#dawn felagund

[intensionsuspension]

Apparently Celegorm and Finrod were the same character at one point earlier in Tolkien’s works and honestly it explains so much about the things I found odd/strange about Beren and Luthien/The Lay of Leithian in the broader context of the Silmarillion.

I find the idea of this proto-Celegorm/Finrod being forced to choose between two simultaneous and contradictory oaths to be extremely compelling. In a way I’m kind of sad that Tolkien didn’t stick with it, but I also love both Celegorm and Finrod as characters independently and it’s hard to imagine the Silmarillion without Finrod proper. However this definitely explains where the werewolf throat removal idea came from.

I attached the article by Dawn Felagund from the Silmarillion Writer’s Guild below.

[ardafanonarch]

Does Nerdanel have red hair?

Nerdanel and Celegorm's Hair Colour

Hi Anon! Dawn Felagund has already done an excellent job discussing and assembling all the evidence on this in her Character Biography of Nerdanel (in the section "And the Requisite Discussion of Hair Color").

For the Anon who asked about Celegorm's hair colour, Dawn also covers that at length in the Celegorm Bio (section "A Digression on Hair"). I'll get to the other characters you requested later.

I highly recommend giving both bios a read, but here's the tl;dr:

The published Silmarillion says nothing about either character's hair colours.

A quotation from Tolkien published in the linguistic journal Vinyar Tengwar (Issue 41, pg. 9) reveals that Nerdanel "had brown hair"*.

In the Quenta Silmarillion published in The History of Middle-earth Vol. 5: The Lost Road, in the section "Of Beren and Tinúviel", Christopher reveals that he removed from the published Silmarillion a clause applying to Celegorm: "golden was his long hair"*.

*These citations are from Dawn's bios but I double-checked both.

There are your quotes! Brunette Nerdanel, blond Celegorm. But as always -- happy imagining and transforming.

[kathrins-sketchbook]

Oh, brightest sun (TRSB 2023)

A hommage to Gustav Klimt's The Kiss. Acrylic paint on canvas, with gold acrylic colour, 45x45cm. This scene had fascinated me ever since I read about it in the Nature of Middle-earth, and even more so when I became obsessed with Mîm as a character. While the ship of Mîmrod was born in a discord server I am in as a joke, that joke led to me originally drafting the sketch for this painting.

@goschatewabn has taken up this prompt- in a pinchhit no less - and has written, a beautiful, beautiful, fic that also absolutely tears my heart out. Find more info & the link to the fic below!

The elf shone more brilliantly than the purest gems they had unearthed, and his kind face crowned with a wreath of white lilac was like the first rays of dawn after a long night.

The gentle sun had risen in the east, and had brought spring into Nargothrond.

5180 Words

Rating: T Archive warnings: None Characters: Mîm, Finrod Felagund, the petty dwarves, various inhabitants of Nargothrond, dwarves of Nogrod https://archiveofourown.org/works/49927210/chapters/126046690

@tolkienrsb

[dawnfelagund]

The response form is now closed! Please do not reblog this post! Thank you to all who signal-boosted!

I have been running an independent archive for over sixteen years now. During that time, I've watched the Silmarillion Writers' Guild go from one archive of many in a crowded field to one of the only independent archives that remains active. Furthermore, the options available to build your own archive have dwindled, leaving fans who want a greater variety of archive choices without much of one.

Last year, I started thinking about how to support the rekindling of independent archives and drafted a tutorial for how to build an archive in Drupal (the platform the SWG uses) that I plan to record this summer. However, this is not the only approach. The recent attention drawn to various issues with the OTW/AO3 has only hastened the importance of fans having the option again of building their own archives.

It's my first day of summer break. I have two months to tackle what I can of this issue, so to get a handle on where people are on the subject and where it's best to focus my energy, I've put together a survey on independent archives.

If you create or read/view fanworks, I want to hear from you! You do not need to have interest in independent archives. Responses are anonymous, and the survey will remain open through 7 July 2023.

You can take the independent archives survey here.

Signal boosts and reblogs are much appreciated so that I can hear from as broad a group of participants as possible.

Going forward, I will be tagging updates related to this work #independent archives.

[eilinelsghost]

An ongoing series on both AO3 and SWG (estimated to ultimately be around 40 parts long) about my Absolute Favorite Boys: Finrod & Bëor. Basically, if you ever wanted a longer than necessary slow burn of these two trailblazing the elf-mortal love tragedy, I've got you covered.

Rating: T

Relationships: Finrod/Bëor, Finrod & Aegnor, Finrod & Beren, etc

Characters: Finrod, Bëor, Belen, Baran, Gildor, Edrahil, Beren (and quite a few others)

A list of extra/bonus material is also included after the installment entries.

Part 01: Atandil

Podfic available from @thelordofgifs, embedded in fic

After his conversation with Andreth forces him to face his own rationalizations and hypocrisies, Finrod realizes he needs to come clean to Aegnor and confesses to him both the consequences of his former advice, as well as his own secret grief that motivated it. (read on AO3; read on SWG)

Part 02: Grief in All Her Guises

A few months after Finrod discovered the Edain near Thalos, he continues to dwell with them and form friendships. Balan (Bëor) attempts to learn multiple languages, some old folktales of the Edain come up in conversation, and Balan and Finrod discuss grief with a side of constellations. Balan has a crush. (read on AO3; read on SGW)

Part 03: Unfriends

The Edain and the Laiquendi cross paths in the woods of Ossiriand and are faced with immediate conflict. Finrod and Estreth work to heal the damage, Balan (Bëor) tries to learn the communication of thought, and the Edain choose where their loyalty will abide. (read on AO3; read on SWG)

Part 04: Ye Shall Render Blood

It's the Fen of Serech, more or less. An oath for an oath, blood for blood. Finrod is not doing well. (read on AO3; read on SWG)

Part 05: A Shuddering in the Air

Balan's people are on the road to Estolad. Finrod is uneasy after Ossiriand, there is danger on the road, and we witness Atani burial rituals. (read on AO3; read on SWG)

Part 06: Here in Our Frailty

It is Yuletide. The Atani and Finrod celebrate throughout the night as they stay awake to greet the dawn after the Longest Night. Balan's people settle into Estolad, Atani traditions abound, and Finrod faces some memories. (read on AO3; read on SWG)

Part 07: A Heady Fragrance of Honey

Springtime has come to Estolad. Finrod is struck with a realization he has been avoiding and faces the decisions that lie in its wake. (read on AO3; read on SWG)

Part 08: In Memory Untarnished

Aegnor comes to Tol Sirion seeking his brother’s advice as he navigates the complexities of his love for Andreth. (read on AO3)

Part 09: Vassal

"But when a year had passed Felagund wished to return to his own country, Bëor begged leave to come with him." (read on AO3)

Part 10: A Shifting Mirage

Finrod and Balan say farewell to Estolad and begin the long road to Nargothrond. (read on AO3)

Part 11: Many a Dreadful Path

Beren arrives in Nargothrond and both he and Finrod navigate a swath of memories as they determine the path forward. (read on AO3)

Part 12: Children of the Sun

Finrod and Bëor arrive in Nargothrond and navigate what this new context means for each of them. (read on AO3)

Part 13: And Still the Light Returns

Now settled in Nargothrond, Balan looks forward to welcoming his younger son to join him there. But each has changed in the months since Balan’s departure and they navigate these distances in past and present, home and journey, presence and absence. (read on AO3)

Part 14: In These Holy Waters

It is Yestarë, the first day of spring, and Balan joins Finrod and a small company in their yearly pilgrimage to Ivrin, and to the holy spring in the hills above. Finrod is haunted still by his recent discovery of the Atani's lifespans, while Balan finds he can no longer keep a confession from his lips. (read on AO3)

Part 15: Darkly the Sundering Flood

At the Pools of Ivrin, Finrod, Beren, and their ten companions rest for one final day of safety before crossing east of the Narog and setting out toward the Pass of Sirion. (read on AO3)

Part 16: No Gentler Pain

In the aftermath of their conversation at Ivrin, Finrod and Balan stumble through the new distance between them. Memory, jealousy, and the ghosts of each follow them throughout. (read on AO3)

..............................................

Bonus Material

MUSIC

The Atandil playlist: music for each installment

The tune of Gildor's song from In These Holy Waters (please pardon the poor recording quality and my voice in general)

ART

I'm still just obsessed with this gorgeous art by @morgancrystal of Balan in his fancy new tunic.

I can't stop staring at this commission from @rinthecap of Finrod hovering beneath the waters of Ivrin from In These Holy Waters. The movement of the light! His hair! Everything about this!!!

This beautiful piece from @nynevefromthelake cites Atandil as one of the inspirations and I have not been able to stop staring at it. The juxtapositions! Finrod's smile! I love everything about this.

@that-angry-noldo drew an adorable piece of Finrod and Balan watching over an injured Belen in Unfriends. They are so tender! And Finrod glows!

I've attempted a variety of art to go along with the series. You can find that both within the installments themselves as well as under #frankie draws.

BEHIND THE SCENES COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

An explanation of the logic behind the variations in thou/you throughout the series.

The reason it is a series instead of a chaptered work.

Inspiration re the ghomennin myths.

Discussing why the series has so far not included the moment Finrod finds the Atani in the woods.

The echoing circle of Finrod's relationship with the Edain.

Regarding the characterizations of Amarië and Esrid (Balan's deceased wife)

Background on Esrid and Estreth, two Atani OCs from the series.

Analysis of the realization scene from A Heady Fragrance of Honey, including the ongoing correlation between Finrod and water throughout the series.

Finrod's complicated relationship with memory, specifically how it influences his actions in In Memory Untarnished.

Unpacking Finrod and Balan's conversation about the Valar from In These Holy Waters, as well as the structure of the piece itself.

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

A perspective flip of one of the flashback scenes in Here in Our Frailty, presented from Finarfin's POV instead of Finrod's.

RELATED FICS

Atanatárissë: I highly recommend reading this one in tandem with the series as it will give a lot of helpful background regarding the Atani myths that underlie the traditions of Balan's people.

Foolishness for Thy Sake: Balan gets sick and Finrod gets worried

By Any Other Name: Finrod & Balan have a nice day.

[tolkienremix]

Silm Remix 2023 Roundup!

​Thank you to everyone who participated in the Silm Remix 2022! We’re so thrilled to have inspired so many fantastic works. Please, go forth and enjoy these marvelous creations!

~~~

Aipilosse remixed jouissant's mock your own grinning into As Hush as Death

arriviste remixed HewerOfCaves' We Live a Lie into the world to come

asterisq remixed swanmaiden's post mortem into what remains

BaccaratBlack remixed I_did_not_mean_to's Night like this into Through the Darkest Night

Brievel remixed kitkatkaylie's Light from the Dark into Dawning Light

Drag0nst0rm remixed Brievel's Nightmares into Dawn

Grundy remixed asterisq's Flashing fire - cold as ice into Smoke & Ashes

HewerOfCaves remixed BaccaratBlack's Desperation and Defeat into Maiar Hate This Simple Trick

I_did_not_mean_to remixed SpaceWall's The Second Rebellion of the Noldor into A key change

Idrils_Scribe remixed LadySternchen's Goodbyes (chapter 33) into The Lark That Rises

JazTheBard remixed TheChasm's in the breaking into Wait for the Dawn, Wish on a Star

jouissant remixed undercat's To the Land of the Forsaken into In Forsaken Lands

kitkatkaylie remixed Drag0nst0rm's Like Tomorrow Won't Arrive into Round and round and round again

LadySternchen remixed Idrils_Scribe's Shadows Laid Before the Sun into Beyond The Mists

lonelyvisitor remixed JazTheBard's You Belong Among the Wildflowers into when a flower grows wild it will always survive

maglor_my_beloved remixed reindeer_pizza's First Meetings into See this Task to its End

reindeer_pizza remixed welcoming_disaster's eggshell into Expectations

searchingforserendipity remixed maglor_my_beloved's Lilac into Love, Caution

searchingforserendipity remixed maglor_my_beloved’s The Harper into Singing Sweet Songs As They Went

SpaceWall remixed arriviste's Some brief yet hopefully instructive notes on sexual differentiation between the Eldar and the Atani, by Finrod Felagund into From the Archives: “Warmth and Kindness,” an Interview with Nerdanel Mahtaniel

starlightwalking remixed steadfastalysanne2022's In This Mad Season, I Come Undone and Her Father's Daughter into His Daughter's Father

steadfastalysanne2022 remixed searchingforserendipity's Ahead, above, across, here into here is the deepest secret nobody knows

swanmaiden remixed Aipilosse's Family Pulled From a Flood into Ebb and Flow

TheChasm remixed Ancalimë (Cymbidia)'s Breadgiver into keep it in remembrance

undercat remixed lonelyvisitor's A Mistress Of Her Own Lust into the first filament

welcoming_disaster remixed starlightwalking's a most faithful vassal into smoke signals

[elvain]

MK'S FIC MASTERPOST (tolkien edition)

hi all! as i venture into a new world of fanfic, i thought i would make a new reference post. here is my tolkien-themed ao3. please note that all my fics are locked and restricted to AO3 users only.

Chaptered Fics:

At The Heart of Time - ongoing for 42 chapters, Not Canon Compliant, Reincarnation AU, BilboThorin + focus on Durin family relationships. The fifty-seventh time that Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, came back from the dead, he realized something. Something he had never thought or known or remembered or forgotten before. Regular updates.

Forged In Amber - ongoing for 28 chapters, Canon Divergent, Post-Battle of the Five Armies, FiliSigrid. Years after the slaying of Smaug and the Battle of the Five Armies, Sigrid of Dale wakes up in a world she does not know or recognize. They tell her that Lake-town is gone, that there are Dwarves in the Mountain again, that her father is a King. But there is something they are not telling her. Something important.

Sweet Like Summer - completed at 10.2k, Canon Divergent, FrodoSam, Post-War of the Ring. As the Shire begins to blossom and come back to life, Frodo enlists the help of a Took and a Brandybuck, and embarks on a new quest: telling Samwise Gamgee how he really feels.

All Those Who Wander - completed at 14.2k, Canon Compliant, Boromir & Aragorn, Boromir & Faramir. After Boromir's death, the Fellowship continues to hold true. And so does he. (Written for LOTR20).

One-Shots:

Ride Out In The Country - completed at 2.4k words, Canon Compliant, Fluff & Humour, ÉomerLothíriel. Firefoot has had enough of Éomer and Lothíriel's bickering. So, he does something about it.

silver streams / golden hearts - completed at 2.5k words, Canon Compliant, Explicit Sexual Content, IdrilTuor. As the sea continues to call for Tuor of Gondolin, Idril Celebrindal calls him back.

Golden - completed at 4k words, Canon Divergent, Courting Rituals, BilboThorin. An insight into courting under the Mountain.

In The New Dawn - completed at 2.1k words, Canon Divergent, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Bathing, AragornÉomerImrahil. As dawn rises over Middle Earth, so must the King. But he is not alone.

My Lover's Eyes - completed at 2.6k, Canon Compliant, Bilbo & Frodo, Grief & Mourning, BilboThorin. Nobody really knew why Bilbo had taken Frodo in, in fact. But Bilbo did.

Between Two Lungs - completed at 2.7k words, Canon Compliant/Canon Non-Compliant, Hair Braiding, BilboThorin. On the road to recovery, Bilbo and Thorin discover a new path.

Just A Daydream Away - completed at 2.2k words, Canon Non-Compliant, Explicit Sexual Content, FiliSigrid. Even a Princess needs some time alone to unwind and Sigrid knows exactly what she wants to do. Or rather, whom.

the kinslayer in the woods - completed at 4.5k words, Canon Compliant, Daeron & Maglor. In his exile, Maglor has become wholly accustomed to silence. One day, that silence is broken.

The Fall of Finrod Felagund (or: The Rebuilding of Finrod Felagund) - completed at 1.4k, Canon Non-Compliant, AmariëFinrod. There is an intimacy in putting your partner back together. Bit by bit, piece by piece. Proving that you know every inch of them, broken and whole.

the lonely mountain (or, the grief of gimli) - completed at 2.1k words, Canon Compliant, GimliLegolas. After their terrors in the Mines of Moria, Gimli takes time to grieve. Legolas finds him.

one year older, one year better - completed at 4.5k words, Canon Divergent, BilboThorin. Bilbo's first birthday in Erebor does not go the way he expected. Then again, things so rarely go the way Bilbo Baggins expects them to.

[silmarillionwritersguild]

The SWG Hosts Tolkien Fanworks

Fandom creators may be looking for alternative and additional archives, in light of the multiple critiques currently being made of the OTW and AO3.

This is not intended as commentary on the many issues raised about the OTW and AO3 in recent weeks, although an unofficial position of our organization (as a small archive) has always been that it is ideal to archive your fanworks across multiple sites, and multiple options for archiving should exist. Rather, this post will provide information about who we are and the fanworks we accept so that Tolkien fanworks creators can decide if our archive is a viable option for them.

What is the SWG?

The Silmarillion Writers' Guild was founded in 2005 by @dawnfelagund, and our archive opened in 2007. Our mission is to provide an online archive and community for anyone interested in The Silmarillion that values civility and openness in discussing and making fanworks about Tolkien's legendarium. You can read the SWG's complete mission here.

We currently archive just over 5,000 fanworks by 414 creators. In addition, we offer monthly creative challenges, publish a weekly newsletter that features research by our members, maintain a reference library and beta-reader directory, compile a listing of Tolkien fandom events, and host events such as live readings, fanfiction book clubs, and collaborative creative sessions on our Discord.

What fanworks does the SWG accept?

The SWG is an archive for Silmarillion-based fanworks. We try to define the term "Silmarillion-based" as broadly and inclusively as possible so that we can welcome as many fanworks on our site as possible while maintaining our purpose as a Silmarillion group. Significant use of a source, character or character group, location, or time period featured in The Silmarillion, as long as it is not also covered in detail in The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, qualifies a work for our site. Our detailed FAQ on how we define "Silmworks" can be found here.

We accept crossover, alternate universe (AU), and multi-age fanworks, as long as a significant component meets the "Silm fanwork" definition above.

Non-Silmarillion Tolkien Fanworks. We recently added a section to our site called Beyond the Silmarillion, which accepts all fanworks based on Tolkien's writings or Tolkien-based adaptations (films, shows, games, etc.) SWG members become eligible to post in this section once they have archived five fanworks or 10,000 words with us, whichever comes first.

Types of Fanwork We Archive. The SWG currently accepts the following types of fanwork: writing (fiction, nonfiction, plays/screenplays, and poetry), artwork, audio, video, link collections, playlists, series, and multimedia fanworks that include two or more of the formats above. If you need to archive a fanwork that doesn't match any of the above, the site moderators will help you archive your work with us, if it's possible to do so. With the exception of video, we host all fanworks on our server. (Videos must be posted to a video hosting site.)

Ratings and Adult Content. We accept all ratings of fanwork. The only adult-rated fanworks we cannot accept are images or videos that include "graphic depictions of sexual activity, sexualized nudity, and any representation of an underage character in a sexual situation" because these fanworks violate the Terms of Service of our webhost.

AI-Generated Fanworks. We do not accept fanworks entirely or partially produced through prompting an AI generator. Our AI policy can be found here.

What are the conduct expectations for SWG members?

Simply put, the SWG "is a positive-focused, open-minded space." We require civility in all interactions conducted on our archive and affiliated social sites. The SWG is a moderated site and community, so we do hold our members to our expectations. You can read our complete Site Etiquette and Terms of Service here.

How is the SWG governed?

The SWG was founded and is currently run by Dawn Felagund, assisted by a team of moderators. Active moderators are Russandol, Grundy, Lyra, Saelind, and Janeways; they make the ultimate decisions concerning the archive. Other volunteers aid other tasks needed to run the site and community and may contribute to decision-making as well.

The SWG is not a democracy in that we do not hold formal elections and there are certain aspects of our mission that we are unwilling to change, even under majority preference. However, we consider member feedback as part of our decision-making process whenever possible—especially with regard to decisions on controversial or impactful issues—and some of the policies and features we've implemented over the years have come about by member request.

Members who need assistance, have a concern, or wish to make a suggestion can contact the moderators directly or use the #town-hall channel in the SWG's Discord.

We aim (and are generally able) to reply to all communications from members within twenty-four hours.

Because we are a small organization with relatively few decision makers, we can generally implement change relatively quickly. Our recent AI policy offers a good example of how governance in our group works. The issue of AI-generated fanworks was raised in a discussion among the site and Discord moderators on May 5. In this discussion, the moderators shared information and came to a consensus on how they wanted AI-generated fanworks handled on the SWG. Dawn drafted an AI policy, which was put before the other moderators for feedback on May 9. By May 13, the site admins had researched and implemented a block on AI scraper bots using all known strategies. Also on May 13, the AI policy was opened for public comment through May 26, during which time members and other interested parties shared suggestions via email with the moderators and in discussion in the #town-hall channel on Discord. During this time, the draft policy was revised twice using those suggestions. On May 28, the finalized policy was announced on the SWG's site and social networks, and relevant documents on the site were updated to reflect and link to the new policy.

How does the SWG handle racism and other attacks on groups that have been historically marginalized in fandom and beyond?

As stated in our Site Etiquette, as an organization, we recognize that fandom and the Tolkien fandom specifically has historically been and continues to be hostile to and dismissive of fans from marginalized groups, including fans who are Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC); women; LGBTQIA+; and fans with disabilities. We believe strongly that, as a fandom organization that has benefited from the status quo, we must also be part of the solution to ensure that these inequities do not persist.

Specific solutions we have implemented on our group include:

Our Site Etiquette and Terms of Service strictly forbids "[a]ttacks on other members based on personal characteristics (such as race, color, religion, ethnicity, nationality, age, sexuality, gender identity or expression, disability, or medical condition)" and states that "[a]busive or derogatory behavior will not be tolerated at any time or in any part of the SWG. We do not welcome or allow any content in our group that is designed to be hurtful or insulting." While we generally observe a three-strike policy for rule violations, "[i]f moderators feel that someone is acting deliberately to harm SWG and/or its members … we reserve the right to suspend that person's account without prior warning." Our hope with this policy is to allow members who mess up the opportunity to improve while also having the ability to remove bad actors immediately.

We currently require fanworks on our site to be correctly labeled with warnings, including fanworks that include "in-universe intolerance," such as racism, homophobia, and misogyny. Creators have the option of labeling a fanwork as "Choose Not to Warn" if they do not want to label their fanwork. Our ratings and warnings policy is here.

We maintain an inclusivity focus group that we consult on policies and issues related to inclusivity or that may have a disproportionate impact on some groups of fans. Any SWG member who is part of a group historically marginalized in fandom is welcome to join this focus group and participate when and how they feel comfortable. Any member can request the input of the inclusivity focus group on a moderator decision.

If I want to archive my work with you, what is the best way to do this?

First, review the Site Etiquette and Terms of Service, and if you believe our group is a good fit for you and your work, register for an SWG account.

A moderator will approve your account before you can begin posting or commenting on the site. We aim to approve new accounts within twenty-four hours of registration; typically, it takes much less time than that to be approved.

Once you are approved, you can begin posting your fanworks! We do ask that new members who are archiving many older works with us to backdate these fanworks and exclude them from the Most Recent list to allow creators posting new work to have that spotlight.

Questions on how to use the site, SWG policies, or how best to archive past works with us are welcome via the site's contact form, by emailing the moderators at moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org, or reaching out to the mods via any of the SWG's social media.

[melestasflight]

In June, I tackled the first part of Húrin's biography -- the years of his youth full of heroism, hope, and miraculous rescues to hidden kingdoms.

But this wouldn't be The Silmarillion if this story had a happy ending, would it? As Dawn Felagund notes, Húrin might have one of the rawest deals in a book of raw deals. So this month at the @silmarillionwritersguild we turn to last stands, dooms and curses, and questions on divine justice and vision.

Part 1: The Making of the Hero

Part 2: The Subversion of the Hero

With much thanks to @rittare whose beautiful art is featured in this article.

[polutrope]

Cirdan and childhood?

Or Celegorm and sleep?

Thanks!

For this ask meme.

Celegorm and sleep! (Though I will be thinking about Cirdan's early life now...)

So my base headcanon re: elves and sleep is that they do sleep, and sleeping is enjoyable, but they don’t need to sleep. Long periods without sleep will start to affect them, though, more or less depending on the individual. 

Celegorm is one of those elves who can go without sleep for a very long time. He just has a lot of energy reserves, and he’s constantly replenishing them with activity and feeding them with rage.  

I like to extend ‘Hasty Riser’ to refer also to how early he wakes up (got this from Dawn Felagund’s Another Man’s Cage).

He rarely sleeps more than a few hours at a time. In times of ease, the hour of the day is irrelevant to when he decides to sleep. 

He doesn’t change his clothes to sleep (other than perhaps removing most or all of them 😁)

A sleepover with Celegorm involves him getting up and rummaging around in the night, turning on lamps, muttering to himself because he does not understand that some people do not like to be woken up throughout the night. 

He will watch other people sleep and does not see anything weird about this. 

When sleeping arrangements require that they share space, he drives Curufin absolutely nuts with these habits. 

Sometimes he naps when he’s not tired because Huan wants to nap. Then he’ll sprawl out beside him on the grass or by the fire. 

Besides Huan, he does not like sharing a bed or being close to another person when he sleeps. 

In the years post-Nargothrond disaster, he stops sleeping almost at all. This worries his brothers, who (with varying degrees of compassion) counsel him to try. He does try, but he’s simmering with so much rage and spite and deeply buried regret that he cannot. As soon as he lies down, he starts thinking, and while he used to love thinking (problem-solving, innovating, etc) he hates it now because it’s a rapid spiral into debilitating emotions, so he leaps up and does something, anything, to keep his body occupied and his thoughts dead. 

[aureentuluva70]

It's Ainur week, so I thought I'd talk about the lesser acknowledged Valar, the first being Este.

Despite being one of the Valar, Este seems to play a pretty minor role in the Silmarillion. She is mentioned only a handful of times, with the most info we get on her being from the Valaquenta:

"...Este the Gentle, healer of hurts and weariness, is his [Lorien's] spouse. Grey is her raiment; and rest is her gift. She walks not by day, but sleeps upon an island in the tree-shadowed lake of Lórellin. From the founds of Irmo and Estë all those who dwell in Valinor draw refreshment; and often the Valar come themselves to Lórien and there find repose and easing of the burden of Arda."

And...that's about it. We get very little else about her, which I must admit I find curious considering just how important the theme of healing and rest often is in many of Tolkien's works.

Many of Tolkien's heroes are often healers or receive healing in some way or another. One particularly well known one is Aragorn. "The hands of a king are the hands of a healer, and thus shall the rightful king be known." It is precisely Aragorn's ability to heal others that defines him as the rightful king of Gondor.

But there are many, many other healers in Tolkien's works aside from just Aragorn. There's Elrond, Luthien, Beleg, Glorfindel, Melian...

Speaking of Melian, I find it interesting that Melian, who is a powerful maia not to mention an incredibly important character in her own right, was said to have served Este and Vana in Valinor, both of whom are often seen as unimportant or out of place amongst the Valar.

As Dawn Felagund points out in her biography of Este, "Melian's own potency and agency within the story suggests Este did more than sleep and dabble about in Lorellin. Instead, we see in her relationship with Melian her role as a teacher of other women in her arts and power. Este's role in mentoring so powerful a character as Melian implies a similar--or greater--power within Este herself, even if this implication never bears out in the text of The Silmarillion."

This seems to suggest that it's not that Este's role is insignificant, but rather that her power simply often goes about unseen. It's not something that is as dramatic and obvious as Ulmo appearing to Tuor or Tulkas taking down Melkor. It's something that is much more subtle, but no less profound and powerful. Her power and influence can rather be seen in those she teaches, who in turn teach others what Este taught them.

I doubt it is a coincidence that the powers of Este appear the most clearly in the happiest and most hopeful of the tales of the Elder Days: The Tale of Beren and Luthien. Through magic revolving around sleep and peace, Luthien-daughter of Melian-is able to accomplish deeds no other person could have done. Her skill in healing is what saves Beren multiple times throughout the story. Her magical cloak, "enmeshed with woven spells of sleep" allows her to overcome not just Sauron but allows her to lull Morgoth himself to sleep. Only by the seemingly insignificant things were these great deeds accomplished.

"Many are the strange chances of the world, and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the wise falter."

[maedhrosrussandol]

Hello! I am here asking you for Maedhros fic recs, thank you, I love you!

Hi! Thanks for the ask! One of my favorite fic topics!

So not a comprehensive list but these are some of my favorites/bookmarked on ao3!

Maitimo and Findekano by Oshun. There is a sequel as well, A New Day, that is great. Any Maedhros by Oshun is worth a read.

Another Man's Cage by Dawn Felagund. The fic that got me to start writing fic.

Nelyo by Ziggy. Short and tender.

The Ice Between by angry mermaids. Post rescue Maedhros.

To Build a House from the Ground Up by angry mermaids. A post Mandos fic.

many bookmarked by the accounts above will lead to more good ones too!

(I've written quite a few on my accounts as well. lotrfan and nelyafinwefeanarion.)

there are so many more and if any followers want to chime in with recs in the comments please do!

[sallysavestheday]

Hi, sally! Can you answer 1, 3, 18 and 20 from the spread love, please? ^^

Thanks, @ettelene! This list has been such a treat to work through. So, for a rainy Monday evening (it was for Monday morning, but we've all been suffering through the Great AO3 Outage and I wanted to be able to link):

A fanon characterisation that you love. Fëanor in @thearrogantemu's And What Happened After. He learned Westron from Frodo and made a perfect meal out of nothing right after returning from Mandos and I was in love. It just got better from there. Go read it!

One of the best takes you’ve ever seen. I love the foundling theory of origins for characters of uncertain ancestry, and two of my all-time favorites are The Storc Brought Him and related works by @thelioninmybed and @imindhowwelayinjune (a hilarious but also somehow very moving theory of Gil-galad's parentage) and dawn song by @arrivisting (the best Findrahil I've read and a tender and delightful Gildor Inglorion origin story).

Something you initially did not like but came around to. I've answered this already, but here's another: Silly, sexy Finrod. I do love a thoughtful, powerful, sorrowful, werewolf-noshing Felagund, and generally prefer that perspective on him. Nevertheless, I have fallen hard into the Finrod parody world -- sending unethical anthropologist Ingo prancing around Arda is an absolute delight.

Give kudos to someone who is a devoted fan (either of your own works or others’). Three cheers for wisteria53, who I don't think is on tumblr (if I'm wrong, please let me know where to link). A terrific cheerleader and supporter of writers, a reliable and encouraging commenter on EVERYTHING, and just all-around delightful. Thank you!

[potatoobsessed999]

First Lines

Thanks for tagging me, @zealouswerewolfcollector!!

Share the first lines of your last ten posted fics and see if there is a pattern.

-

Finrod Felagund. "Philosophic discourse regarding the enmity of Orcs with Elves." The Philosophy of Finrod Felagund. 2nd ed., edited and translated by Vardamir Nólimon, Armenelos, S.A. 130.

[Ed. note: Private papers of Finrod Felagund.

i'd have taken out your heart of flesh, put in a heart of stone

“Oh, first let pass the black, black horse, and then let pass the brown, but quickly run to the milk-white steed, pull ye his rider down.”

his knife in your back

The knife in your back.

Impossibility

Four years ago, Cousin Maedhros was swallowed by a maw-mouth during graduation.

Well-Formed One

My Edain tell a tale for every scar.

Fëanorian Bredliks

nor foe nor frend

Dreaming, Waking

I wake with my face wet and my heart hammering.

neither in dreams nor stories

I’d done my best to go away inside myself while Chernobog fought the Staryk, but when at last it dragged my broken body back through the mirror, the sheer overwhelming relief of the palace’s relative warmth shocked me to full awareness.

in the deeps of time (and amidst the innumerable stars)

When there arose life, then arose the Force; for years uncounted it sang in the spaces between all living creatures, until at last some of them began to hear it.

Dawn

They find you barefoot in the morning dew; you stand unsupported, trembling, your face held up to the dawn.

Patterns... I don't know. I suppose I like to start in media res? And if I'm not doing that then it's probably because I'm playing with format somehow.

IDK who's done it yet, but I'll no-pressure tag @jaz-the-bard, @ceescedasticity, @halfelven, and anybody else who wants to!

[thegreatzombieartisan]

Linkies for Tolkien fandom meta-readers / writers

I admittedly always felt somewhat uncomfortable reading The Silmarillion because of its inherent bias. C’mon, how does an Elf know what Morgoth thought at X moment??

Dawn “Felagund” Walls-Thumma is a Tolkien researcher-expert who has studied biases of Tolkien’s narrators as well as inspired fanwork. What’s unique is her insights have with an inductive sociological lens. Complex thoughtful-provoking yet digestible insights. Enjoy!

Thus Wrote Pendgoloh: Historical Bias, Its Evidence, and Its Implications in The Silmarillion. Quantified insights about what may or may not have gone down in the tales.

Elendil, You Insufferable Lying Bastard. Pretty straightforward. Bias and the Akallabêth tale aka Numenor’s downfall. All in tidy chronological order.

Sauron. Not Dawn Felagund but nonetheless a smart essay with a complex lens of him during the rings of power and Numenor affairs. Her theory about he and Celebrimbor’s friendship — yes, friendship— is particularly intriguing.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, March 3rd - Monday, March 4th

WESLEY: This world must be a terrible disappointment to you. ILLYRIA: Grievous. WESLEY: I'm not too impressed with it myself.

~~Underneath~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

On the Other Paw by madimpossibledreamer (Assassin's Creed crossover, pre-Shaun/Xander, Teen)

The Fire Within by veronyxk84 (Spike, Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Cure-All by veronyxk84 (Spike, Giles, PG-13)

Присоединяйся and other Buffy/Angel ficlets posted by B_E_S (G and T ratings, in Russian)

Helen of Troy - 1753 by Empire_of_the_Words (Angel/Darla, T)

love on the weekend by threefourtango (Giles/Jenny, Explicit)

Those Left Behind by Luna_delCielo (LotR and Silmarillion crossover, Buffy/Finrod Felagund, G)

Immaculate by vampbrat (Spike/Angelus, M)

Redemption Act by NAOA (Faith, T)

Mending Words and Making Mistakes by NAOA (Giles & Wesley, Roger Wyndam-Pryce, G)

Hidden Princess by Vathara (Sengoku Nights crossover, Buffy, T)

Meeting The by Evil_Little_Dog (Buffy, Connor, Angel/Buffy, Angel/Darla, G)

Love in Chains by Pinkperson (Buffy/Angel, T)

Calling by Coraniaid (Buffy/Faith, T)

historians by softestbutch (Buffy/Faith, T)

Better Than Good by MadeInGold (Angel/Oz, G)

Une Question De Point De Vue by PtiteMac (Buffy/Giles, T, in French)

Untitled Spike x reader story by evieelyzabethh (not rated, cw blood and blood loss)

From Wrecked to Gone by Lilacsandorangeblossoms (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Horrible day by Lilacsandorangeblossoms (Buffy/Spike, R)

Fortune Cookie Epiphany by Slaymesoftly (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Untitled Giles drabble (Giles glanced at Willow's laptop...) by NotASlayer (not rated - T?)

[Chaptered Fiction]

The Dawnster Drabbles - Chapter 1-4 by Passion4Spike (Dawn, Buffy/Spike, T)

A Slice of Cherry Blossoms - Chapter 1-4 (COMPLETE!) by MCorey1317 (Buffy/Angel, Explicit)

In Your Dreams, Ch. 1 by Geliot99 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Tales of the Sea, Ch. 1-2 by DeamonQueen (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Two new story banners by veronyxk84 (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Drawings: cordy n angel both have tattoos…. by artsying-ifer (worksafe)

Drawings: Buffy, Willow, Tara, Spike, Angel by baleful-blurbs (worksafe)

Spike by mintcakeart (worksafe)

Faith gifset by andremichaux (worksafe, some blood)

A newly Illyriad Wes by genericaces (worksafe)

Manip: “Someone You Loved” by itslilahhere (Wesley/Lilah, possibly NSFW)

Willow meme manip by spar1axkilla (worksafe)

the season 6 promo is the most badass thing ever so I had to paint a rendition of it by jamieejamss (Buffy, worksafe)

[Reviews & Recaps]

Hush by st-just, centrally-unplanned

Halloween by inconsistentlywrittensoul

Season 1 Rewatch The Witch by spuffybot

Buffy Season 1 Rewatch Teachers Pet by spuffybot

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) Whedon's Version - Part 1/3: Changes to the Script and Story by sunnydalestudies

what a shit job season 7 did of building the tension by angelthemanspanker

Controversial opinion - The Body is overrated (cont'd) by thetopher, Plasma

I’m sure this has been asked before, but who’s got your vote for best actor and why? by funishin

Lessons S7 E1 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast) - Lisa Lilly

Episode 18 - Moonshine, a Sloe Gin Fizz, and Shoes (Reptile Boy) | The Sunnydale Diaries - A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast

[Recs & In Search Of]

mklauber is looking for a specific fanfic (Xander takes Buffy to a cabin to detox from drugs)

[Fandom Discussions]

i could fix connor ats by all-seeing-ifer, justafriendofxanders, greensword101

Spike’s curly hair in late season 5/early season 6 shouldn’t have been because... by aphony-cree

The perfect job for Buffy is firefighter by aphony-cree

the little bits of accidental world-building related foreshadowing by coraniaid

Re: do you know if Dawn is ever brought up on Angel? etc. by coraniaid

The only thing more powerful than the Buffy writers’ reluctance to give screentime to a woman over the age of thirty... by coraniaid

1 of the many things that I love about The Gentlemen by spidey-loving-starkid

[the scoobies putting up the dozens of potentials in buffy's house is so funny. do they know angel lives in an empty hotel] by angelthemanspanker

I like how Illyria used it pronouns before it got reborn in Fred by angelthemanspanker

Further buffy s7/angel s4 crossover thoughts (what would be the last straw for Angel's hospitality?) by angelthemanspanker and justafriendofxanders

btvsverse characters mario kart choices (real) by buffysbitca

Re: I always got the impression Illyria was a he/him in their original god king form... by genericaces

Drawings and thoughts about a s5 au: Lindsey bonding with Gunn by genericaces

Get yourself a Pike by hare-majesteit-aurelius

Gunn was mandated by the Network (cont'd) by Kendar, Plasma, AlphaFoxtrot

Willow's revenge by The Whirlwind and others

Are there any vampires besides Spike who would ever seek out a soul? by The Whirlwind, Stoney, vampmogs and others

Would this be a better or worse way of handling Connor in your opinion? by Capital-Shake-313

Religion in Buffy by Cha0sCat and others

If Buffy had aired on a network like HBO, which scene(s) do you think would be darker in tone or more graphic? by funishin

When is each character at their best appearance (hair style, dress, etc.)? by jonaskoelker

Plan for Spike by Icy-Morning6813

Tell me your favorite wholesome moment! by Sudden-Star-7190

Hellmouths not on Earth? by DifficultRice7075

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Did anyone else notice that Buffy and Angel are on Disney+ in the U.S. now? via eddyx

Luke Perry and the Untold History of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ | Vanity Fair

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