#fallohides

[freebee303]

Yavanna didn’t make Hobbits. She made Stoors, Fallohides and Harfoots which evolved into Hobbits.

It got me thinking, the reason why Yavanna made the Ents was to protect the earth, plus she helped make the Eagles.

We have Stoors, river-folk. Fallohides, forest-folk. And Harfoots, land-dwellers.

And Stoors were known and common friends of Humans, Fallohides of Elves and Harfoots of Dwarves.

I like to think that Yavanna made them all as protectors/nurturers of their domains, made to watch over the creations of the other Valar.

Also Fallohides were the taller type, lived in forests… maybe that’s why Treebeard didn’t know what Hobbits were because Fallohides migrated away centuries earlier.

Also, Merry and Pippin are Fallohide descendants. In fact most Tooks are which is explained as the reason for their ‘oddness’ but also noble standing.

Also Fallohides being generally 4 feet, something Merry and Pippin surpass after the Entdraught.

Anyway yeah, that was my rant ig, enjoy!

[valar-did-me-wrong]

So this convo by @mai-komagata & @illegalcerebral about how JCB could also be a Harfoot, made me pause & think about the probability of it happening. Which then lead me to look up on the history of Hobbits a little & I think I've got a Tinfoil Hat Theory for the Harfoot & Gandalf storylines in Season 3!

Imo we're gonna meet the Fallohide hobbits & Gandalf is going to visit Greenwood in S3!!

(I know atleast 10 other people have already speculated about Gandalf in Greenwood for S3, this is just my own tin foil hat attempt at the same!! So let's goooooooo 🫣)

So according to the lore, there were 3 tribes of Hobbits & by S2 we've met two of them the Stoors & the Harfoots..

Now the show seems to have given a lot of lore Harfoot traits, like burrow digging to the Stoors of the show for some reason.. maybe as a way to make Harfoots a migrating community & use it as a call back to the Wandering Days of hobbit history from the lore since season 1..

And seeing as neither the Stoors nor the Harfoots in the show seem to have facial hair or an adventurous side as a whole community, I think these are the traits they're planning to give the Fallohides who we might meet this season!

Maybe on the journey back towards the Harfoots, the Stoors & our girls (Noppy & Co) for some reason will meet the Fallohides?!?

Now what I could gleam from the maps in the show, the lore & the path of Harfoot migration according to this Nerdist article, the position of most major players by the end of S2 seems to be this:

N is where Noppy & Co are leaving from (seeing as there were no rivers or water sources all through Gandalf + Noppy's journey in S2) also the Dark Wizard is also somewhere here

H is where the Harfoots migrate about usually

And T is where Theo & Kemen are in S2E8 along with U which is Adar's Uruk colony in Mordor (now orphaned :c)

C is Cirdan in Lindon or Grey Havens, wherever you want him to be & E is where all our elves are after leaving Eregion (RIP)

Sau is where Sauron is supposed to be wreaking havoc rn

I am guessing, Noppy & co will follow the Migration song & trace their steps back to Rhovanion & then follow the migration trail to try & reach the Harfoots.

Now with all the Numenorian deforestation, Mt. Doom eruption & Uruk spread near Mordor, it would mean the Harfoots probably won't be able to survive in this area anymore, so they must go West or North now.

So probably following the migration trail will be fruitless for Noppy & co now and atp maybe they might find some sign or clue left behind by the Harfoots for them, to hint where they must be going.

This can be a pretty nice point to introduce Noppy & co. to the community of Fallohides & explore them a little like they did with the Stoors in S2.. maybe somewhere on the banks of Anduin, seeing as Anduin & it's river valley is mentioned by name in hobbit history often

Now seeing as Noppy & Co are going to travel west from Rhun, Gandalf probably won't follow the same path (after that emotional goodbye, unless they wanna throw a Poppy reappearance at us again) so Gandalf probably is going to go North West towards Greenwood & bring Oropher & Thranduil into the show!

:D

*gently removes the tinfoil hat & bows*

[cottoncandiescupcakes]

Why can't I protect every hobbit/harfoot/stoor/fallohide etc

:( WHY AREN'T THEY LOOKED AFTER

Stress

[meteors-lotr]

So Hobbits are rodents, right? That’s what we’re going with?

But there’s three types of Hobbits, so let’s have fun with that

So there’s the Harfoot, which is like, the common hobbit. These boys are mice, with long fluffy ears, scruffy hair, fur covering their bodies, long tails with a little tuft at the end, and a small snout with whiskers.

Then there’s the Stoor’s which is what Gollum was. These boys are otters, with longer bodies, more claw like hands, thicker and flatter tails, more water proof fur, and webbed feet.

Then there’s the Fallohides. These boys are squirrels, clawed hands made for climbing, smaller feet but more flexible, longer bushier tail, curvier body, and sharper reflexes.

The other races can barely tell the differences between the three boys, but they will take offense if you mix them up

[hopitty-hop-hop]

“She left a week to roam, Your protector's coming home. Keep your secrets with you, girl, Safe from the outside world.”

This has sat as a WIP for such a long time, but I finally found the time to go back and finish it.

[lightinxthedark]

Ámaryllis's directory

aesthetic

headcanons

ic asks

muse tag

musings

quiz

verses

áv; shadow over ivalice - pre-ffxii (including prologue)

áv; the storm is bound to break - during ffxii

áv; a new dawn lights the way - post-ffxii

áauv; the changing of the tides - au verse

áauv; there is more than ever known before - crossover verse

áauv; a brave new world - mcu verse

visage

wants

[sillylotrpolls]

(Credit and a truly absurd amount of context below the poll in case you don't know who the Old Took is.)

Today's poll looks at a question posed by @sindar-princeling:

Bilbo barely passed Old Took's record lifespan after having a supernaturally-life-extending ring for 60 years. which begs a question. what the hell did Old Took do

In the notes on that post, the most popular theory by far was espoused by @mitsuhachiinthehive, who posited that Gandalf hooked up with a hobbit at some point and [some of] the Tooks are his descendants. This idea was further spread thanks to @the-haiku-bot.

Additional theories which I cribbed for poll options:

The diamond cufflinks were magical in more ways than one @elodieunderglass

He drank an ent-draught courtesy of the missing ent wives @betterofflost

He got hold of a random magic elven ring @morgulscribe

If you would like some a lot of context from canon so you can decide for yourself, more information about the Old Took is beneath the cut.

First off, it's established multiple times in the books what a big deal it was for Bilbo to beat Old Took's record. From The Return of the King:

He opened his eyes and looked up as they came in. 'Hullo, hullo!' he said. 'So you've come back? And tomorrow's my birthday, too. How clever of you! Do you know, I shall be one hundred and twenty-nine? And in one year more, if I am spared, I shall equal the Old Took. I should like to beat him; but we shall see.' [...] Little Elanor was nearly six months old, and 1421 had passed to its autumn, when Frodo called Sam into the study. 'It will be Bilbo's Birthday on Thursday, Sam,' he said. 'And he will pass the Old Took. He will be a hundred and thirty-one!' 'So he will!' said Sam. 'He's a marvel!'

Here's a biography on the old hobbit from Tolkien Gateway:

After the death of his father in 1248, Gerontius became the twenty-sixth Thain of the Shire. He was a friend of Gandalf, who gave him a pair of magic diamond studs and performed firework tricks during Gerontius' midsummer-eve parties. Gerontius Took reached the impressive age of 130, which made him the oldest Hobbit until his grandson Bilbo Baggins celebrated his 131st Birthday. He also held the record of most offspring, until Samwise Gamgee bested him with Tom's birth in S.R. 1442.

And from Tolkien Gateway's page on the Took Family:

Tooks were mainly of Fallohide Hobbit stock, and had quite a reputation for unusual behavior (among other things being more adventurous than the other Hobbits), a quality not valued in the Shire. For this they would be seen as less respectable, but those traits were "tolerated" thanks to their large numbers and wealth. An absurd legend among other families, was that one of the Took ancestors married a fairy. The Wizard Gandalf was a known, if disreputable, associate.

Here we have Gandalf introducing himself to Bilbo in The Hobbit. Note that Belladonna Took is one of the Old Took's 12 (!!) children.

“Yes, yes, my dear sir—and I do know your name, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, though you don’t remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me! To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took’s son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!” “Gandalf, Gandalf! Good gracious me! Not the wandering wizard that gave Old Took a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came undone till ordered? Not the fellow who used to tell such wonderful tales at parties, about dragons and goblins and giants and the rescue of princesses and the unexpected luck of widows’ sons? Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer’s Eve. Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!” You will notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also that he was very fond of flowers. “Dear me!” he went on. “Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves—or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores! Bless me, life used to be quite inter—I mean, you used to upset things badly in these parts once upon a time. I beg your pardon, but I had no idea you were still in business.” “Where else should I be?” said the wizard. “All the same I am pleased to find you remember something about me. You seem to remember my fireworks kindly, at any rate, and that is not without hope. Indeed for your old grandfather Took’s sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you asked for.”

And for context, Sam was 102 when he sailed West, Merry was at least 103 and almost certainly older when he died, and Pippin at least 95. The uncertainty is because Tolkien describes their last years thus in the Appendices:

1484 In the spring of the year a message came from Rohan to Buckland that King Éomer wished to see Master Holdwine once again. Meriadoc was then old (102) but still hale. He took counsel with his friend the Thain [Pippin], and soon after they handed over their goods and offices to their sons and rode away over the Sam Ford, and they were not seen again in the Shire. It was heard after that Master Meriadoc came to Edoras and was with King Éomer before he died in that autumn. Then he and Thain Peregrin went to Gondor and passed what short years were left to them in that realm, until they died and were laid in Rath Dínen among the great of Gondor. 1541 In this year on March 1st came at last the Passing of King Elessar. It is said that the beds of Meriadoc and Peregrin were set beside the bed of the great king. Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down Anduin and so over Sea; and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in the Middle-earth of the Fellowship of the Ring.

[riding-with-the-wild-hunt]

"Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside was their favourite haunt." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Prologue"

@arwenindomiel's tolkien south asian week ☸︎ day 6: a people ☸︎ HOBBITS

[ID: an edit comprised of four graphics with tan backgrounds, framed on top and bottom with several light brown lines.

1: An image at the top shows trees and green fields in a hazy morning or evening. The bottom edge is finished like ripped paper. Large brown and white text on the left side of the graphic reads "Concerning Hobbits." On the right side is a drawing of a stem of flowers in light brown.

2: A grid of images on the left side of the graphic show (from top left to bottom right): a person's hands decorated with red henna, food frying in a pan, hanging garlands of flowers, and a dirt road leading between low grassy hills. They are overlaid at the bottom left corner by the same flower drawing as Image 1, but in white. A block of text on the right side is titled "The Shire-Folk" and reads "Hobbits, often called Halflings or Periannath, are the fourth and most frequently forgotten of the free peoples of Middle-earth. They reside primarily in the Shire, with small communities in the nearby Bree-land and Buckland regions. Although of diminutive stature (roughly half that of a Man), it is unwise to take a Hobbit at face value, for they often possess untold depths of courage, strength, and daring. Most Hobbits are cheerful by nature, with merry, welcoming dispositions; good friends in a hard place, and always ready to share with those in need, whether of a tale, a laugh, or a delicious meal. Although they are of gentle disposition, beware: a Hobbit wronged is tenacious and persevering, and their friends often more so."

3: Three columns of text, each headed by an image with the same worn edges as that in Image 1. The first shows two brown-skinned people swimming together. Its text block is titled "Stoors" and reads "The Stoors are the largest and broadest of the Hobbits, and closest in resemblance to Men. Unusually for Halflings, they have an affinity for water, and often reside along rivers, where they make their living as fisherfolk. Unlike the other two clans, Stoors may grow facial hair. Owing to their time among the Dunlendings, hey speak their own dialect of Hobbitish." The second shows a brown-skinned, shirtless person standing amid greenery. Text reads "Fallohides" and "The Fallohides are the least numerous of the Hobbit clans, and the most open to engagement with other peoples. They are close in friendship with the Elves, and share their enthusiasm for language and song. They are hunters rather than farmers, and greatly love the woodlands. Fallohides tend to grow taller than both Harfoots and Stoors." The third shows a group of women with brown skin and black hair, wearing colorful saris. Text reads "Harfoots" and "The Harfoots are the most populous of the clans, and the smallest in stature. They wear no shoes, and live in underground dwellings built into the sides of hills. Harfoot communities are generally stationary, though they were the first among the Halflings to arrive in Eriador. They are skilled in farming and handicrafts, and are on friendly terms with Dwarves."

4: A grid of images titled "Notable Hobbits." Each is labeled with a name. From left to right, they are: Frodo of the Nine Fingers (pakistani model Nyle Khan), Belladonna Took (sri lankan tamil/canadian actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), Samwise "Sam" Gamgee (south indian actor Gokul Suresh), Peregrin "Pippin" Took, (indian model Varun Mohite), Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck (indian model Priyanshu Singh), Bilbo Baggins (kashmiri model Bobby Ibrah), The Old Took (an older indian man), and Elanor Gamgee (gujarati-telugu indian model Manya Mitra) //End ID]

[valar-did-me-wrong]

Ngl I'm enjoying this "Who is Jamie Campbell Bower" game almost as much as "Who's Sauron" from S1 😭😭

This is giving me life! I am in love with all the speculations & theories & fun we're all having!!!

This is like reliving the insanity of 2022's "it's Halbrand" no "it's the Stranger" no "it's Halbrand" no "it's Adar" i fear we're all wrong "and it's Gil Galad" xDxDxD

[cottoncandiescupcakes]

Will we meet other hobbit species too like Fallohides? I love this

[witchthewriter]

"𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆."— J.R.R. Tolkien

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐭. ⋆.˚📜..𓂃 ִֶָ🪶་༘

Homely, Affectionate, & Hospitable.

Hobbits, also known as Halflings, were a mortal race of Middle-earth. Though their exact origins are unclear, they were initially found in the northern regions of Middle-earth and below the Vales of Anduin. 

𝑻𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒔

The Harfoots were the most common Hobbits. They were smaller and shorter than the other kinds and had browner skin.

The Stoors often chose to live near water or on flat land. They were broader and heavier in build than the other Hobbits and their feet and hands were larger.

The Fallohides, who preferred trees and woodland, were the least common variety of Hobbits. They had fairer skin and hair and were taller and slimmer than the others.

𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝑯𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆:

𝑇𝘩𝜀 𝑆𝘩𝜄𝑟𝜀 – A patchwork of meadows, gardens, and green hills. Here, Hobbit-holes nestle beneath the earth like hidden worlds; round doors painted in soft tones, fragrant gardens blooming with marigold, lavender, and thyme. Life here is neighborly and known: bells chime for tea, and gossip drifts like birdsong through open windows.

𝐵𝑟𝜀𝜀– For the slightly braver Hobbit. Bree is a bustling town at the crossroads of travelers. Life is messier but exciting. You might run a bakery near the Prancing Pony or trade gossip with a Dúnedain ranger while hanging up your laundry.

𝛤𝜄𝜈𝜀𝜋𝜕𝜀𝑙𝑙– For the odd Hobbit scholar or dreamer. Here, under moonlit waterfalls and whispering trees, a Hobbit might study Elvish lore, eat in peace, and keep an herb garden of rare flowers passed down by Elven hands.

𝑀𝜄𝜋𝛼𝑠 𝑇𝜄𝑟𝜄𝜏𝘩 – A white-stone city where only the most adventurous or learned Hobbits dwell. They live in quiet corners of the city, often near libraries or bakeries with honey cakes.

𝑊𝜄𝑙𝜕𝜀𝑟𝜋𝜀𝑠𝑠 𝐻𝜎𝑚𝜀𝑠𝜏𝜀𝛼𝜕 – The recluse. A Hobbit who lives near Lake Evendim or deep in the Southfarthing, alone but content. Their burrow is overgrown with ivy, and they speak more often to birds than to people.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆:

Most Hobbits enjoy farming, food, ale, parties and the giving and receiving of presents. Their lifestyle is quite laid-back, as they preferred a quiet, normal, and peaceful life.

A Hobbit's lifestyle is deeply rooted in routine.

Especially when it comes to food.

Breakfast. 7:00–8:00 AM Usually hot and hearty. For example, eggs, sausages, porridge with cream, buttered toast, mushrooms, stewed apples, and strong tea. It’s the foundation of the day.

Second Breakfast. 9:00–9:30 AM A lighter snack to keep energy up before labour or walking. Baked goods (scones, seedcakes), fruit, or leftover meat pies. Often eaten outdoors while tending the garden.

Elevenses – 11:00 AM A midmorning break similar to English "elevenses". Think biscuits, honey cakes, sweet buns, and more tea. It’s also a social hour; Hobbits often pause and chat here.

Luncheon – 12:30 PM A proper midday meal. Roasted chicken, cheeses, pickled vegetables, potato salad, fresh bread, and ale. Often shared communally or enjoyed in a shady spot under a tree.

Afternoon Tea – 3:00–4:00 PM Their most ritualized meal. Always includes tea -herbal or strong black- and a selection of tarts, jams, buttered scones, and fruits. Often accompanied by storytelling or knitting.

Dinner – 5:30–6:00 PM One of the main events. It is the definition of a hearty meal: stews, roasted meats, mashed vegetables, gravy, thick crust pies, and lots of bread with butter. Sometimes includes entertainment. eg., song, pipe smoke, and music.

Supper – 8:00–9:00 PM A cosy closing meal. Light stew, soup, or leftover from dinner. Sometimes sweets like custard or berry crumble. Eaten in slippers, by the fire.

MORNINGS: are for foraging and breakfast(s). AFTERNOONS: are for gardening, napping, wood-carving, or sewing by the fire. EVENINGS: are for long chats over tea, pipe-smoking, and songs sung softly in well-worn armchairs.

They treasure comfort, but not idleness. Their hands are always busy; baking pies, mending things, tending to bees. Joy is found in the making of life.

𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒏:

Most Hobbits lived longer life spans than Men, a race of which they might have been an off-shoot. The average lifespan of a Hobbit was about 100 years, though it was not unusual for a Hobbit to live as many as three decades beyond that. Hobbits reach maturity at 33. Thus, a 50-year-old Hobbit would only be middle-aged.

 They also have developed a keen taste in the smoking of Pipe-weed and blowing smoke rings.

𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑨𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔:

A hobbit in love is slow-growing and deep-rooted.

Courtship often begins with gift-giving; a hand-written recipe, a fresh loaf of bread or cake, a flower tucked into a coat. They don’t rush into love, but once it happens, they are steadfast. You’ll never want for warmth, nor for a second helping.

They prefer monogamy, and marry for life, forming quiet, strong partnerships where devotion is shown in action; sharing the last slice of pie, warming your feet by the fire, building a home together brick by brick.

Some Hobbit lovers are shy and blushy; others are bold as brass. But all are sincere.

𝑯𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝑯𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒆𝒔:

Gardening (especially root vegetables and herbs)

Pipe-smoking

Letter writing and keeping family records

Cooking and baking

Carving, embroidery, weaving

Folk dancing, fiddle playing, drinking songs

Birdwatching and mushroom hunting

Everything they do is an expression of home, of patience, and of gentle pride.

𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔:

Not all, but most Hobbits cannot swim & do not like water

Every Hobbit family has a “genealogy book” kept meticulously up to date. They are obsessed with ancestry.

They give gifts to others on their own birthday, not the other way around.

Their love letters are often scented with pressed flowers or wrapped in ribbon.

"𝐻𝑜𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠, 𝑎𝑠 𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎�� 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑡ℎ, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎 ℎ𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ." —Gandalf, in The Fellowship of the Ring

𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐: @fictionzet. Thank you for reaching out and inspiring me to do this! It's definitely going to be a series for the Races, places and events of Middle Earth!

[oatmealaddiction]

Arguments for Bilbo: Is said to look good and fit, (especially with the eternal youth ring powers). Also killed a bunch of spiders one time.

Arguments for Frodo: Despite looking elfy and Fallohide-ish, is stout and red cheeked like most hobbits and described as "fair" and tall (which hobbits seem to like tall as a trait.) Does lose a lot of weight though over the course of the series and gets all waifish. Also apparently looks a lot like Bilbo.

Arguments for Sam: He's stout and he's stacked. Definitely hardy and the strongest hobbit. Probably the shortest one. He's red-cheeked with brown hands and blushes a lot, and has round eyes. He farthers a child that was literally so beautiful they named her "the Fair", and apparently all his kids were like the best looking hobbits there have ever been. ((This might be due to Galadriel magic though.))

Arguments for Merry: Doesn't have much physical description but does appear to be laid back and the most perceptive hobbit. Also probably Fallohide-ish and elfy looking. Not as stout as Frodo at the start of the series. Drinks tree wine and then grows to be like a five foot tall behemoth hobbit.

Arguments for Pippin: Definitely the funniest hobbit and the one you'd want at a party. Also doesn't have much physical description but looks very Tookish and therefore also probably a little elfy. Also drank tree wine and became a five foot tall behemoth hobbit. He also has a lot of money and power if that counts for something.

Arguments for Rosie: Sam says she's better looking than he is. Also gave birth to aforementioned baby that was literally so beautiful that they named her "the Fair." Has sparkly eyes.

[elodieunderglass]

C, the friend for whom I am writing an entire Dungeon Meshi/His Dark Materials crossover fanfiction, sent me a little message along the lines of “I love your chilchuck. I think it’s because you’re so strong on hobbits. What would the LotR hobbits think of him?”

So I go, naturally “they’d loathe him on sight! They wouldn’t recognise him as the same species.”

(Summarise the following small digression on how I don’t really agree with Peter Jackson’s choice to give the film hobbits pointy ears, as they’re meant to be our <human> closest relations, plus a small infodump on how MUCH Tolkien’s hobbits would want to kill chilchuck on sight)

Me: Well, Bilbo in his younger years would actually be desperately into that. And the more progressive generation of the fellowship hobbits would be a little more accepting, largely because of their societal shift towards tolerance and their possible acceptance of Chilchuck as an extraordinarily short fallohide/Took. Except Merry. merry would be like hello! This is Indiana jones!?!!?!! How come nobody else has noticed that this is definitely a hobbit and also tiny Indiana Jones

C: Chilchuck is tall for his race!

Me: you think I don’t know that? After doing all this for you? They aren’t hobbits though. Hobbits are for one thing a lot taller

C: he’s a hobbit!

Me: he is not! Hobbits are 4 feet average, and chilchuck, despite being tall for his race, is materially MUCH shorter and not a hobbit.

C: sorry what

Me: (slightly drunk and aggressive with it) How quickly we forget that the bullroarer, Bandobras Took, was four foot five !!! He could ride a horse!

Me: A fact that I absorbed when being four foot five and an aspiring equestrian only allowed on quite small horses. remember how in the psychological assessment I had when I was six they devoted so much time to me wanting to be a jockey??? I will know these things

Me: Pippin’s a whole HEAD taller than your guy

Me: apologise to me

Me: how quickly we forget

Me: not a hobbit

Me: Merry is still VIOLENTLY into that though

Me: despite his creepy rock climber feet

C: who (dr glass?) <has creepy rock climber feet>

Me: (now Friday night at the local pub drunk) no doesn’t chilchuck have creepy weird rock climber feet in canon? He binds his feet for that right

C: those are his socks. Is that a rock climber thing??

Me: yeah you know!! They do that to fit into CREVASSES. Or they did when Dr glass was young. In the paleolithic. Or is he a flat arch hiking bitch like me

Me: those aren’t socks

Me: socks are defined by sockishness

Me: is that not physiotherapist prescribe tape slash creepy competitive rock climber feet

C: what are you talking about

Me: you only bandage your feet like that to tape up a flat foot like mine for hiking support or because you’re a little pissy rock climber

[hopitty-hop-hop]

“Here's a health to the company and one to my lass.

Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass.

Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain,

For we may or might never all meet here again.”

NEW ART!!! I have been working on this for over a month, and I am super excited to finally finish it up. This whole drawing started out as a redrawing of a sketch of Erina and Fionn dancing, and over the course of this piece has evolved into something I never would have considered doing, but I’m super proud of it.

[lightinxthedark]

The Physician

((bio under the cut!))

Name: Ámaryllis Fallohide

Nickname(s): Áma, Ryll

Race: Hume

Gender: Cis female (she/her)

Age: 40 years old

Height: 5'4"

Face Claim: Angel Coulby

Hometown: Vencuro, Rozarria Archades, Archadia

Orientation: queer

Occupation: field medic, private physician/mage for House Solidor and the Judge Magisters

Family:

biological: Darith Fallohide (father); Brandis Fallohide (mother); Aden Fallohide (brother); Seban Fallohide (brother); Rowena Fallohide (sister); Palina Fallohide (sister); Valerian Fallohide (brother)

adoptive: Walden Fyrth (father); Agnes Fyrth (mother); Magnus Fyrth (brother); Josefina Fyrth, née Kantor (sister-in-law); Catrine Fyrth (neice); Olina Fyrth (neice)

Notable Habit(s): wringing her hands together; pinching the bridge of her nose

Disorder(s): C-PTSD

Personality Trait(s): Ámaryllis has a reputation for being bitter and snappy, but it's true only to an extent. In reality, underneath her prickly exterior, she's a gentle soul with a passion for helping others. She finds satisfaction and purpose in her work as a physician and mage, and takes pride in her skill in both medicine and magicks. She has little tolerance for the egos of the Judge Magisters, and isn't afraid of calling them out and putting them in their place to treat them and make sure they follow through with whatever orders she's given them. She has a private dream of one day returning home, however, and while she hides it well, it's a sadness she can't shake.

Bonus: pinterest; spotify

Background:

cw/tw for: war, familial separation, death

Vencuro was once its own kingdom, far west of Rozarria and even further south of Archadia. Although small, it flourished with open plains perfect for farmland. For years, it thrived in isolation from the city-states that would grow to become Empires, but like all good things, the flourishing kingdom soon met its end by its own hands. The plains were overworked, the soil unable to recover, and their crops dwindled rapidly. The people panicked, with some leaving to find a better place to live, and those that remained were soon met with a storm that destroyed what little they had left.

But the land was rich in a resource they had yet to access - a resource not even Rozarria could confirm was there - and Rozarria swooped in to lend a hand. Although the budding Empire was yet young, House Margrace was willing to travel the distance to offer aid in exchange for Vencuro to become part of Rozarria. The kingdom of Vencuro was hanging by a thread, and the people eagerly accepted the Empire's offer. Vencuro became a city under Rozarria's banner, and, as Rozarria had hoped, oil was found flush beneath the ground. Once again, Vencuro thrived, but remained content under the Empire.

Ámaryllis was born in Vencuro many years after Rozarria took control, and a few years after they went to war with Archadia. At the time, Vencuro was left alone, for it was far from both Empires, and the oil-rich city was something Rozarria was fiercely protective of. She grew up carefree, despite it all, alongside five older siblings, and remained unaware of the horrors that were happening across the sea.

But when Archadia learned of Vencuro and the resource it offered, they struck.

When Ámaryllis was six, Archadia launched an invasion onto the western edge of Kerwon, and destroyed Vencuro completely. Rozarria was blindsided by the attack and scrambled to the defense, but it was too late - Archadia successfully claimed a chunk of territory as their own, driving Rozarria further east, and spared few survivors.

In the chaos of the attack, Ámaryllis was separated from her family, and was discovered hiding by a few Archadian soldiers. Yet, instead of killing her, they took pity on her, and shuttled her back to Archadia alongside a few others. It was their way of "saving" those poor souls from Rozarria's neglectful eye, and it wasn't long until she was adopted into a noble Archadian family.

She kept her first name, though her surname was changed to Fyrth, and she hated them. They were a family that neither loved her nor hated her, but simply used her as clout. They fed her and clothed her, and sent her to the best school in Archades, but they only cared about the attention adopting her brought. They were given money by the Archadian government for their "troubles", and their social status was elevated by their act of kindness. Even at her young age, Ámaryllis was painfully aware of the reason why they took her in, and looked forward to the day she would never have to see any of them again. Yet, she knew better than to try and rebel against them, afraid of the consequences that could follow, and kept her head down. She went along with the act, pretending to be grateful, but her resentment of them and of Archadia lodged deep into her heart. Did her family miss her, she wondered? Did they think there was a chance she was still alive, or did they think she was dead? Would she ever see them again?

Even as she grew up, those questions remained with her, but Ámaryllis continued to adapt to her changing world. She grew more distant from her adoptive family and had few friends, and tended to keep to herself and her studies - preferring to spend her time on schoolwork, or studying magicks and medicine in her spare time. As often as she dreamed of one day leaving Archadia and returning home to her true Empire, she began to set her sights on becoming a physician when she was older. She was fascinated by the world of medicine, and the stronger her magicks grew, the more she focused them on healing. Science and magick being used together was nothing new, and she wanted to be able to help others, even if it meant she would need to first help those in an Empire she'd grown to resent. It was something she loved that Archadia could not take away, and something she hoped could one day help her escape.

As soon as she was old enough to move out, Ámaryllis did just that, and changed her surname back to her original one in a small act of defiance. She got a small apartment with the money given to her from the Empire to keep her there, and joined the military. To anyone who knew her past, it was dismissed as her being loyal to the Empire that "saved" her, despite her name change, when in reality, she knew it would be the best way for her to escape. She trained specifically as a field medic, using both medicine and magick to heal, and believed she would be able to flee to Rozarria if she could escape to them during the chaos of battle.

What she hadn't expected was how different it was when Archadia had invaded her city all those years ago.

On the frontlines, Archadia kept their medics in tight check, and rarely allowed them to venture out in the thick of a fight. They were eager to keep them alive so they could do their duties, and... despite her resentment, when Ámaryllis was first deployed, the thought of leaving left her mind as she rushed in to save those that had fallen. Most soldiers were young, closer to her age, with an eagerness to serve their Empire. Some of them were seasoned veterans, and all were of different ranks and from different stations. Some injuries were minor at best, while most...

Like all the rookie medics, it took a while for Ámaryllis to be able to stomach the horrors she witnessed.

She remained a field medic despite the brutality of it all - despite the yearning to return home - and clawed her way up the ranks as her magicks grew stronger. She adapted to the bloody chaos of active war and established herself as someone worthy of respect, and her skill as a physician and mage was not lost on the Empire. She gained the attention of those higher in command without realizing it, and she was one day approached by a Judge Magister with a promotion - to become a private physician for them and House Solidor. She would be removed from the battlefront unless ordered to go back, and given her own space within the palace, as well as a handsome pay. Although it was an offer Ámaryllis knew would mean giving up her dream of finding her family, she accepted it. It offered stability, and a distraction. After all, finding her family was nothing more than a dream, and it was a dream she couldn't keep chasing forever. As much as she felt out of place, she knew she had to accept that Archadia was her home.

At first, she hated her new position. Soldiers on the battlefield were grateful for her aid, but she felt like she dealt with children when it came to the Judge Magisters, and even some members of House Solidor. Her refusal to cow to their stubbornness and arrogant egos earned her a bit of a bad reputation, but her skill couldn't be questioned. She was certain of herself and what she was doing, and her use of medicine and magicks offered a quicker recovery. But, like before, she adjusted to it, and accepted it for what it was. She cared little for the cutthroat politics and posturing of the Magisters and House Solidor, but it kept her busy, and gave her a sense of purpose.

And it was her new position that gave her a new hope. As Ámaryllis cared for House Solidor, she saw the change in Emperor Gramis. It was slow, but she saw his weariness for the war growing, and saw in his youngest son the dream to end it completely. Although she saw the opposite in Vayne, it was enough to give her the tiniest spark of hope that the war would one day end, and maybe, just maybe, she could return home after all.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

LOTR Newletter - Prologue

Thoughts as I read:

Delighted to learn from @astronicht that the Red Book of Westmarch is in fact a reference to the Red Book of Hergest, a Welsh medieval book that contains among other things the Mabinogion. I’ve been reading and rereading LOTR for over 20 years, and only now learning that there are piles of references that I’ve been missing. Thank you! your observations are always a delight!

I love the way Tolkien fully treats his Middle-earth writings as a reality. That’s been done by a lot of people, of course – in the 1600s and 1700s when novels were rarer it seems like it was viewed as almost required to provide some fictional ‘source’ for your story that you had merely edited. But Tolkien does it more convincingly than many, including writing of Hobbits as still existing and in the present tense (“they avoid us now with dismay and are becoming hard to find” and “Hobbits have never, in fact, studied magic of any kind”). He’s writing a mythology, not just a novel; and a key characteristic of a mythology is, I think, that the people who made it believed it. The words of one reviewer of The Hobbit express this quality wonderfully: “Has the air of inventing nothing. He has studied trolls and dragons at first hand and describes them with fidelity.”

I’m very amused that some of the hobbits’ characteristics are those of Tolkien, such as not liking complicated machinery and “being fond of simple jests at all times” (something he said of himself).

“[Hobbits’] elusiveness is due solely to a professional skill that heredity and practice, and a close friendship with the earth, have rendered inimitable by bigger and clumsier races.” ‘A close friendship with the earth’….what an evocative and intriguing way of putting it!

Tolkien seems to have a thing for dviding his fantasy races into three groups corresponding to hill/mountain-likers (Harfoots, Noldor), water-likers (Stoors, Teleri) and tree-likers (Fallohides, Sindar). The Harfoots are also said to associate more with Dwarves (as do Noldor), the Stoors with Men (and Tolkien’s main groups of Men are also more associated with water, due to Númenor), and the Fallohides with elves.

Hobbits are shorter than I remembered! I was thinking of 3-4 feet as normal, but Tolkien says “between two and four feet”, with the Bulkroarer (an exceptionally tall hobbit) at four foot five. Two feet tall is tiny! Harfoots (most hobbits, and probably including Sam) are on the shorter side; Fallohides (Tooks and Brandybucks are said to have more Fallohidish background, so that includes Frodo, Merry, and Pippin) are on the taller side.

I am amused that the one governmental service that Tolkien does consider essential is the post-office.