm clouds?”

She shrugs, leaning against the side of his house. “Aerin used to say that when I was small. I fought with my mother… well, often. ‘Stormclouds’ was kinder than ‘royal sulk’, I suppose.”

“Are you accusing me of sulking?” He takes care to smile, both to dispel the impression and to avoid giving offense.

“No. I only wondered.”

“’An acorn for your thoughts’, we say here.” He gestures to the step. “You’re welcome to sit.”

Instead, she straddles end of the log he’s sitting on. Brandir turns to face her. She’s wearing a split skirt, and he can see she has leggings beneath it.

“An acorn for your thoughts.”

He shrugs. “Just wool-gathering.”

“They seem like unhappy sheep.”

That makes him smile. “Just heavy ones.”

Nienor frowns. “Wouldn’t that be a good thing? More wool? Or warmer?”

“I have a great number of responsibilities,” he offers, half-amused and half-exasperated.

“I suppose.” She sounds thoughtful. “When I first came, I thought you were a strange man by way of a leader.”

Brandir keeps his voice carefully neutral. He’s not sure what to think. “Did you?”

“I haven’t known many,” she acknowledges. “Just my brother, I suppose, and Brodda.” The thunderhead that crosses her face at that name is formidable. “But people still talk about my father. And there’s the Elf-king, I suppose.”

“The king of Doriath.”

“He as well.” He should have known she’d meant Fingon. The People of Hador were married to the Noldor. “Living, dead, good, bad… they all loved war, or their own authority, or both.”

Cautiously, Brandir ventures, “I never heard that Hurin son of Galdor loved either.”

“Didn’t you?” She sounds surprised. “No one ever speaks of him but the words ‘mighty warrior’ follow.”

“I grant you that,” he says, “easily! But a man may fight like the whirlwind and still bear no love for war. My father always spoke of his kinsman as a young man more in love with a jest and a song than with battle.”

She startles. “I suppose I knew they would have known each other – but I never think of it.” There’s silence for a moment. “When we first met, I thought you weak,” she says slowly. “Now, I think of going back to being surrounded by men who think strength is a sword-arm or the ability to command by force and I cannot think well of it.”

“I have always heard your brother a good man,” he says, although that isn’t entirely true. He’s heard nothing of Turin son of Hurin’s character – only his fighting prowess.

“He is,” Nienor says, almost sadly. “And he is an able leader, although I cannot say if he is a good one.”

That she makes a difference between the two strikes him forcibly, and both her discernment and the hint of praise hiding in the shadow of her words cause his heart to beat distractingly.

“But he’s what he was made,” she says simply. “I don’t know what kind of life it was, hunting orcs through the woods – but I sat in the Easterlings’ hall, and I have no love left for masterful men.”

The sadness of that – a reunion that is but a continuance of the separation – moves Brandir profoundly. He reaches for her hand, to offer what comfort he can, but as their fingers touch she raises her gaze to his, and it takes all his will not to freeze and thus betray himself.

“I have performed my duty to my brother well here, I think,” she says, forcing a ghost of a smile. “I will bear it out and bring back word – and then, I think, it will be done. And then perhaps – ” she glances so quickly at his hand over hers that he almost doesn’t see it, “then perhaps I may return.”

A/N: I wrote parts 1-4 Way Too Long Ago, and then finally finished it, I don’t know, two years back and immediately forgot that I’d finished it. So… Here it is now? Requisite notes:

1. Turin doesn’t exist. He never existed. The story still happened the same way up to this point because, well, it did. Or, Niniel blew him off because he was being really horrible to her friend. Or, he’s off living in a cave somewhere. Or similar. Whatever you like to imagine. :)

2. Handir is still alive and in charge here, obviously. He won’t die for about five more years per canon. Moriel has asthma (as you may have guessed). I described her in my notes once as being a ‘delicate princess with the soul of a drill sergeant’ which essentially means that not only will she fight you, but if you argue back you will look like an asshole. I like to think that when Turin arrives in Brethil she’s also pregnant, and Dorlas’s attempt to use him to unseat Brandir completely dies under the strength of Heavily Pregnant Woman Having An Asthma Attack Because Of You.

3. Some happy (or happier) AU or other where Brethil/Dor-lomin kids are fostered back and forth. Brandir’s staying with Hurin’s family. He and Lalaith are both sixteen. (I put in a backwards-math hint with Nienor’s age and then remembered that not everyone in the entire world has gone and memorized their age differences.)

4. Obviously the shippy part comes later. (Whoops, I guess it’s not all fluff.) But there’s a nice grounding of respect and friendliness and understanding and with a relationship that grows slowly out of that and out of shared grief and especially when accompanied by a dead spouse and requisite baggage (on one side) and political responsibility – and baggage! – (on the other) is going to, well, grow slowly, so the point that I don’t think a snippet from anywhere but much later would even look that much like a romantic relationship, even after it was one. Anyway. I may come back and poke this idea later and I may not.

5. Turin retook Dor-lomin, obviously. Nienor is the head of his envoy to Brethil. (His ‘unreasonable expectations’ are military support that would leave the Haladin with very precarious defenses; Brandir is sending supplies to rebuild and offers of trading instead.) A line I wanted to use but in the end couldn’t fit in: “Aerin, my mother… they all lived in Dor-lomin before the Easterlings came. They call it home, but for me, there’s nothing there but bad memories.”

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Favourite Female Tolkien Character Poll - Round 1, Match 8

Beldis & Beleth

These two are cousins! They’re also both Beren’s cousins. Beldis was 6 years older than Beleth, so they probably knew each other.

During the Dagor Bragollach, Beldis would have been in her mid-40s and Beleth in her late 30s.

Beldis married Handir of Brethil (the son of Haldir and Glóredhel) and was the mother of Brandir. She likely came to Brethil when some of the women of the House of Bëor escaped there from Dorthonion after the Dagor Bragollach. If not for male primogeniture she’d have been the head of the House of Bëor.

Beleth was the aunt of Morwen and Rían, and the elder sister of Baragund and Belegund. She lost her father Bregolas in the Dagor Bragollach, and both her brothers when Sauron destroyed the last of Barahir’s band of guerillas in Dorthonion. She may have escaped from Dorthonion to Brethil along with other women of the House of Bëor, and might have continued to Dor-lómin with Morwen and Rían.

(Literally all we have about either of these two is their names on a family tree; I’m contextualizing with canon events and speculating a bit.)

[fandomblr]

Ableism in The Children of Húrin

I just recently talked about racism in Tolkien’s legendarium, and now I want to talk about ableism. Most of Tolkien’s characters are (presumably) able-bodied with the exception of Beren and Maedhros (who are both hand amputees), but another disabled character that I don’t think gets talked about enough is Brandir from the tale of The Children of Húrin. Here’s my textual evidence from HoME—The Shaping of Middle-Earth:

Brandir is clearly described as “lame of foot” since he was wounded by an orc as a child, which leads me to assume that he had some sort of mobility impairment in his feet like I do (I wear a foot orthotic). Clearly Brandir isn’t able-bodied in the sense that Túrin and other men are, since he yielded the rule of the woodfolk to him precisely to his disability. This all contributes to the idea that disabled people are incapable of becoming leaders, that we can’t hold positions of power, etc. But probably the most ableist part of this is when Tolkien says that he was “of less might than many.” Since Tolkien doesn’t list any other reasons for Brandir being of less might other than him being disabled this leaves me with the impression that he was “less of might” precisely because of his foot impairment, which is clearly ableist.

Now, like I said, Tolkien has had other characters that can be interpreted as disabled (Maedhros and Beren) and while they can be seen as positive representation, this still doesn’t really erase the fact that Brandir was portrayed ultimately as weak, as incapable of leading, and as unworthy of a woman’s (Nienor’s) love, plus he ends up dead which is rarely a good ending to have for a disabled character anyways. These are all harmful stereotypes that lots of people believe about disabled people, and these still clearly impact us today as disabled people.

And yes, Tolkien lived in a different time in which disability was viewed differently (he lived through World War II in which Nazis were literally trying to sterilize us because we were seen as ‘not contributing to society’) but at the end of the day Brandir’s story is pretty ableist. However, what’s interesting is that if Nienor had fallen in love with Brandir instead of Túrin, then neither she nor Túrin would have committed suicide, and it’s plausible that then Húrin may not have given Thingol the cursed gold and nauglamir out of spite, which contributed to the ruin of Doriath and ultimately in the second and third kinslayings involving the nauglamir with the silmaril. So even though this story is ableist, maybe Tolkien here was trying to convey a hidden meaning against this ableism, that there’s more to appearances and that if Nienor had chosen Brandir, an uncursed man (unlike Túrin who is arguably the most cursed character in Tolkien’s legendarium) that simply happens to be disabled, then the history of middle earth may have been just a little less bloody. Just some food for thought.

Again, I highly encourage other disabled folks to speak on this and see what their interpretations are! I’m always down to discuss social justice topics and how they relate to Tolkien’s work.

[arofili]

elves of arda ◆ misc. noldor ◆ headcanon disclaimer

          Baralin was an Edhel of the Mithrim people, a servant of Queen Aglareden and her wife Rívorn. He accompanied their daughter Amathluin to the Mereth Aderthad, where he met the Noldo warrior Mantariel, a soldier in the service of Aegnor. Much merriment was made at this Feast of Reuniting, and among the joys brought forth that year was the love between Mantariel and Baralin, which burned bright and strong from their first meeting and soon culminated in their swift and happy marriage.           Bidding farewell to his kinsfolk and liege-ladies, Baralin returned with his new wife to Dorthonion and entered Aegnor’s retinue at her side. Before long, they decided to start a family, and still early in their marriage Mantariel bore two sons, Gelmir and Arachon. While their sons were yet young, they dwelt in the lowlands of Ladros, but within a century they returned to the slopes of Dorthonion, where Gelmir and Arachon trained to be warriors like their mother.           As the elder son, Gelmir was the first to be fully inducted into the ranks Dorthonion’s soldiers, choosing to serve Angrod rather than his parents’ liege Aegnor. He served alongside Arminas, a Noldo of Tirion who alone of his family had braved the trials of the Helcaraxë. Arminas was a guarded person, but Gelmir’s youthful kindness and cheer lifted his spirits, and the two soon became the truest of friends, even swearing vows of partnership to one another and becoming melotorni, though they did not wed.           When the Edain came to Beleriand, Arachon was among the first of his lords’ followers to meet them, and delighted in visiting the settlements of the House of Bëor when they settled in Ladros. On one such occasion, he befriended a young Bëorian woman, Bregil, and the two quickly fell in love. Though Arachon was an elf and Bregil a mortal, they refused to allow fate and war to prevent their happiness, and they were married the spring after their first meeting in a small ceremony attended only by Bregil’s sisters and Arachon’s brother Gelmir.           The marriage was not kept secret long, for soon Bregil bore her husband a son, Brandir. Bregil’s kin had little choice but to accept their relationship, and though Arachon’s parents warned him this love would end in tragedy, they continued to live together in happiness for some time. Aegnor, mourning the loss of his own mortal lover, released Arachon from his service, granting him leave to be with his wife in the time allotted to them.           Their small family lived in the woods so dear to them, and soon little Brandir was granted a sister, Beldis. These two half-elven children grew slower than their mortal kin, but were doted upon by their aunts and uncles and much loved throughout their youth. In time, Arachon would re-enter the service of Aegnor, with his son at his side, while Bregil and Beldis returned to the people of Bëor’s House, though the family was never apart for long.           When the Siege of Angband broke and the Sudden Flame swept across Dorthonion, Arachon and Brandir were among the first to fall. In grief and fear, Bregil and Beldis fled Ladros with Emeldir the Man-hearted, wife of Bregil’s brother Barahir, and settled among the House of Haleth. Beldis eventually married Handir, Chieftain of the Haladin, and bore him a son, whom she named Brandir in honor of her fallen brother.          Baralin and Mantariel were both slain in the Dagor Bragollach, leaving Gelmir the last surviving member of his family. He and Arminas fled the destruction of Dorthonion and took refuge in the Falas, where they dwelt with Círdan as their lord. When the Falas fell after the Nírnaeth Arnœdiad, they followed Círdan to the Mouths of Sirion, where they worked tirelessly alongside the Falathrim to make a home for refugees fleeing the destruction in the North.           When Ulmo brought a message to Círdan, speaking of Nargothrond’s impending doom, Arminas and Gelmir were chosen to deliver the Vala’s warning to King Orodreth, the nephew of their former lord. Along their way they encountered another messenger of Ulmo, Tuor of the House of Hador, and showed him the way to the Gate of the Noldor. Alas, upon arriving in Nargothrond, where many of their kindred yet dwelt, they were unable to persuade Orodreth to listen to Ulmo’s words, for his mortal counselor, the captain Mormegil, scorned the prophecies of the Valar.           In grim sorrow, Gelmir and Arminas returned to the Havens of Sirion defeated. There they remained until the War of Wrath, enduring all manner of hardship and tragedy, and when Beleriand began to sink beneath the waves, Arminas found his heart too heavy with grief to remain. For his partner’s sake, Gelmir accompanied him to Valinor, where Arminas reunited with his family of origin, and in time Gelmir also walked among his reborn kin once more.

[ceescedasticity]

A toast to Beldis (daughter of the House of Bëor), Handir (Chieftain of the Haladin), and their son Brandir (yet another doomed Sane Man in the Narn i Hin Hurin) for giving us quite a lot of canon-compatible wiggle room when it comes to age at marriage, acceptable age gaps, and fertility longevity among the Edain of Beleriand.

[catsinparis]

Women of House Bëor

Adanel was a Wise-woman who helped preserve the tale of Man’s original sin, when, soon after awakening, some Men chose to worship Melkor instead of Eru. She passed this story along to her niece, Andreth, who became known for her wisdom, as well. Adanel married Belemir and bore Beren, the great-grandfather of Beren Erchamion.

Andreth was the eldest daughter of Boromir, Lord of Ladros. She was raised by her aunt, Adanel, and surpassed her aunt in wisdom. After falling in love with the elven prince, Aegnor, Andreth vowed to never marry as she could not marry the person she truly loved. She was a close friend of Finrod Felagund and often discussed with him the lore of Elves and Men.

Emeldir the Man-hearted was a matriarch of House Bëor who led the women and children of her family to safety during the aftermath of the Dagor Balloch. Due to her bravery, she was given the nickname of “Man-hearted.” She married Barahir and bore the famous Beren Erchamion.

Beldis was a woman of House Bëor. She married Handir, the Lord of the Haladin, and bore a son, Brandir, who was permanently lame. She nurtured her son’s interest in nature instead of combat. She cautioned her son against aligning with Túrin Turambar, but her son fell under the curse of Turín and died by his sword. Her son was the last Chieftain of the Haladin.

Morwen Eledhwen was the Lady of Dor-Lómin and married Húrin of House Hador. She bore three children: Túrin Turambar, Lalaïth, and Nienor. She was described as being elven-like in beauty and possessed a stern, stoic manner. She was separated from her husband and remaining children during an Easterling attack on her land. She lived under elven protection until she was eventually reunited with her husband.

Rían was the cousin of Morwen Eledhwen. She was described as being gentle of heart, a lover of trees and wild flowers, and was known to compose and sing songs. She followed Emeldir to safety during the Dagor Balloch where she wed Huor whose brother, Húrin, married Morwen. When her husband unexpectedly died in battle, Rían gave birth to a son, Tuor, leaving him in elven care before dying of grief.

[princess-faelivrin]

brandir “guys please stop being dumbasses and let me pick herbs in peace” son of handir 

[alicebeckstrom]

Therefore the woodmen lifted him up, and bore him away to their homes. Now those were set in a stockade upon a high place in the forest, Ephel Brandir upon Amon Obel; for the People of Haleth were now dwindled by war, and Brandir son of Handir who ruled them was a man of gentle mood, and lame also from childhood, and he trusted rather in secrecy than in deeds of war to save them from the power of the North. Therefore he feared the tidings that Dorlas brought, and when he beheld the face of Túrin as he lay on the bier a cloud of foreboding lay on his heart. Nonetheless being moved by his woe he took him into his own house and tended him, for he had skill in healing. And with the beginning of spring Túrin cast off his darkness, and grew hale again; and he arose, and he thought that he would remain in Brethil hidden, and put his shadow behind him, forsaking the past. He took therefore a new name, Turambar, which in the High-elven speech signified Master of Doom; and he besought the woodmen to forget that he was a stranger among them or ever bore any other name. ~ The Silmarillion, Chapter 21 (Turin by ebe-kastein, deviantART)

[faramir-boromir]

The History of Middle-earth \ House of Haleth Part I

The Haladin entered Beleriand in F.A. 312. Unlike The House of Bëor before them and the House of Hador after, they did not advance to Estolad but instead dwelt without leave in the south of Caranthir's realm of Thargelion.The Haladin had no overall leader and so settled in scattered groups in that region.This style of living though came to an end in F.A. 375 when a host of orcs assaulted their territory. In answer to this Haldad took command of the people, building a stockade between the angle of the rivers Gelion and Ascar south of Sarn Athrad. There he led the defence of his people until he and his son Haldar were slain whereupon his daughter Haleth took up the leadership of the house.

King Thingol of Doriath granted to Haleth the Forest of Brethil on condition that she defended the Crossings of Teiglin. She led then her people and they settled as woodsmen centered around the capital of Amon Obel. For the following years they guarded the northern flank of Nargothrond. Eventually Haleth died but as she had produced no heirs the title of Chieftain of the Haladin returned to her brother Haldar's line and to his son Haldan who ruled for 31 years before dying leaving the leadership of the house to his son Halmir. After the fall of Minas Tirith, the Haladin were harassed by frequent Orc-raids in the Crossings from Tol-in-Gaurhoth. When the Union of Maedhros was formed, Halmir offered the aid of the House of Haleth and made preparations for war but a year prior to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad he died and the promise was left for his son Haldir to fulfill. Haldir took part in the battle where the Haladin covered the retreat of Fingon and suffered heavy losses on Anfauglith. Haldir was slain alongside his brother Hundar. The son of Haldir Handir took up the leadership but he himself was slain in one of the many orc raids on Brethil at that time and the position passed to his son Brandir. Their defeat allowed the forces of the enemy to access and sack Nargothrond.

[readbookywooks]

Names that appear in the map of Beleriand are followed by an asterisk. Adanedhel 'Elf-man', name given to Turin in Nargothrond. Aerin A kinswoman of Hurin in Dor-lomin, taken as wife by Brodda the Easterling. Agarwaen 'Bloodstained', name taken by Turin when he came to Nargothrond. Ainur 'The Holy Ones', the first beings created by Iluvatar, who were before the World: the Valar and the Maiar ('spirits of the same order as the Valar but of less degree'). Algund Man of Dor-lomin, member of the outlaw band that Turin joined. Amon Darthir* A peak in the range of Ered Wethrin south of Dor-lomin. Amon Ethir 'Hill of Spies', a great earthwork raised by Finrod Felagund a league to the east of Nargothrond. Amon Obel* A hill in the midst of the Forest of Brethil, on which was built Ephel Brandir. Amon Rûdh* 'The Bald Hill', a lonely height in the lands south of Brethil, abode of Mim. Anach* Pass leading down from Taur-nu-Fuin at the western end of Ered Gorgoroth. Androg Man of Dor-lomin, a leader of the outlaw band that Turin joined. Anfauglith* 'Gasping Dust', the great plain north of Taur-nu-Fuin, once grassy and named Ardgalen, but transformed into a desert by Morgoth in the Battle of Sudden Flame. Angband The great fortress of Morgoth in the North-west of Middle-earth. Anglachel Beleg's sword, the gift of Thingol; after its reforging for Turin named Gurthang. Angrod Third son of Finarfin, slain in the Dagor Bragollach. Anguirel Eol's sword. Aranruth 'King's Ire', Thingol's sword. Arda The Earth. Aredhel Sister of Turgon, wife of Eol. Arminas Noldorin Elf who came with Gelmir to Nargothrond to warn Orodreth of its peril. Arroch Hurin's horse. Arvernien* The coastlands of Beleriand west of Sirion's mouths; named in Bilbo's song in Rivendell. Asgon Man of Dor-lomin who aided Turin's escape after the slaying of Brodda. Azaghal Lord of the Dwarves of Belegost. Barad Eithel 'Tower of the Well', the fortress of the Noldor at Eithel Sirion. Baragund Father of Morwen; cousin of Beren. Barahir Father of Beren; brother of Bregolas. Bar-en-Danwedh 'House of Ransom', name given by Mim to his house. Bar-en-Nibin-noeg 'House of the Petty-dwarves' on Amon Rûdh. Bar Erib A stronghold of Dor-Cuarthol south of Amon Rûdh. Battle of Unnumbered Tears See Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Bauglir 'The Constrainer', name given to Morgoth. Beleg Elf of Doriath, a great archer; friend and companion of Turin. Called Cuthalion 'Strongbow'. Belegost 'Great Fortress', one of the two cities of the Dwarves in the Blue Mountains. Belegund Father of Rian; brother of Baragund. Beleriand* Lands west of the Blue Mountains in the Elder Days. Belthronding Beleg's bow. Beor Leader of the first Men to enter Beleriand; progenitor of the House of Beor, one of the three Houses of the Edain. Beren Man of the House of Beor, lover of Luthien, who cut a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown; called 'One-hand' and Camlost 'Empty-handed'. Black King, The Morgoth. Black Sword, The Turin's name in Nargothrond; also the sword itself. See Mormegil. Blue Mountains The great mountain chain (called Ered Luin and Ered Lindon) between Beleriand and Eriador in the Elder Days. Bragollach See Dagor Bragollach. Brandir Ruler of the People of Haleth in Brethil when Turin came; son of Handir. Bregolas Father of Baragund; Morwen's grandfather. Bregor Father of Barahir and Bregolas. Brethil* Forest between the rivers Teiglin and Sirion; Men of Brethil, the People of Haleth. Brithiach* Ford over Sirion north of the Forest of Brethil. Brodda An Easterling in Hithlum after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Cabed-en-Aras 'The Deer's Leap', a deep gorge of the river Teiglin where Turin slew Glaurung. Cabed Naeramarth 'The Leap of Dreadful Doom', name given to Cabed-en-Aras after Nienor leapt from its cliffs. Celebros Stream in Brethil falling down to Teiglin near the Crossings. Children of Iluvatar Elves and Men. Cirdan Called 'the Shipwright'; lord of the Falas; at the destruction of the Havens after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad he escaped to the Isle of Balar in the south. Crissaegrim* The mountain peaks south of Gondolin, where were the eyries of Thorondor. Crossings of Teiglin* Fords where the old South Road to Nargothrond crossed the Teiglin. Cuthalion 'Strongbow', name of Beleg. Daeron Minstrel of Doriath. Dagor Bragollach (also the Bragollach) The Battle of Sudden Flame, in which Morgoth ended the Siege of Angband. Dark Lord, The Morgoth. Deer's Leap, The See Cabed-en-Aras. Dimbar* The land between the rivers Sirion and Mindeb. Dimrost ' The Rainy Stair', the falls of Celebros in the Forest of Brethil, afterwards called Nen Girith. Dor-Cuarthol 'Land of Bow and Helm', name given to the country defended by Turin and Beleg from their lair on Amon Rûdh. Doriath* The kingdom of Thingol and Melian in the forests of Neldoreth and Region, ruled from Menegroth on the river Esgalduin. Dorlas A man of consequence among the People of Haleth in the Forest of Brethil. Dor-lomin* Region in the south of Hithlum given by King Fingolfin as a fief to the House of Hador; the home of Hurin and Morwen. Dorthonion* 'Land of Pines', great forested highlands on the northern borders of Beleriand, afterwards named Taurnu-Fuin. Drengist* Long firth of the sea piercing Ered Lomin, the Echoing Mountains. Easterlings Tribes of Men who followed the Edain into Beleriand. Echad i Sedryn (also the Echad) 'Camp of the Faithful', name given to Mim's house on Amon Rûdh. Ecthelion Elf-lord of Gondolin. Edain (singular Adan) The Men of the Three Houses of the Elf-friends. Eithel Ivrin* 'Ivrin's Well', the source of the river Narog beneath Ered Wethrin. Eithel Sirion* 'Sirion's Well', in the eastern face of Ered Wethrin; the fortress of the Noldor in that place, also called Barad Eithel. Eldalie The Elven-folk, equivalent to Eldar. Eldar The Elves of the Great Journey out of the East to Beleriand. Elder Children The Elves. See Children of Iluvatar. Eledhwen Name of Morwen, 'Elfsheen'. Encircling Mountains The mountains encircling Tumladen, the plain of Gondolin. Enemy, The Morgoth. Eol Called 'the Dark Elf', a great smith who dwelt in Nan Elmoth; maker of the sword Anglachel; father of Maeglin. Ephel Brandir 'The Fence of Brandir', the enclosed dwellings of the Men of Brethil upon Amon Obel; also the Ephel. Ered Gorgoroth* 'Mountains of Terror', the vast precipices in which Taur-nu-Fuin fell southward; also the Gorgoroth. Ered Wethrin 'Shadowy Mountains', 'Mountains of Shadow', the great range forming the boundary of Hithlum on the east and south. Esgalduin* The river of Doriath, dividing the forests of Neldoreth and Region and flowing into Sirion. Exiles, The The Noldor who rebelled against the Valar and returned to Middle-earth. Faelivrin Name given to Finduilas by Gwindor. Fair Folk The Eldar. Falas* The coastlands of Beleriand in the West. Feanor Eldest son of Finwe, the first leader of the Noldor; half-brother of Fingolfin; maker of the Silmarils; leader of the Noldor in their rebellion against the Valar, but slain in battle soon after his return to Middle-earth. See Sons of Feanor. Felagund 'Hewer of caves', name given to King Finrod after the establishment of Nargothrond and often used alone. Finarfin Third son of Finwe, brother of Fingolfin and half-brother of Feanor; father of Finrod Felagund and Galadriel. Finarfin did not return to Middle-earth. Finduilas Daughter of Orodreth, second King of Nargothrond. Fingolfin Second son of Finwe, the first leader of the Noldor; High King of the Noldor, dwelling in Hithlum; father of Fingon and Turgon. Fingon Eldest son of King Fingolfin, and High King of the Noldor after his death. Finrod Son of Finarfin; founder and king of Nargothrond, brother of Orodreth and Galadriel; often called Felagund. Forweg Man of Dor-lomin, captain of the outlaw band that Turin joined. Galdor the Tall Son of Hador Goldenhead; father of Hurin and Huor; slain at Eithel Sirion. Gamil Zirak Dwarf smith, teacher of Telchar of Nogrod. Gaurwaith 'Wolf-men', the outlaw band that Turin joined in the woodlands beyond the western borders of Doriath. Gelmir (1) Elf of Nargothrond, brother of Gwindor. Gelmir (2) Noldorin Elf who came with Arminas to Nargothrond to warn Orodreth of its peril. Gethron One of Turin's companions on the journey to Doriath. Ginglith* River flowing into the Narog above Nargothrond. Girdle of Melian See Melian. Glaurung 'Father of Dragons', the first of the Dragons of Morgoth. Glithui* River flowing down from Ered Wethrin and joining Teiglin north of the inflow of Malduin. Gloredhel Daughter of Hador, sister of Galdor Hurin's father; wife of Haldir of Brethil. Glorfindel Elf-lord of Gondolin. Gondolin* The hidden city of King Turgon. Gorgoroth See Ered Gorgoroth. Gorthol 'Dread Helm', name taken by Turin in the land of Dor-Cuarthol. Gothmog Lord of Balrogs; slayer of King Fingon. Great Mound, The See Haudh-en-Nirnaeth. Great Song, The The Music of the Ainur, in which the World was begun. Grey-elves The Sindar, name given to the Eldar who remained in Beleriand and did not cross the Great Sea into the West. Grithnir One of Turin's companions on the journey to Doriath, where he died. Guarded Plain, The* See Talath Dirnen. Guarded Realm, The Doriath. Guilin Elf of Nargothrond, father of Gwindor and Gelmir. Gurthang 'Iron of Death', Turin's name for the sword Anglachel after it was reforged in Nargothrond. Gwaeron The 'windy month', March. Gwindor Elf of Nargothrond, lover of Finduilas, companion of Turin. Hador Goldenhead Elf-friend, lord of Dor-lomin, vassal of King Fingolfin; father of Galdor father of Hurin and Huor; slain at Eithel Sirion in the Dagor Bragollach. House of Hador, one of the Houses of the Edain. Haldir Son of Halmir of Brethil; wedded Gloredhel daughter of Hador of Dor-lomin. Haleth The Lady Haleth, who early became the leader of the Second House of the Edain, the Halethrim or People of Haleth, who dwelt in the Forest of Brethil. Halmir Lord of the Men of Brethil. Handir of Brethil Son of Haldir and Gloredhel; father of Brandir. Hareth Daughter of Halmir of Brethil, wife of Galdor of Dor-lomin; mother of Hurin. Haudh-en-Elleth ' The Mound of the Elf-maid' near the Crossings of Teiglin, in which Finduilas was buried. Haudh-en-Nirnaeth 'The Mound of Tears' in the desert of Anfauglith. Hidden Kingdom, The Doriath. Hidden Realm, The Gondolin. High Faroth, The* Highlands to the west of the river Narog above Nargothrond; also the Faroth. Hirilorn A great beech-tree in the Forest of Neldoreth with three trunks. Hithlum* 'Land of Mist', northern region bounded by the Mountains of Shadow. Hunthor Man of Brethil, companion of Turin in the attack on Glaurung. Huor Hurin's brother; father of Tuor father of Earendil; slain in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Hurin Lord of Dor-lomin, husband of Morwen and father of Turin and Nienor; called Thalion 'the Steadfast'. Ibun One of the sons of Mim the Petty-dwarf. Iluvatar 'The Father of All'. Indor Man of Dor-lomin, father of Aerin. Ivrin* Lake and falls beneath Ered Wethrin where the river Narog rose. Khim One of the sons of Mim the Petty-dwarf, slain by Androg's arrow. Labadal Turin's name for Sador. Ladros* Lands to the north-east of Dorthonion that were granted by the Noldorin kings to the Men of the House of Beor. Lady of Dor-lomin Morwen. Lalaith 'Laughter', name given to Urwen. Larnach One of the Woodmen in the lands south of Teiglin. Lord of Waters The Vala Ulmo. Lords of the West The Valar. Lothlann A great plain to the east of Dorthonion (Taur-nu-Fuin). Lothron The fifth month. Luthien Daughter of Thingol and Melian, who after the death of Beren chose to become mortal and to share his fate. Called Tinuviel 'daughter of twilight', nightingale. Mablung Elf of Doriath, chief captain of Thingol, friend of Turin; called 'the Hunter'. Maedhros Eldest son of Feanor, with lands in the east beyond Dorthonion. Maeglin Son of Eol 'the Dark Elf' and Aredhel Turgon's sister; betrayer of Gondolin. Malduin* A tributary of the Teiglin. Mandos A Vala: the Judge, and Keeper of the Houses of the Dead in Valinor. Manwe The chief of the Valar; called the Elder King. Melian A Maia (see entry Ainur); the queen of King Thingol in Doriath, about which she set an invisible barrier of protection, the Girdle of Melian; mother of Luthien. Melkor The Quenya name of Morgoth. Menegroth* 'The Thousand Caves', the halls of Thingol and Melian on the river Esgalduin in Doriath. Menel The heavens, region of the stars. Methed-en-glad 'End of the wood', a stronghold of Dor-Cuarthol at the edge of the forest south of Teiglin. Mim The Petty-dwarf, dwelling on Amon Rûdh. Minas Tirith 'Tower of Watch', built by Finrod Felagund on Tol Sirion. Mindeb* A tributary of Sirion, between Dimbar and the Forest of Neldoreth. Mithrim* The south-eastern region of Hithlum, separated from Dor-lomin by the Mountains of Mithrim. Morgoth The great rebellious Vala, in his origin the mightiest of the Powers; called the Enemy, the Dark Lord, the Black King, Bauglir. Mormegil 'Black Sword', name given to Turin in Nargothrond. Morwen Daughter of Baragund of the House of Beor; wife of Hurin and mother of Turin and Nienor; called Eledhwen 'Elfsheen' and Lady of Dor-lomin. Mountains of Shadow* See Ered Wethrin. Nan Elmoth* A forest in East Beleriand; dwelling-place of Eol. Nargothrond* 'The great underground fortress on the river Narog', founded by Finrod Felagund, destroyed by Glaurung; also the realm of Nargothrond extending east and west of the river. Narog* The chief river of West Beleriand, rising at Ivrin and flowing into Sirion near its mouths. People of Narog, the Elves of Nargothrond. Neithan 'The Wronged', name given to himself by Turin among the outlaws. Nellas Elf of Doriath, friend of Turin in his boyhood. Nen Girith 'Shuddering Water', name given to Dimrost, the falls of Celebros in Brethil. Nen Lalaith Stream rising under Amon Darthir, a peak in Ered Wethrin, and flowing past Hurin's house in Dor-lomin. Nenning* River in West Beleriand, reaching the Sea at the Haven of Eglarest. Nevrast* Region west of Dor-lomin, beyond the Echoing Mountains* (Ered Lomin). Nibin-noeg, Nibin-nogrim Petty-dwarves. Nienor 'Mourning', daughter of Hurin and Morwen, and sister of Turin; see Niniel. Nimbrethil* Birchwoods in Arvernien; named in Bilbo's song in Rivendell. Niniel 'Maid of Tears', name that Turin gave to Nienor in Brethil. Nirnaeth Arnoediad The Battle of 'Unnumbered Tears', also the Nirnaeth. Nogrod One of the two cities of the Dwarves in the Blue Mountains. Noldor The second host of the Eldar on the Great Journey out of the East to Beleriand; the 'Deep Elves', 'the Loremasters'. Nuath, Woods of* Woods extending westward from the upper waters of the Narog. Orleg A man of Turin's outlaw band. Orodreth King of Nargothrond after the death of his brother Finrod Felagund; father of Finduilas. Osse A Maia (see entry Ainur); vassal of Ulmo Lord of Waters. Petty-dwarves A race of Dwarves in Middle-earth of whom Mim and his two sons were the last survivors.

[theserpentsadvocate]

I have been nursing the idea for this and then the half-finished fic and then the full thing along for so long that I completely forgot I finished it on multiple occasions, but it's time to post it, so... here's my incredbly depressing and slightly experimental Brandir/Nienor fic based on that soulmate AU idea where you have the last thing your soulmate says to you on your arm instead of the first.

Things do not turn out better than canon.

[theserpentsadvocate]

@iceberg-hootenanny I tried to save your ask as a draft and tumblr deleted it instead, but if I recall correctly you said 4, 5, 17 for any Silmarillion character, so! (Insert joke about ‘ha, you think YOU took a long time to answer’.)

4. Has the character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them?

I go back and forth on whether Handir was even at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad (depending on which source you use, as few as three of the Haladin’s warriors returned, so his odds of survival are not good, and we know he did survive past that) – but if we assume that he didn’t remain behind as interim leader and he didn’t choose to stay because his son was badly injured (my preferred reason), then he would have been there.

Of course, the Nirnaeth is an experience, more than just a single event he witnessed, but my personal headcanon is that Handir saw his father killed. Witnessing it had a profound affect on him, being unable to recover the body had a profound affect on him, returning home with his men absolutely decimated had a profound affect on him – it’s hard to separate these things from each other, but the visceral blow of seeing his father cut down contributed tremendously to the near-despair he was mired in during his first years as Chieftain. Between that and watching his mother just hopelessly waste away immediately afterward, it took him along time to recover. (It didn’t help that he had to focus all of his attention on getting his people through the ensuing difficulties, and what extra strength he had he spent trying to be present and steadfast for his family, rather than on processing his grief. It’s not that his priorities are wrong, there are just no good choices here.)

Losing his cousins in the fighting at the Fords of Brithiach also had a profound affect on him (no less so because they miraculously popped up alive a year later), but in that case the fact that he didn’t witness it, was fighting in another area entirely and only found out afterwards that they were gone, was the really traumatic part, and it took quite some time before he could really believe that Hurin and Huor even were alive in Dor-lomin. It just juxtaposes really interestingly to me.

5. What have they got in their pocketses?

Knives, or string, precious!

…You know, it’s actually a decent bet that most characters I’m interested in would have at least one of the above. Except for the Valar, I guess.

Knives: Haleth, Nienor, Mablung, probably Fingolfin, decent odds any random member of the Haladin will have at least an eating knife

String: Beldis (well, thread, anyway), Niniel, maybe Idril actually?

Both: Brandir for sure

17. What was the character’s favourite childhood toy?

Handir likes to whittle, and he made Brandir a lot of little animals when he was young. I don’t know that there was one specific one that he preferred over the rest, although I’m sure he was very attached to various ones at different times, but having some wooden figurine his father made for him to play with was a staple of his childhood. He takes it up himself after his father’s death as a way to feel closer to him, although he’s not as good at it as Handir was and always feels slightly like he’s coming up wanting once he’s finished. In that way it mirrors his feelings about being Chieftain.

[theserpentsadvocate]

What first drew you to Brandir and the Halidan?

(I really like your commentary on them!)

-@outofangband

I cannot tell you how happy I am you asked me! (About anything, I love talking, but especially this.)

Also, thank you so much!!!!

So the answer is two-fold:

Item one – chronologically the first, probably: I’ve always had a predisposition to sympathize with and root for unrequited romances. I can’t tell you why, since it’s definitely not personally relevant (I am Aro As Fuck). I guess there’s something about the drama and disbelief of a finally-requited love? And probably something about the (potential) nobility of pining in silence and never asking for anything in return speaks to me really poignantly, I guess. (Of course, this requires that you actually be a Brandir and not, say, a Maeglin or a Snape*. But anyway.) I also really like solid, upright, reliable characters – the type who are frequently cast as boring, especially in romances. This is an archetype I’m just really into, which results in a lot of guardsmen and guard captains on my favourite character list (Beregond, Captain Smollett, Venser), but it also means that I tend to really like romantic false lead characters – the 'boring' guy the heroine gets with in the second act and then ditches because there’s no passion, or whatever. (Ugh.) There are multiple cheap secondhand romances where I have PASSIONATE feelings about how the MC should have gotten with the asshole hero’s patient best friend or whatever, only I have no audience for that because most of them were published in like 1985.

Anyway, Brandir was basically designed to hit all my favourite character buttons.

Item two – I’ve always been more interested in humans than Elves – in Tolkien but also in fantasy in general. This is, first off, because I’m a contrarian, and also because there’s so much great stuff! That gets so much less attention! This intensified when reading the Silmarillion because I did not care about Feanor, and I had a lot of trouble keeping all the Elves straight anyway. (I read it originally because I had a university course on it, which was awesome, but anyway. Tumblr taught me to keep them straight. XD) The only Elf I really cared about the first time around was Fingolfin, with a side order of Gwindor, and maybe kind of Finrod. (This is… still largely true, but also #Mablungrights, he’s so underappreciated.) Haleth is also designed to hit a lot of my favourite character notes, (unmarried badass female leaders, yes please) and so that plus really liking Brandir gave me a lot of reason to focus on the Haladin.

And then I found ‘The Silmarillion For Noobs’, went from there to Jess’s tumblr, and ended up joining the entire site just because I wanted to talk to her so bad. (What can I say.)

And she’d written this.

I wasn’t sure I was going to adapt my (admittedly minor) headcanons about Brandir’s parents just because of this information, but I thought about it for a minute, and then I accidentally vanished into my computer for a solid day or so and came out with this giant oneshot… and that was pretty much it, I never recovered.

(I am working on a more coherent version of my thoughts on Handir like you and @iceberg-hootenanny encouraged me to do, I promise, but I am… really long-winded, so. It might take a while.)

*I am, nonetheless, more sympathetic than I maybe should be towards Maeglin, but I freaking loathe Snape. In case it matters. XD

[theserpentsadvocate]

3, Haleth, Brandir, Beleg, Hunthor, and Dorlas

XD yay!In a car chase with:

Now, are they chasing me, am I chasing them, or am I in the car with them? The latter is most likely, so:

1. Probably Beleg? He’s pretty level-headed and I feel like he’s got the whole Elvish stealth/intuition thing going on, plus if we get caught he’s a good fighter.

2. Hunthor. Also pretty solid and level-headed, probably handy with a sword if we get caught (or… do the catching?), plus I like him a lot.

3. Haleth. I feel like her evasive driving is… unnecessarily aggressive. If she doesn’t launch us into fiery, smashed oblivion we’ll definitely get away, though.

4. I feel like Brandir would be too worried about hurting civilians to… well, to get car chasey. And I would be no help, because A.) I can barely drive, B.) driving scares the hell out of me under the best of circumstances, and C.) I’d be too busy staring at him and nodding intensely in response to everything he said to, like, notice we were in a car chase. (Not that ‘reluctance to cause collateral damage’ is a BAD trait, for the record. And I would very much enjoy escaping from corrupt police custody with him.)

5. Dorlas. I’m sure Dorlas would be excellent at escape-driving. However, he’s probably less excellent at it when I’m literally throttling him, which I would be doing if I was within three feet of him, SO… (Also, who’s chasing Dorlas? Good odds whoever it is works for Brandir, or with him, or something, so even if we did get away, I’d probably call them and turn him in at the next payphone.)

[theserpentsadvocate]

Brandir fancasts, (inspired by disabilityfest):

Russell Crowe (inspired by remusjohnslupin)

Ed Stoppard as Doctor Lemay in The Musketeers, inspired by Doctor Lemay basically being Brandir down to dying ignominiously

Paul McGann (fancast originally by @meisiluosi, hope it’s okay to tag)

Geoffrey Lower, because Rev. Johnson gives me Brandir vibes (it’s hard to find good pictures though).

AND

My first and forever fancast, Christian Bale from The New World

[theserpentsadvocate]

de-aging trope

Likelihood of writing: possible, but unlikely.

Characters I’d use: I did at one time throw around the idea of using this trope on Turin in Brethil, post-Niniel’s arrival but before their marriage. Obviously Brandir ends up looking after him because of course he does. So I’d probably do that if I ever used it.