#dwarves the hobbit

[theblogofdurin]

Cloaked in Green || Pt.2 || Chp. 23: Plans go awry.

word count: 2.7k

summary: Aranea and Bilbo plan and perform a hast to release their fellow dwarven company.

warning(s): Sword fighting, orcs, mentions of death and bile, cursing, kili gets hurt

a/n: don't forget to like and comment and tell me what you liked about the story so far and what you think I could fix in my writing. I am always open to bettering myself.

Bold = black speech

Thorin Oakenshield,Fem!OC

Links: series masterlist, chp.22, reader guide

--

Bilbo wasn’t sure how he was supposed to do this.

Lets lay all this out, the dwarves are locked up somewhere around in this vast hive of wooden halls and here he was running around trying to figure a way to get them out…after he finds the jail of course. 

Walking down a flight of stairs, Bilbo was even more turned around once he realized that he was in the bloodly wine cellar.

“Galion, you old rogue, we're running out of drink!"  The poor halfing came out of his skin as he heard the voices behind him. Running around the tall pillar, panting out of fear.

“These empty barrels should have been sent back to Esgaroth hours ago." The one voice continued. "The bargeman will be waiting for them."

“Say what you like about our ill-tempered king.” Another voice spoke almost wistfully, “He has excellent taste in wine. Come, Elros, try it.” 

“I have the Dwarves, in my charge.” the other groaned, causing Bilbo to peer around the wooden pillar. There were only 2 of them Bilbo noted. 

“They're locked up.” the elf holding a large bottle of what Bilbo guessed as wine, laughed as he plucked the large set of keys from the other elf's hand. 

Keys! Bilbo practically vibrated and jumped as he watched the guard latch on a hook on the wall near the staircase. That was the way to release the others!

“Where can they go?" The Elves laughed together as they moved over to the large table in the far corner of the cellar. 

It wasn’t long after, that the elves drank themselves asleep. Behind the pillar, Bilbo shook his head, as he climbed back up the stairs to reach over to unhook the keys from the wall. Elves clearly did not have the acquired experience that Hobbits and-

“Woah!”

“Umph"

A large body just knocked him down the stairs. Hitting the floor, the person who knocked him down apparently did not see him completely reappear as the ring loosed off his finger. Just looking down in time to miss the illusion. 

“Bilbo??”

“Aranea!?" 

"Shhh" the woman shushed as she pulled the halfing around the corner again. 

“What are you doing here?" Bilbo whispered as the woman crouched in front of him. Looking frantically at the snoring guards "How did you find us?"

“I found this” Aranea held up Bofur’s tobacco pouch, pulling it from her pocket. “Surrounded by dead spiders with woodland arrows. I figured King Thranduil would pull a stunt but this is ridiculous.” she scoffed with a deep breath as she tucked it back into her vest.

“Now how did you not get captured?” she turned on the hobbits hands gripping his shoulders as she searched over him from his wounds. "and how did you get in?"

“I’m…" he hesitated, causing Aranea to raise an eyebrow"...a burglar?” he grinned cheekily, saving himself. 

Aranea with another eye roll and scoffed,  “Alright Mister Burglar, do you have a plan to get the others out? Cause I might have something.”

"I'll wager the sun is on the rise." A sigh came from Bofur's cell. "Must be nearly dawn." he sighed again. 

"We're never gonna reach the mountain, are we?" Ori whined slightly, leaning on Dori’s shoulder.

"Not stuck in here, you're not." A quick voice came from around the corner of Thorin’s cell. 

"Bilbo" Thorin breathed, running to the doors of cells to look as the hobbit fiddled his keys, ramming each one in till he found the right one. 

"What?" Fili asked from down the hall.

"Bilbo!" Balin yelled as he looked over the pathway.

"Bilbo!?" More voice choruses, as Bilbo finally opened Thorin's door. 

"Shh! There are guards nearby!". The halfing whispered hurryingly 

"Ahaha" Dwalin laughed as Bilbo came to his cell next. Reaching through the bars to pat the him on his shoulder. Finally finding the order of the Keys, the halfing began running to each of the cells, opening the next one faster the next. 

"Close the door." Thorin ordered, "It'll buy us more time." 

"Up the stairs!" Balin gestured as Bilbo opened the last cell, Bifur's and Bombur's. 

"Not that way." Bilbo whispered and yelled again, "Down here. Follow me." He gestured to the direction he came from, down the stairs.

"Go, go." The others immediately followed. Whispering in glee and stress as they walked down the various paths and stairs. "Easy now."

"This way." Bilbo proceeds to lead the dwarves to the cellars, where Aranea directed him. They whisper indistinctly. The elves there are sound asleep around a table; with several more empty bottles of wine around them then Bilbo remembered them drinking, he finally leads the dwarves further in.

"I don't believe it." Kili gasped "We're in the cellars!" He whispered yelled.

"You were supposed to be leading us out!" Dwalin growled "-not further in!"

"I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo tried to reassure them. "Shh!"

They sneak into a large room adjacent to the passed out elves, in which several barrels are stacked sideways down the middle of the room. 

"This way!" Bilbo gestured, pulling the dwarves deeper into the room pointing at the ends of the barrels "Everyone...climb into the barrels quickly."

"Are you mad?" Dwalin growls again, getting more frustrated with the hobbit. "They'll find us."

"No, no. They won't, I promise you. " Bilbo waves his hands, promisingly," Please, please. You MUST trust me" He glanced over at Thorin next to him. 

Thorin thinks for a minute, the other watching as he finally nods. "Do as he says."

Groaning, each of the dwarves climbs into a barrel. Pushing and shoving each other in. 

"Move your big ginger head." A curse leaves Bombur as Balin climbs up the barrels, placing a heavy boot on his nose. 

"Bifur, get in...the barrel! Move!" Bofur pushed his brother in the barrel before climbing into the one next to it.

Bilbo walks along, counting to make sure all the dwarves have been accounted for.

"10, 11, 12, 13."

"Everyone's in." Bofur stated as he looked out his barrel. 

"What do we do now?" Gloin asked and the others popped their heads out of the barrels to look over at the hobbit.

"Hold your breath." Bilbo shrugged before walking to the end of the platform, turning around to face them as he reached the leaver.

"Hold my breath?" Gloin asked, gruffly, "What do you mean?"

Bilbo pulls the lever, and the part of the floor that the barrels were on tilts downward into an opening. Each of the barrels rolls out the opening and falls several feet into a river that runs beneath.

 The dwarves yell and curse as they fall, the barrels make loud thumping noises as the platform swings back up, closing the entrance. Bilbo triumphantly looks around. 

"Huh she was right." He chuckled wiping the dust off his hands. "Just like Bobbers." He shook his head as his placed his hands on his hips, still chuckling lightly.

"Where is the Keeper of the Keys?" The loud voice of the she-elf, caused Bilbo to frantically back up then back down as he frantically looked around for a hiding spot.

But as he does, the trapdoor opens again with his weight on the edge. Dropping him straight down into the river below, telling as he fell.

Surfacing, spitting a stream of water, he paddles clumsily towards the closet barrel. Nori, holding out a hand, pulls him up to hold onto the edge of the wooden barrel. 

From the front, all of them still in their barrels, Thorin shouts "Well done, Master Baggins."

Half-drowned Bilbo waves a dismissive hand, barely managing to sputter "Go!"

Nodding, Thorin turns, " Come on, let's go!"

The dwarves paddle with their hands as the river pulls their barrels along. Swimming the short cave as they finally emerged into the sunlight. Wide eyed, Thorin looks to see a waterfall right in front of them.

"Hold on!"

The dwarves, Bilbo, and the barrels plunge through the rapids, then float swiftly down the raging river.

 "Bilbo!" Nori shouts "Hang on!" He pulled on the hobbit. 

As the dwarves round a corner in the river, a loud horn blows, causing Thorin to glance further up to see a guard post built above the river.  

The heavily armored elves standing guard there hear the horn and come to attention; one of them pulls a lever, causing a heavy metal, crossbar gate to block the river. 

The dwarves in their barrels come to a stop at the gate, unable to float further.

"No!" Thorin yells as the barrels pile into each other. The elven guards draw their swords, but one is suddenly shot in the back with a black arrow, falling into the water.

Several growling orcs swarm over the guard post, killing the elven guards. Multitudes of orcs run in from the bushes following behind them a dark voice growling loudly. 

"Slay them all!" Bolg pointed to the rest of the orcs. Who began throwing themselves at the dwarves in their barrels. Bilbo, stuck in between Nori and Bifur's barrels, manages to reach up and kill one with Sting as Dwalin elbows another in the face. 

Kili looks up and sees the lever the elf had pulled earlier. Making quick work, He manages to get out of his barrel and runs up the stairs toward the lever. Unarmed, he ducks and jumps as several orcs swing at him. Grabbing one of their arms he twists and flings it straight into the water. 

“Kili!” Dwalin, who had somehow managed to grab a sword from one of the orcs, throws it to Kili, who then fights his way to the top of the stairs. 

As Kili fights an orc, another one leaps up from behind him, raising its spear to stab him. Fili throws an orc dagger and kills it. 

Bolg, noticing Kili, pulls his bow and arrows from his back. As Kili reaches for the lever, Bolg fires, hitting Kili in the calf. 

“Kili!” Fili frantically begins yelling for his brother. 

Kili groans in pain and strains to pull the lever, but falls over onto his back. Bolg strings another arrow. Thorin looks shocked from his position under the stone gate. “Kili.” he breathes.

An orc leaps over to kill Kili, but an arrow suddenly flies into its head. Kili looks over and sees Aranea running throughout the bushes. She shoots another orc, pulling her bow over her head and pulling out her sword. Slicing and killing another one as she runs up to the gate. 

Several of the dwarves shouted as they saw their companion. 

"Aranea!" Ori yelled, swinging a hand up as she promptly killed another orc. Still stuck under the bridge, Thorin eyes widen even more with the shouts of the others.

Bolg growled again, spit and bile flying out of his mouth in anger "Kill her!" He exclaimed even louder than before. "Kill the Isildur Heir!!"

Kicking a smaller Orc over the bridge, panting Aranea looked over at the Orc, wide eyed. "Impossible." She whispered. 

Several more orcs rush at Aranea. Swinging and sowing, she manages to kill many of her attackers.

With a shout, Aranea turns just in time to see a blonde elf and several other elves appear from the bushes and shoot the rest of them down. But more just kept coming.

As a red-haired she-elf and the blonde male, and Aranea along with the other elves fight the orcs, Kili manages to grab the lever and pull it, opening the sluice and letting the rest of company and their barrels through. 

He then falls on his back again in pain. Bolg sees them. "After them!

 “Kili!” Fili yelled again as his barrel began to move. Kili manages to slide himself off the ledge and into his empty barrel below. As he lands in it, the shaft of the arrow in his leg breaks off on the edge of the barrel.

The she-elf distractedly looks over at him and is attacked by an orc, but Aranea manages to slice the orc straight down its shoulder. It screaming as she shoved it over the edge and into the water. The two women share a look, a silent understanding passing before they overcome with more Orcs.

The remaining dwarves and Bilbo plunge over the waterfall and continue floating down the rushing river.

The dwarves try to paddle and steer with their hands, but to no avail; the river is running too wild. As they come to a narrow part of the river, orcs on either side begin shooting more arrows at them. 

Meanwhile, back at the guard post, she-elf and Aranea continue fighting orcs. Legolas leaps to the top of the guard post as well. Glancing curious at the unknown woman momentarily.

 After the post was almost cleared, Aranea immediately sprinted after the dwarves. Pulling at her bow again to shoot at the orcs as she ran along the bank of the river.

Tauriel, Legolas, and the other elves run after her and the orcs chasing the dwarves, shooting at the orcs. 

An orc jumps from an overhanging tree branch toward Balin, but Thorin throws his sword and pins the orc to the tree; as the orc drops its weapon, Thorin catches it while floating beneath him, and he throws back to Bombur, who throws it to Nori, who throws it to Fili, who plunged an orc with it. Another orc leaps onto Dwalin barrel, only for Dwalin to headbutt it off with a grunt and steal its ax. 

The dwarves see a low-hanging tree branch stretched across the river in front of them, with several orcs on it.

 “Cut the log!” Thorin yells from the front. As he floats under it, He hits it with his sword, then Bofur hits it with his weapon, and Dwalin, right behind him, hits the branch with his ax, breaking it and causing the orcs on it to fall into the river. Bilbo manages to climb atop a floating barrel.

 “Bombur!” Dwalin throws his ax to Bombur, who kills an orc that had just jumped onto his barrel. The Orc’s spear ends up pinning it to an overhanging tree branch; the other end of the spear catches onto Bombur’s barrel and catapults it through the air and onto the left riverbank, where the barrel rolls and tramples multitudes of orcs. 

The barrel flips through the air to the other side of the river, where it tramples more orcs. 

Eventually, the barrel comes to a stop, and orcs surround it; however, Bombur kicks out the bottom, then sticks his arms holding axes through the sides. He then starts spinning rapidly with the axes extended, mowing down all the orcs around him. Pieces of orc and wood flying through the air around.

Cleared enough from his barrel, He then runs toward the river, tosses his ax to one of the floating dwarves, as he gracefully jumps into an empty barrel.

Meanwhile, Aranea has caught up with the dwarves. Jumping over a log, she shoots at an Orc in mid jump over Bifur.

Legolas, Tauriel, and the other elves have caught up to the dwarves and orcs, shooting and lunging at the orcs. 

At one point, Legolas leaps over the river and lands with a foot on the heads of Dori and Oin from this vantage point, he shoots orcs on either riverbank. He aims carefully, and manages to skewer two orcs through the head with one arrow. 

Legolas still using the heads of floating dwarves as stepping stones to get across the river, leaps up to the large hill on the far side of the bank. Pulling at his double blades, as he lunged and swung at another orc.

Completely missing the other orc behind him, Quietly the orc raises its sword.

Thorin, from his barrel in the river, throws his sword and manages to kill the orc behind Legolas, giving him enough time to side kick the other orc off over the cliff.

Bilbo, still floating on the side over the barrel, hits a rock tipping his barrel over and plopping him inside. Just as he sticks his head over the edge, Aranea yells out a warning "Bilbo!" 

Causing the hobbit to look up as the lady jumps from an overhanging branch into his barrel. 

Legolas and Thorin look at each other with some sort of understanding; Legolas stops pursuing them as the dwarves continue floating down the river. 

Looking around as he judges that the air was clear of orcs, as he continues to watch the dwarves and the strange woman float away. Who was she? And why did the dwarf save him? An orc draws its bow and aims at him; it shoots, but its arrow is suddenly deflected in the air by Tauriel’s own arrow. 

As Legolas spins around in surprise, Tauriel attacks the orc and forces it to its knees. Just before she can decapitate it with her knives. He stops her.

"Leave that one alive."

--

taglist still open! @lokigirlszendaya ​@caelum-the-part-time-nihilist @emrfangirl ​ ​ @lathalea ​ ​ @hr-nm-grnd-zr ​ ​ @markosgirl ​ ​ @demigoddesofchimichangagod ​ ​ @imaginesfire ​ ​ @kaysteahouse ​ ​ @tamnight ​ ​ @mithrandirssidehoe ​ ​ @panhoeofmanyfandoms @petrelrose @irisv-x ​ ​ @fandoms4everyone ​ ​ @Leabeiersdorf07 @nunyobuisness ​ ​ @fallinloveinoctober ​ ​ @mysterypotatoink ​ ​ @whore-of-many-hot-men ​ ​ @generalgoldfishldrm ​ ​ @thevanillahorizon ​@cloudcatchingstark @wolfers-stuff @depressedemo-152 @triffidgurl @nessarosefiction

[maedictus]

A couple of Thorin drawings

[s-u-w-i]

Thorin and Company collab with @chechula for our 2025 calendar! ✨🎺🎻🥁 My sketches, her lines. Thorin, Bilbo, Kili, Fili, Bifur, Oin

[imlcdrcs]

It has been said time and time again, and I will continue the topic and say it again myself; the representation of healthy masculinity within lotr is by far one of the best I have ever seen in any work of fiction. so many of the men within middle-earth show love to one another openly and without hesitant, they cry, they express grief, fear, and worry openly and without shame, they feel and show heavy emotions, they express their struggles openly and in a healthy manner, they admit defeat and express their wrongdoings, seeking to do better, they do not tell one another to "man up" or to hide their feelings, they embrace it and are open about it, many dress in ways that are highly elegant and pretty, many wear their hair long and flowing, adorned with glorious jewels and gorgeous braids, not once ever fearing if this somehow makes them less of a man for embracing these attributes, they kiss their loved ones, they embrace them within their arms whether it be in the form of a hug or a cuddle, they nurture and heal their injured, they fight for what they believe in and those that they love, all while remaining soft, albeit strong. their masculinity isn't fragile, demeaning, toxic, or aggressive; it is gentle, nurturing, protective, strong, caring, open, and vulnerable. This is what healthy masculinity is. This is what masculinity should be. These men do not fear or hate their gentleness, vulnerability, emotions, or affection; they fear and fight only what threatens to take away just that.

[mrkida-art]

Young dwarf Thorin

[mathelaw]

sharing my favorite type of cultural misunderstanding that i barely see between these two

[shurikthereject]

Thorin with a golden harp.

This painting was something! The sudden want to draw Thorin playing his harp was too strong to just make a doodle out of it and leave it in my sketchbook. It has been a while since I've done fully rendered paintings and I'm very proud at how it turned out.

[fanartka]

Thorin with Kili

[theblogofdurin]

Cloaked in Green || Pt.2 || Chp.21: One of a number

word count: 1.9k

summary: the shadow is being unveiled.

warning(s): mentions of darkness, mentions of misogyny.

a/n: We're getting there people! please Like! Comment! and Reblog! to let me know how you all are liking this series so far!!

Thorin Oakenshield, Fem!Oc reader

Links: readers guide, series masterlist, chp.20

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They pushed on.

Aranea and Gandalf rode for 2 full day’s before they finally made it to the High Fells. As both of them dismounted, Aranea looked around puzzled.

"This way." She gestured to the wizard after she finished tying her horse to a small pine tree. The deep green grass providing a healthy meal to the stressed mare.

Walking up the small hill, was when Aranea finally spotted what she was looking for.

"Ragorn!" She yelled, scaring the lean general. Beside him was 3 other plainly dressed men, each of them jumping up from their position. Drawing their weapons before their general with wide eyes realized who was speaking to him. The Dúnedain smiled, gesturing to his men as he resheathed his sword.

"My Lady." He proudly stated, hand resting on his chest as he bowed slightly at Aranea. All the men stiffened and nervously replied the same. Never having met her before, they were clueless on how to perform in front of her. Bowing back, as they approached Aranea gestured to the field around them. "Where is everyone?" She questioned with a stiff brow.

"Evening march." Ragorm explained smugly, "it's a customary-"

"Customary Marches did not fall under stationery guards." Aranea questioned. Ragorn smiled.

"Yes, My lady but-"

"Did Halthron tell you anything about why I stationed you here?" Gandalf had to glance at Aranea, the tone she used was not one who was used to hearing from his friend.

Ragorn stiffened as he glanced nervously between the wizard and her. "Well he…he mentioned that ther- there was tracks and-"

"And you thought that 4 men could protect the Fells." Aranea spoked, "There were originally 18 stationed here before the tracks even appeared." Nodding, Ragorn continued stuttering, "Ye-Yes, my lady."

"So you still decided to break protocol. I may be a lady, General but I know what goes on during these marches and I won't hesitate to strip both you and Elfmond of your commands. If I hear of either abandoning your posts again, Am I clear?"

"Yes, Ma'm" Ragorn answered clearly with a swallow. Sighing Aranea, glanced over at the 3 other young men, who had their head low to their chest, staring at the ground. She shook her head as she spoke softer.

"You all are not in trouble." All of the men looked up at her. "The world is changing and new enemies are coming forward. " She gestured at the small group. "You all can not protect yourselves and do your duty at the same time. It's why I order for 2 companies to be stationed here. "

Nodding Ragorn bowed deeply again as he pressed a hand hard over his chest above his heart. "You are most gracious, Lady Aranea."

"I understand the misunderstanding, Ragorn. '' Aranea placed a calm hand on his shoulder, as she gestured for Gandalf to head up the larger hill to the left. "However-" she spoke slowly and hard as she looked at the 3 other rangers. "My Brother is not as forgiving as I and if he heard of any of you breaking orders in a state of emergency again.."

"We won't." Ragorn bowed again, and with a glance, Aranea left them, catching up with the wizard up the steep hill. Reaching him just as he was starting up a treacherous looking staircase up the sides of a massive cobblestone structure.

"The Men of the time were sure not to make this easy." Aranea giggled as Gandalf stumbled slightly into the wall of the building. "Every 15th step is a false-" she started just as Gandalf stepped on the trap step, causing him to stumble up to the next step.

Catching himself, he slowly turned to look down at the red faced woman. "I see that." He stated with an eye roll before walking back up the stairs. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me too late?"

Aranea nodded her head before realizing he wasn't looking at her. "Once we enter you might want to hold onto the walls, There is a long slope down to the entrance of the cavern."

Gandalf nodded, "Great to know."

After a couple beats of silence, the wizard broke the silence. “I never heard you take command like that before.” he looked over at her. “It was impressive.”

Letting a small smile rest on her face for a second, before a twinge of sadness rolled on her face, Aranea replied almost starkly “I’m a woman, Gandalf though I might not always act like one. I have to try harder than my brother to get orders across.”

There was a pause in Gandalf’s steps, “You are an impressive Lady, Aranea.” Gandalf turned with a hand still firmly pressed to the wall of the building to keep his balance. “Anyone can see that.”

“Don’t let the actions of others taint your confidence in yourself.” his eyes twinkled at her softly before he turned to walk back up the stairs.

Aranea nodded as she took in his words. “It's not my confidence that is faulty.” she whispered to herself quietly, and despite her silent wishes he heard her.

Upon sliding down the small slope to look down the vast darkness, Gandalf muttered into his staff crystal, causing a bright light to release from its tip. Peering over him with her torch to look down the cavern, Aranea's breath stopped.

"Gandalf…those bars shouldn't be open like that." One after the other, the metal cages securing the bodies in their tomb were blown out from within. Gandalf reached a hand behind him to try and calm the Ranger. "We still have to check inside, there still is a chance of this being the work of robbers."

"On all nine?" Eyebrows furrowed and adjusted her footing on the slippery rocks. "You can never know." Gandalf twitched slightly.

She tilted her head, that's a fair reason, she agreed but highly unlikely. When building this fortress, the men of the time made sure it was a near impossible task to both enter and exit. A robber would only be lost.

Ignoring her thoughts, and with a nod of her chin towards the bottom of the pit, she all but spat. "He's in the last one."

Gandalf then gestured to the one above the rest and closest to the top. "Do you know the order of the rest?"

Aranea shook her head, swallowing. "Not completely." She took another breath, glancing behind them, "Let's get this done."

"I'll lead." Carefully walking the tight ramp of the tower, Gandalf carefully worked the way down, his hands catching him against the wall. Aranea followed behind with a tight grip on her torch. Inching their way slowly, the pair finally made it to the first burial chamber.

Entering first, the grey wizard carefully pulled away at the thick cobwebs, revealing the broken stone. Sharing a look with Aranea as she entered, Gandalf swallowed hard before he bent over slightly to look into the dark case.

Chirp!

A small bird shot out of the empty coffin. Screeching, Aranea ducked as the bird headed straight for her head.

"Oh, it's you!" Gandalf sighed, taking a breath, as he saw the bird land in the brown wizard's hair.

Aranea scoffed, running a hand through her hair and she stood back up from the floor. "Damn wizards"

Radagast ignored them, shoving his hat back on his head. "Why am I here, Gandalf?"

"Trust me, Radagast. I would not have called you here without good reason." Gandalf reasoned, still looking through the broken case.

"This is not a nice place to meet." Aranea let out a snort, as she maneuvered around him.

“No. It is not.” Gandalf nodded his agreement.

“These are dark spells, Gandalf. Old and full of hate.” Radagast shivered as he peeked over his friend’s shoulder “Who's buried here?”

“The Undying, is what they called him.” Aranea answered, from the entrance, Radagast and Gandalf both spun around to look at her. “It’s said that he was the last to succumb to the wasting powers that eventually swallowed him.”

Radagast's head snapped up and questioned Gandalf, wide eyed and frazzled.

“If he had another name, it's long since been lost.” she growled, turning her head she waved her torch over the darkness of the cavern, lighting up the other eight broken chambers.

“I must go speak with my men.” Aranea breathed, “Aragorn needs to know this immediately. Elfmond and Ragorn have been guarding nothing.” she bolted up the slopes as Radagast and Gandalf both followed slowly.

“Why now, Gandalf?” Ragagast questioned, “ I don't understand.”

“The Ringwraiths-” Gandalf resigned “-have been summoned to Dol Guldur.”

“But it cannot be the Necromancer.” Radgast pointed out, “A human sorcerer could not summon such evil.”

Gandalf turned to look at him as they stopped at the exit “Who said it was human?” Radagast gasped as Gandalf turned back to head down the treacherous staircase outside, “The Nine only answer to one master. We've been blind, Radagast. And in our blindness…the Enemy has returned.”

“Sauron.” Radagast murmured, walking straighter

“He is summoning his servants.” Gandalf nodded as he continued. “Azog the Defiler...is no ordinary hunter.” They now reached the bottom of the fortress. Looking over the cliff edge.

“He is a commander… A commander of legions. The Enemy is preparing for war.”

Running up to the pair, Aranea looked frustrated . “The tracks pointed directly to Dol Guldor, 2 moon cycles ago.”

“It will begin in the East. His mind is set upon that mountain.” Gandalf rubbed a shaking hand over his beard.

“We must warn them!” Aranea exclaimed “ Thorin and the others know nothing of this.” Nodding, Gandalf and Aranea both started down the long path.

“Where are you going?” Radagast asked, confused.

Gandalf only answered him over his shoulder “To rejoin the others.”

“Gandalf.” Interrupting him, Gandalf turned to look at him, “I started this. I cannot forsake them.”

“They are in grave danger, Radagast.” Aranea added, looking back at their horses only a few feet away.

“If what you say is true.” The Brown Wizard spoke plainly,”-the world is in grave danger. The power in that fortress will only grow stronger.”

“You want me to cast my friends aside?” Gandalf asked slowly, non believing.

“You're not casting them aside.” Aranea thought out loud. “I can go warn them. Radagast is right. If the enemy is preparing for war, we need to know what we are up against.

Thinking for a second, Gandalf bit his lip as he looked between the two, Aranea was basically bouncing her feet, wanting nothing more than to rush towards the others. Finally, “I'll meet you at the mountain.” Gandalf pointed his staff at her, “You should be able to make it before Durin's day.”

Nodding, Aranea rushed down the small hill towards her horse, quickly untying it as Gandalf and Radagast came up behind her. “Do not let them enter that mountain without me.” Gandalf shoved a finger at her as she mounted her mare.

"Good luck Gandalf."

With nods, Aranea parted from the two wizards. Taking off in the direction of the others.

.

---

NEXT>

The Nazgûl were they, the Ringwraiths. The Enemy's most terrible servants;darkness went with them, and they cried with the voices of death."

― "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"

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[thesummerestsolstice]

Only the elves really see Elrond as "half-elven." They focus, of course, on who he is in relation to them. He's sort-of an elf– enough that they can accept him into their society, but not enough to erase his differences. They understand the different parts of him– his propensity to get sick, his elvish-sharp hearing, his need for sleep, his immortality– as "elvish" or "not-elvish." And while they can be rather condescending about anything they see as "not-elvish," they aren't usually very curious.

Most men regard Elrond vaguely as a fae being. This isn't unique to him– much of Middle-Earth's changling and fairy stories were built on the strange human-and-not-human nature of half-elves. Of course, different humans regard them very differently– sometimes with respect, even reverence, believing that "fairies" are beings of great wisdom and knowledge. Others see them with suspicion and fear, viewing them as sources of danger and deception.

To the Numenorians, Elrond is just one of them– a kind of "immortal man." He is like them in several key ways– he gets ill, he needs sleep, he regards the passage of time in a very "human" way. More importantly, he is their kin, a living remnant and reminder of both their mythical founder and non-human blood they share. He acts as a healer and counselor when they need him. This is all well and good until some of them start thinking that if Elrond could make the choice to be immortal, surely they should be able to as well.

The dwarves see Elrond as an elf. They absolutely do not care enough to tell the difference between him and the others. He's immortal, he's always with a bunch of elves. He's an elf.

The Maiar do not really understand what Elrond is, and have kind of defaulting to seeing him as one of them but like, small. Look, they're all uncounted thousands of years old, he's a child to them. They dote on him and think he's adorable, but sometimes forget that he's also part-elf and part-human, and can't just drop his physical form whenever he likes to go be a disembodied spirit in the clouds. Gandalf encourages all their antics. Elrond is working on it.

(Contrary to popular belief, the average hobbit does not have any kind of opinion on Elrond Peredhel. Bilbo Baggins, who lives in his house and has written several long, extremely personal ballads about his family history, is a statistical outlier and should not have been counted.)

[s-u-w-i]

Lonely Mountain and a few more dwarfs, collab with @chechula 🐉🥁 Also for the 2025 calendar.

[ally-holmes]

I'm quite happy with this. Happy enough to share it with you guys. Hope you like it.

[mrkida-art]

A redesign of Thorin Oakenshield

[desolationofurmum]

Just reread The Hobbit 😩 and I stand by my opinion:

📣 Bilbo would have stayed in Erebor if Thorin didn’t die 📣

[must-be-mr-boggins]

Life Hack: Romanticize leaving your house by playing the LOTR soundtrack and pretending you’re going on a noble quest for the good of Middle Earth instead of going to class or to the grocery store to get eggs.

[ghosthostty]