#fallohides

[tolkienmatters]

The Fallohides, the least numerous, were a northerly branch. They were more friendly with Elves than the other Hobbits were, and had more skill in language and song than in handicrafts; and of old they preferred hunting to tilling. They crossed the mountains north of Rivendell and came down the River Hoarwell. In Eriador they soon mingled with the other kinds that had preceded them, but being somewhat bolder and more adventurous, they were often found as leaders or chieftains among clans of Harfoots or Stoors. Even in Bilbo's time the strong Fallohidish strain could still be noted among the greater families, such as the Tooks and the Masters of Buckland.

- Fallohides, Fellowship of the Ring, Concerning Hobbits

[alicebeckstrom]

“Before the crossing of the mountains the Hobbits had already become divided into three somewhat different breeds: Harfoots, Stoors, and Fallohides.” ~ Prologue, Concerning Hobbits, The Fellowship of the Ring (Art: “The Three Hobbits of Middle Earth”, by DarkLord105 on DeviantArt)

[prankprincess123]

My little doodle take on the three types of Hobbits after re-reading the 'Concerning Hobbits' portion of the LOTR prologue...

[tenth-sentence]

They moved westward early, and roamed over Eriador as far as Weathertop while the others were still in the Wilderland.

"The Lord of the Rings: Prologue" - J.R.R. Tolkien

[kristachu]

I’m ready to pick up these two feet and run for the trees.

[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.

[kariachi]

Sometimes one remembers that the most common ancestral race of hobbits is described by Tolkien as "browner of skin" then the less common two (who might have been mostly outbred over the many years? on the topic of the "fairer of skin and also of hair" set Concerning Hobbits describes that "the strong Fallohidish strain could still be noted among the greater families, such as the Took and the Masters of Buckland", which to me implies that while there's still clear ancestry there they probably still have heavy Harfoot or even Stoor influence going on- otherwise why describe it as a 'strong strain' rather than just say they're still primarily Fallohidish families? especially when you consider that the section in question is discussing that they were particularly bold and adventurous for hobbits and so given what the Tooks and Brandybucks are like it may be more often a matter of inclination rather than visuals- not to doubt that the visuals show up, but probably not as often as inclination, especially if you allow for the secrecy-focused courting habits mentioned in the first draft of the first chapter of LotR (as published in The Return of the Shadow: The History of Lord of the Rings Part 1, by Christopher Tolkien, pg 17, yes I did go hunting), which would make marriages between differing groups so much more accessible (and may actually be why that's a thing)), that their curly hair is consistently pointed out, and that our initial description of hobbits given in The Hobbit specifically mentions "nimble brown fingers".

And then one gets aggravated all over again at how long it took for non-white hobbits to show up in adaptations and the sheer number of people over the years who have tried to make out like non-white hobbits would be such a horrible canon-breaking thing.

[mathelaw]

i’m reading about the three types of hobbits and, tolkien my man you did not have to make the Fallohides (”pale skins”) the fairer, smarter and most skilled hobbits dbsahhasd jesus man... and the most literate too apparently

[aimless-passerby]

The fact there are goblins in lotro who look like hobbits is crazy. Mimicry game is too strong.

[sotwk]

Hobbits and the Greenwood Elves

Happy Hobbit Day! In honor of Bilbo and Frodo’s birthdays, please enjoy these headcanons regarding the history and friendship between the Hobbits of the Shire (Bilbo’s people) and the Silvan Elves of Greenwood (Thranduil’s people). 

Requested by my dear @laneynoir a while back--thank you for your patience!

Disclaimer: Please note that a good portion of the info below are SotWK AU headcanons only, inspired by official Tolkien canon.

Hobbits and the Greenwood Elves

Early Hobbits in Rhovanion

The Silvan Elves of Greenwood (Thranduil’s people) encountered the early “breeds” of Hobbit centuries before they came to the attention of the peoples who dwelt west of the mountains. 

All three Hobbit breeds (Fallohides, Harfoots, Stoors) resided in the lands surrounding the Woodland Realm as early as the start of Thranduil’s reign, but for many years they kept to themselves and avoided contact with other races. 

The Fallohides, from whom the Brandybucks, Tooks, and Bolgers descended, initially dwelt in the southern eves of Greenwood and first made friends with the Northmen in their area. Hearing tales from the Men regarding the benevolence of the Elvenking and his family, the Fallowhides accepted the outreach of Thranduil and his people, and eventually formed friendships with them. 

The Stoors, who lived a little further away in the Vales of Anduin, quickly followed suit. They even established low-level trade with the Silvan Elves, exchanging their catches from the Anduin for products from the Greenwood. 

The Harfoots were shyer of the Elves and lived closer to the foot of the Misty Mountains, and therefore did not have as close relations with the Silvans as the other two clans.

Two Greenwood Princes were more familiar with the Fallohides and Stoors than the rest of their family: Princes Turhir and Gelir, since the western lands under their guardianship were closest to the dwellings of the hobbits. 

Prince Gelir had a special fondness for Hobbits, delighting most especially in their simple yet lively customs and culture. He continued to value friendship with them long after he departed from the Elvenking’s realm. 

Dol Guldur Drives the Hobbits Away

As time passed into the Third Age, the Shadow that grew upon Dol Guldur was felt by the Hobbits as well as the Elves, and soon began to pose serious threats to their lives.

Thranduil and his sons did everything they could to protect both the Hobbits and the Northmen from the worst of Dol Guldur’s creatures. But the Hobbits in particular were incapable of withstanding the Necromancer’s strange and dark evils, and their attempts to evade the Shadow’s reach by moving northward failed. 

While the Harfoots were quick to retreat across the mountain to Eriador, the Fallohides and Stoors lingered in the east for a century longer, less willing to abandon the home they loved near the Elves. 

However, as the dangers continued to grow, Thranduil and his warriors could no longer guarantee the safety of the Hobbits on top of protecting their own people. 

Despite their friendship, the Hobbits refused the Elves' invitation to reside amongst them in the forest. They planned instead to migrate further north toward the Grey Mountains. 

Elvenqueen Maereth counseled the Fallohides and Stoors to head westward instead and “rejoin” the Harfoots in Eriador, with a vague foresight of the foundation of the Shire and its importance to the future of Middle-earth.

Only after the Fallohides and Stoors had safely crossed into Eriador did Thranduil pull back the last of his defenders north of the Emyn Duir, essentially abandoning the southwestern region of the Greenwood. 

Connection with Smeagol 

Around TA 1350, the Stoors residing in the Angle fled from the growing threat of Angmar upon Eriador, and some of them returned to Rhovanion to reside in the Vales of Anduin once more. From this community of Stoors, Smeagol descended. 

Although Thranduil received word of the reemergence of Hobbits in the Vales, he could not spare any resources to oversee their protection. 

However, Prince Gelir continued to send out his own patrols into the Anduin to check on the Stoors once every year, during the summer season. 

In TA 2463, when the One Ring was found by Deagol and taken by Smeagol, the Mirkwood Elves were too preoccupied with the resurgence of Dol Guldur to notice the evil that had transpired. 

Five hundred years later, when Gandalf brought the captive Gollum to Mirkwood for guarding, the Silvan Elves recognized the wretched creature as a Stoor, a race they remembered with fondness as friends. This stirred their pity towards Gollum and led them to treat him more gently. 

The Long and Fell Winters 

The care of Thranduil and his family for Hobbits continued from a distance well into the Third Age, even as death began to claim the lives of the princes.

In TA 2759, the Long Winter occurred in Eriador and a terrible famine followed in the Shire. Gelir, the only Thranduilion left who continued to travel across the west, learned of the plight of the Hobbits and beseeched his parents to send aid. 

In response, the King and Queen sent Gelir, Itarildë (their daughter-in-law), and Anariel (their granddaughter) to ride out with provisions, provide healing, and abate the effects of the famine. This was done so discreetly (they did not reveal their identities as Elves, much less royalty), the deed went unrecorded in Shire history. 

This outreach was replicated once more during the Fell Winter of TA 2911 to 2912, when Thranduil permitted Itarildë and Anariel to join Gandalf in helping the Shire Hobbits. 

Bilbo was already alive and 22 years old on this occasion. He had the memory of encountering the two extraordinarily beautiful women in the Shire, whom he suspected, but could not confirm, were Elves. 

Bilbo and Thranduil’s Friendship 

Bilbo never truly “met” an elf before first meeting Elrond in Rivendell. However, his ancestors’ ancient friendship with the Greenwood Elves still resided in his heart. Even during his misadventures with Thorin’s Company in Mirkwood, Bilbo never really felt fearful of the Elvenking or his people, even though he could not explain to himself why. 

Bilbo’s instinct to trust Thranduil and stand by him during the Battle of the Five Armies echoed the sentiments of his ancestors, who once also loved the Elvenking and trusted him to protect them. 

Bilbo and Thranduil’s initial interactions with each other felt like the reunion of “old friends”, which led to their feelings of kinship and the long bond that remained between them for years after. 

Even with everything that he was dealing with in his own kingdom, Thranduil managed to discreetly visit Bilbo at least once in the Shire, during which the Elvenking was introduced to the recently born Frodo Baggins (too young to have any memory of this encounter). 

Regarding Legolas and the Hobbits of the Fellowship 

It is a common joke in the fandom that Legolas is scarcely mentioned as directly interacting with Frodo or the other hobbits, and almost never in the films. The SotWK AU does not accept this distant behavior from the Prince of Mirkwood, but does offer an explanation for Legolas’s mental state during the Quest of the Ring. 

I plan on eventually writing a separate post discussing Legolas’s mental health (which logically took a hit after everything his family and kingdom had suffered), but being around Hobbits, and in such close quarters, was a bittersweet experience for him. 

Because his brother Gelir had a special closeness and bond with Hobbits, just seeing Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry reminded Legolas of him. Gelir, though still alive as far as they knew, was estranged from the family at the time of the Quest of the Ring, and he and Legolas had parted on ill terms.

Observing the Hobbits in their shenanigans also caused Legolas to remember all his brothers, and the joyful times they shared when their family was complete. 

Distancing himself a little from the Hobbits (but not treating them coldly or badly in any way), was simply Legolas’s method of coping with his complicated emotions.

In the SotWK AU, Legolas most certainly demonstrated a great deal of care and affection for the four Hobbits in his own ways.

For more Thranduil/Mirkwood headcanons: SotWK HC Masterlist

Elves HC Tag List: @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @achromaticerebus @aduialel @asianbutnotjapanese @auttumnsayshi @blueberryrock @conversacomsmaug @elan-ho-detto-elan-15 @entishramblings @freshalmondpandadonut @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog @glassgulls @heilith @heranintomyknife23times @ladyweaslette @laneynoir @lathalea @lemonivall @LiliDurin @quickslvxrr @ratsys @scyllas-revenge @stormchaser819 @talkdifferently6 @tamryniel @tamurilofrivendell

Other useful links:

Introduction to SotWK

Fanfiction Masterlist

Fanfiction Request Guidelines

[eruscreaminginthedistance]

Calling huge Silmarillion nerds:

I'm homebrewing a First Age Beleriand D&D campaign and personally I'll die if Hobbits aren't involved in some capacity. Problem is, there's basically NO lore I can find regarding what Hobbits were doing during the First Age, beyond the little scraps of cultural information about the Fallohides, Harfoots and Stoors you get on Tolkien Gateway

Are there any resources out there for information on First Age hobbit society/culture, or is this something I should write up from scratch?

[ecoamerica]

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[alicebeckstrom]

“About this time legend among the Hobbits first becomes history with a reckoning of years. For it was in the one thousand six hundred and first year of the Third Age that the Fallohide brothers, Marcho and Blanco, set out from Bree; and having obtained permission from the high king at Fornost, they crossed the brown river Baranduin with a great following of Hobbits.” ~ Prologue, Concerning Hobbits, The Fellowship of the Ring [Art: The Fallohide brothers, Marcho and Blanco] 

[planet-solux]

So I'm not gonna lie. I consume a lot of lord of the rings/hobbit media and one thing that I don't think people are really utilizing for bilbo in particular is his took bloodline. Bilbo has magic. Maybe not istari, elvish, or dwarvish magic, but he has magic.

It's a fact that tooks are known to randomly disappear from the shire to go on adventures. Bilbo's own mother was known to adventure from time to time before she got married and settled down.

It is a lesser known fact that tooks are considered "not entirely hobbit like" in both looks and actions. (Being of a slightly larger stature that your average hobbit and a considerable amount more adventurous. Ofc that could be because they're decendants of fallohides. But then again, fallohides were known to intermingle with the other races of arda quite a bit and that's kind of important to the next point)

This is all because somewhere along the line, one of them had "taken a fairy to wife" and therefore are magic. (And maybe it's just a rumor the shire made to explain away their odd adventurous nature, but tbh I don't particularly care nor can I be proven wrong. Tolkien's dead anyway, so it's not like he can confirm nor deny the possible fairy ancestry)

So there we go, bilbo has magic, headcannon accepted. not really headcannon if it's literally in the book but whatever

I just wish that people would utilize that bilbo is a took and the tooks have always been just a little bit 'more' than hobbit yknow? Like a regular hobbit is a good gardener, but a took is a great gardener. Maybe they're just a little bit stronger, luckier, faster, smarter. A little bit better at whatever it is they chose to do. A little bit more in tune with the world.

(Ha! get it? Tune? Cause the lotr world is literally a song? I'll see myself out)

[prankprincess123]

Anyone else reading LOTR daily?

Cause the prologue was sent out today, and I evidently missed some stuff when reading it in the past. And am now in a RIOT over the implication that one of the three subspecies of Hobbits have at least one Dwarven ancestor ('Stoors' that came to the Shire straight from Dwarven lands, are a little taller, stockier, sometimes wear shoes, are capable of growing beards, and highest tendency to live underground) and another subspecies have at least one Elvish or Dunedain ancestor ('Fallohides' who came to the shire through Rivendell and Arnor, even taller, slimmer, and fairer, like to live in the woods, like to go on adventures, only Hobbits not [as] scared of the sea, most focused on the arts, best leaders and best hunters [Tooks and Brandybucks included among them])

Like he never outright says it, cause obviously it would be out of character for any Hobbit to openly even speculate of such, but the implication is right there and is very clear...

[actiongrrl]

|| @jesvshotsaucechristmascake survived the night...

"you are evil. like a hobbit."

−−−¨༺ Sam sat atop the counter, legs kicking and a shit eating grin on her features. She had simply crawled on the counter so that she could reach the top shelf of the cabinet. And maybe it was a little dark. And maybe it was just a little funny that she somehow had scared the crap out of him. For a minute she felt bad for scaring him, but all that was down the drain when he called her a hobbit. "Are you calling me Gollum?" she asked, head cocked to the side and brows raised. If anything, she was a Fallohide, not a Stoor. And- "Technically, in Tolkien-verse, I'm of Dwarf height. The tallest Hobbits only grew to about 4 feet. So," she lectured as if Mike was just owned. Sam may not have really known a lot about superheroes but she was a raised, tried and true Tolkien fan. Thanks to her Dad and brother for that one.

[ecoamerica]

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