#Madoc Brandybuck

[tehri]

Hobbits and naming conventions

The most common comparison that’s been going around lately has been between the names of hobbits belonging to the Baggins family and the Took family. There is quite a distinct difference between the names, so it’s understandable that it seems a bit jarring to go from something simple like, say, Longo to something more noble-sounding like Isengrim.

In comparison, the names given to girls are very different. True, there are a few more nonsensical ones, like Belba. But there are also plenty of flower- or gem-names. This also gives a very odd contrast between the names of male hobbits and those of female hobbits.

However, there is a bit of reasoning behind the names, at least those belonging to hobbits from families with Fallohide blood. Those are not taken out of thin air. They were oftentimes given names evoking figures of legend (whether this means figures of legend in our world or in Middle-earth is hard to say, but it’s certainly not mistaken either way).

So allow me to begin with the grand one himself, Gerontius Took, also known as the Old Took. His name is of some debated origin, with some ties to Greek, Latin, and Welsh. In Greek, the element geron means “old”. The name is also an actual Latin name from the Late Roman Empire, and in Welsh it is rendered as Geraint; put quite simply, the name means “old man”. Let me also bring up two of his sons - let’s go with Isengrim and Hildibrand. To start with the eldest, Isengrim, his name is Anglo-Saxon in origin and consists of isen, meaning “iron”, and grim, meaning “fierce”. There is a chance that Tolkien actually named him after a wolf that appears in the medieval story of Reynard the Fox. Then we have Hildibrand, whose name is likely of Lombardic origin and consists of hild, meaning battle, and brand, meaning sword. He was probably named after a character of Germanic legend.

Then, let me point at the Bolgers. They were also a family with Fallohide blood, and followed the same naming customs. For instance, Odovacar Bolger, Fatty Bolger’s father, shares name with a Germanic king of Rome. Fredegar himself (Fatty, that is) has a name that combines two elements that are either Old High German, Old Saxon, or Old English - fridu, or frithu, which means “peace”, and gār or gēr meaning “spear”.

But it is not only families with Fallohide blood that have different-sounding names. The Brandybuck family, which can be claimed to have Stoor blood, have a naming convention of their own that likely reflects their old connection to the Men of Dunland. The names are somewhat Celtic in sound, though not all of them have actual meanings.

Let me begin with our main man, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck. His name is, in fact, Welsh and means roughly “Great Lord”. The names of his great-great-grandfather and his great-great-great-grandfather, Marmadoc and Madoc, are also Celtic in origin, with Madoc being found among Welsh names and Marmadoc being derived from the old Irish Máel Máedóc (roughly “follower of Saint Malachy”). Fun fact: the name Marmaduke is from the same one as Marmadoc.

So how about the Brandybuck names that sound Celtic, but have no meaning? Well, we have an excellent example in Merry’s uncle Merimac, younger brother of Saradoc Brandybuck. The name Merimac has the Celtic mac in it, which at the very least in Irish means “son” (I can’t answer for Scottish Gaelic or for Welsh, I only know a little bit of Irish). However, the prefix meri does not appear to have a meaning in modern day languages; though Tolkien did have some Westron words written out, and meri could simply be a sort of “translation” of the Westron kali, which would indicate that it means essentially “jolly”. Actually, Saradoc’s name is of personal interest to me. I’ve found a note claiming that the name is derived from the Welsh Caradoc, the name of a semi-legendary ancestor to the kings of Gwent. Which at least in my opinion is pretty cool. But I can’t find any links that may confirm the claim, so it shall, for now, remain a dream.

BUT. What about the nonsensical names that appear in various families? Well, there is the post going around about how these names are Baggins names, which is an outright false claim. Yes, they sound odd, and since people mostly pay attention to the Bagginses they’ll only really see them there. But fact is, that the names are everywhere. The Proudfoots have them, the Hornblowers have them, the Boffins, the Burrowses, the Chubbs, the Goodbodies - they’re everywhere. They are, therefore, presumably very common. And it’s not just the male names either.

Look at the female names as well. Belba? Chica? Tanta? No, it’s not just the male hobbits that have odd nonsensical names, even if flower- or gem-names are more common for female hobbits (with the gem-names being more specifically for upper-class female hobbits). But then we also have the names Belladonna, Donnamira, and Mirabella - the names of Gerontius Took’s three daughters. These three names are distinctly different; Belladonna is of Italian origin, as is Mirabella - I can’t actually find a definite origin for Donnamira, but since both halves of her name are Italian/Latin in origin, I’m willing to wager that’s the intention there. Odd bit of contrast, no?

Either way, I’m willing to bet that these nonsensical names that keep popping up in so many families are something of a custom in hobbit families with Harfoot blood. That’s not to say that it is the only custom; we don’t know if the Gamgee family had Harfoot blood or otherwise, as it’s never stated, but it appears to be heavily implied - and most of them appear to have Old English names.

Note also that the nonsensical names have a tendency to sound very similar - chances are that later names on the family tree are derived from earlier ones, such as the names Uffo and Gruffo on the Boffin family tree, quite clearly derived from the name of Uffo’s great-grandfather Buffo. For that matter, why not bring up the name of our dear Bilbo Baggins? His great-grandfather was named Balbo. I daresay Bilbo’s name was derived from there.

So - nonsensical names? Sure, they sound weird. But there is clearly some form of meaning to them, even if it is just a certain naming convention or a wish to pay homage to relatives. I ask that you do not dismiss them, but instead view them as what they clearly are: a hobbit tradition, and perhaps a specific Harfoot custom.

Thank you for reading.

[sickandvomiting]

Hi can you tell me a little bit about each of your OCs (or your favorites) like I said in another ask I'm new and I can't seem to find a masterpost (maybe I'm just blind/not looking hard enough) for them. Thanks!

No it's pretty hidden whoops. I'm also working on finishing my character page (which unfortunately can't be accessed on mobile but it will be one desktop). It's just taking awhile. It's like probably 60% done??? My computer was giving me grief last time. I'll put a list here of my characters at least but I'm probably not gonna put a fact for each one. If you look up their names in the search bar at the top, it'll show you all the times I tagged them in posts, which is typically when I talk about them or write or draw them. Thank you so much for all the amazing questions!!!!! Middle Earth characters: - Lírion of Mirkwood (elf)- Aldwyn Telperiën (man)- Dwaer of the Iron Hills (dwarf)- Madoc Brandybuck (Hobbit)- TobiasWartime characters: - Tank- Raptor - IQ- Muffin- Ghost- Tron - Jeeves- Butch - Col. Joshamee SandersHuman group characters:- Aisling McGregor- Oscar Knightly- Neil Fitzpatrick- Tyler Huang- Nell - Rocky Huang- AdamG/t Group Characters - Victor (giant) - Saoirse (human) - Alek Carson (human) - Celeste (tiny) - Ash (tiny)

[gershel-draws]

This Madoc Brandybuck, the hobbit. He is studious, sharp tongued, and a bit of a grouch, with a special talent for throwing rocks things at people and hitting them squarely between the eyes. Because of his slightly mean disposition and biting remarks, Aldwyn ironically nicknamed him "Jolly", much to Madoc's dismay. He is very nearsighted, and has to wear thick, round glasses that make his eyes look enormous. He keeps a journal with him at all times, so he can write down what he is experiencing. Most of it is just sarcastic comments. He is a physician, or as close as a Hobbit can get to being a physician, as they are a sturdy people without much need for doctors. He worked in and around the Shire, but lived in Brandy Hall along with most of his extended family, just outside the shire in Buckland, over the Brandywine River. He was the last the join the traveling group. They met because Dwaer fell ill as they were passing through the Shire-adjacent town of Bree. No one had studied Dwarvish medicine before, aside from Madoc, and even he didn't know why he knew about it. So he helped them out, and they asked if he'd like to join them in their travels. At first he refused, saying they were riffraff, but when he went back to Brandy Hall and was forced to interact with his extended family, he decided he could use a change of pace. He'd always been the adventurous sort, but he only ever got as far as Bree before turning back. Now that he had an excuse, he figured "Why not?" So he told his family that they Dwaer's condition would flare up again, eventually, and he had to be there when it did. Which was a total lie. But he didn't care.

[sickandvomiting]

how easily nauseated do each of your characters get? (yes all of them, i love each and every one) do they typically get hot flashes? are hiccups more common for them, or burps? are there tell-tale signs for their friends that "oh shit character a is feeling sick"? i hope you feel better soon!

OCs Copy Paste List

Middle Earth characters: - Lírion of Mirkwood (elf)Basically never. He’s an elf and they just don’t really get sick. When he’s sick you can tell because he’s very confused haha! He typically just throws up without warning. Like, literally it just happens. No burps or anything preceding it. - Aldwyn Telperiën (man)He has a bad tendency to drink himself sick and his life on the road leads to eating some sketchy food sometimes but he doesn’t really get motion sick. He gets really burpy every time. If he’s uncharacteristically quiet, he’s probably not feeling well in one for or another. - Dwaer of the Iron Hills (dwarf)Definitely gets motion sick. But really only on boats. He hates boats so much. He burps too but not as much. He actually coughs more. Like he feels a heave coming on and he coughs to try and get rid of it but ends up puking. You will know when he doesn’t feel well because he will tell you. He is a Clint of a complainer. - Madoc Brandybuck (Hobbit)He also gets seasick really easily. Hobbits aren’t accustomed to water. Also certain smells can make him feel sick to his stomach, like the smell of fish (not cooked but like raw fish just caught. He can’t handle it.) If he’s motion sick he just gags. No hiccuping or burping. But if it’s because of food he tends to burp too. If Madoc starts shaking his head a lot he’s probably sick. Like how people shake their head to clear it or something. He’s trying to push away the feeling and not acknowledge it. But Lírion has picked up on this tell. - TobiasHe doesn’t get sick very often but when he does it’s usually because of something he ate or drank. He’s also really sensitive to textures. Like if his meat is too rare/slimy he’ll gag while eating it. He just kinda looks vaguely sick all the time so no one can easily tell the difference between his normal look and when he’s sick.

Wartime characters: - TankShe stifles really quiet burps. Which is really different than normal because typically she’ll just burp out loud with all the other guys. But other than that she’s really good at hiding when she doesn’t feel well. She mostly doesn’t get nauseous unless she has a stomach bug, but she is also allergic to certain fruits (mainly strawberries and blueberries) and will be miserable and nauseous and throw up if she eats those by accident. - Raptor He gets motion sick on literally anything. Planes, boats, cars, a fucking horse, you name it he’ll probably feel sick on it. He gets a little bit burpy but mostly those burps are closer to gags because they bring up stuff that he just swallows back down until he can’t anymore. He gets really pale when he doesn’t feel well, and he gets really shaky and distracted. - IQHe gets kinda… weird?? Like nervous laughter because he feels like everyone can see his weaknesses and he wants to play it off but ends up talking really really fast and awkwardly. He also absentmindedly drapes a hand over his stomach. He gets hiccups when he’s gonna be sick, but only if it’s good or illness related. He also gets motion sickness pretty badly, and doesn’t handle heat well. Heat makes him nauseous too. - MuffinHe gets sick from overeating a lot, and will often catch stomach bugs that go around camp. The sight of blood or other people being sick makes him nauseous and he is a sympathetic puker. When he’s sick you’ll know because he gets really really anxious. He HATES being sick. He gets super super burpy and fidgety and when he actually pukes he does those hiccups that end in belches until the belches become actual waves of puke. - GhostHe gets sick from basically everything that comes around the camp, and is like a lil bit lactose intolerant but not enough to make him puke, just enough to make him crampy and nauseous and miserable. He typically tries to hide it and doesn’t realize when - Tron He likes to pretend he’s a macho tough guy but deep down he’s really squeamish. Not quite on Muffin’s level, and he can deal wit blood to an extent, but not a lot of blood. He also get nauseous around needles. He fucking hates needles. He doesn’t get motion sick very much (except from boats), but he gets really bad vertigo from being up high and it makes him super sick to his stomach. He tries to hide it (macho thing again) but he doesn’t do it very well because he acts really sluggish and doesn’t talk, which is very abnormal for someone who is so high energy all the time. - JeevesHe. Is. SO. WHINY. Like oh my god. He will not shut up if he feels bad. He gets the hiccups every time he gets nauseous and then complains the whole time. He is also super squeamish, and having grown up in a rich family with access to he highest quality food, he typically feels a little bit sick after most meals at the unit, some times more than others. He is also really susceptible to illnesses because of how sterile his environment was growing up. - Butch You can never tell when this man is sick. He is incredible at hiding it up until the very last second. Not much gets to him either, though his immune system is really only average so he catches bugs sometimes. He does get nauseous from heat as well, but is really good at pushing through it because of his training.

Human group characters:- Aisling McGregorShe doesn’t really burp or hiccup that much but her stomach makes all kinds of noises. She actually has trouble burping so that can upset her stomach too, like if she drinks soda too fast or something she has a really hard time getting all that air out so she ends up bloated and gurgly and nauseous. She has a really strong stomach for most things, but some smells make her gag or ever puke, like blue cheese. She slumps when she’s not feeling well. She normally has practically perfect posture so slumping is weird for her. - Oscar KnightlyHe has a bad habit of eating himself sick. Or occasionally drinking himself sick. He also has a nervous stomach and frequently pukes before big performances. He doesn’t really burp or hiccup much either. Honestly it just kinda happens. He tends to yawn a lot when he’s nervous so sometimes it catches him off guard and he throws up as he’s exhaling from the yawn and that is never a fun time. He tries to hide being sick but he’s really really bad at it, because he looks like shit every time. - Neil FitzpatrickThis poor kid get motion sick like no other. It can be a 10 minute car ride to the store and he’ll feel like shot by the end of it. Other than the motion sickness though, he’s pretty sturdy. He has an immune system of steel and isn’t particularly squeamish unless it’s another person puking. He also kind of likes to do stupid shit like drinking and eating contests so that really never ends well. He hiccups when he’s about to puke. He’ll typically tell you if he’s not feeling well though. - TylerHe has a lot of vertigo issues due to ear problems. He’s Deaf, so. Like he’s the sort of person who if they spin around in an office chair for a bit too long they’ll end up feeling sick the rest of the day. He also doesn’t handle greasy foods well, which is unfortunate because his brother LOVES greasy food and always buys enough to share. He typically tries to hide if he’s feeling off because he thinks it’s embarrassing. He doesn’t know how loud his stomach gurgles because he can’t hear it, but he sees Nell react to it and knows that it makes a sound when it feels weird. So he tries to use away so no one can hear him. - NellShe gets sick on roller coasters and fair rides. Really anything super spinny and up and down like. But oddly enough, boats are fine. She has a decent immune system and doesn’t catch much even though she has to take care of Rocky a fair amount. You can tell when she doesn’t feel well because she typically doesn’t try as hard to look good. Normally she wears vibrant colors and tight jeans and bright makeup and stuff but when she doesn’t feel well she just exists in sweatpants and baggy tshirts so there’s no pressure on her stomach. - RockyHe is a lot like Tyler when it comes to nausea from vertigo/balance problems, because he is also Deaf. However, he also tends to pick up every stomach bug that goes around too, and he’s not quiet about it. Because it tends to hit him hard and fast and that has gotten him into some messes before. He gets really cuddly when he’s not feeling well, and will latch on to either Tyler or Nell. He knows when it back off though. He gets burpy beforehand too, but doesn’t really bother to stifle it because he can’t tell how loud he’s being.

G/t Group Characters - Victor (giant) He gets very very hiccupy before her gets sick. Like you can typically tell when he’s gonna throw up because he just starts hiccuping like crazy, and then the hiccups get deep and painful and turn into burps too. He mainly just gets sick from bugs going around, because he’s too big to really go on any transportation. Except for the one time that he was on a boat, which went very badly. He rubs his lips a lot when he’s feeling nauseous. Like absentmindedly he’ll just press his knuckle to his upper lip. Also his stomach is really loud and rumbly. - Saoirse (human) She doesn’t get sick all that much, but when she does she hides it until she can hide it no longer. She almost never calls off work, but you can tell when she’s not feeling well because everything she does sounds a bit more forced than natural. She doesn’t burp or hiccup either. She coughs and gags. Not much can make her sick. She’s really sturdy. - Alek Carson (human) He’s a little squeamish, especially about human body things like popping pimples or pus or other people vomiting. There’s also sounds that make him feel ill, especially odd squelching sounds like when you’re feet get stuck in the mud. When he feels nauseous he just rubs his belly, and then immediately before throwing up he starts burping. He gets the stomach flu like once a year or so. Also almost whenever he’s nauseous he gets a headache to go along with it. - Celeste (tiny) She probably gets sick the least of any of my characters. She is super sturdy but as a student of medicine, and nearly a doctor, she makes a terrible patient and insists that she’s fine. The harder she insists that she’s fine, the worse she is probably feeling. Though she sometimes does overdo it with alcohol. - Ashwani (tiny) He gets really airsick and he gets sick on roller coasters, but not much else affects him aside from the occasional bug. He sometimes eats too much though and then ends up a burpy bloated mess. However, he doesn’t really burp before he gets sick. It’s more like little tiny gags that sound kind of like hiccups and are often mistaken as such until it’s too late. He also gets chronic migraines so those tend to make him nauseous too.

[sickandvomiting]

What inspired you to write your least popular OC? What's their favorite color? Are they friends with a more popular OC or one that is about as well known as they are? Tell me about an OC of yours that no one asks about.

I’ll use Madoc Brandybuck because I love him but also no one cares about him. Mainly, I just had an idea for a group of Middle Earth characters, and Madoc is the Hobbit of the group. But I wanted him to not really fit the typical role of a hobbit. Like, he’s not a happy-go-lucky sort of guy at all. He’s actually really grouchy and bitingly sarcastic. His favorite color is green, but not like forest green. Like, bright yellowish green that remind him of home in the Shire. He’s friends with Aldwyn, who people *occasionally* ask about, like once in a blue moon. Though he’d never admit to being friends with Aldwyn. Madoc likes to act like he hates him. The others in the group receive about as much attention as Madoc. Only one people really ever ask about is Aldwyn, because I’ve written him a lil more than the others.

[sickandvomiting]

What are your OCs sexual orientations?

OCs Copy Paste List

Middle Earth characters: - Lírion of Mirkwood (elf): Asexual- Aldwyn Telperiën (man): Bisexual- Dwaer of the Iron Hills (dwarf): Pansexual- Madoc Brandybuck (Hobbit): Asexual

Wartime characters: - Tank: Bisexual- Raptor: Heterosexual- IQ: Demisexual- Muffin: Pansexual- Ghost: Pansexual- Tron: Heterosexual(????) He’s still figuring it all out. - Jeeves: Heterosexual- Butch: Heterosexual- Col. Joshamee Sanders: Heterosexual

Human group characters:- Max: Pansexual - Aisling McGregor: Bisexual- Oscar Knightly: Demisexual- Neil Fitzpatrick: Bisexual- Tyler: Heterosexual- Nell: Asexual- Rocky: Pansexual

G/t Group Characters - Victor (giant): Bisexual, probably. 
- Saoirse (human): Heterosexual
- Alek Carson (human): Pansexual
- Celeste (tiny): Demisexual
- Ash (tiny): Pansexual

[sickandvomiting]

How old are all your OCs?

Middle Earth characters: 
- Lírion of Mirkwood (elf): 147 (Elves aren’t even considered full adults until they’re 100, soooo)
- Aldwyn Telperiën (man): 27
- Dwaer of the Iron Hills (dwarf): 33
- Madoc Brandybuck (Hobbit): 30

Vietnam War characters: 
- Tank: 28
- Raptor: 28
- IQ: 19
- Muffin: 22
- Ghost: 25
- Tron: 20
- Jeeves: 20
- Butch: 30
- Col. Joshamee Sanders: 61

Human group characters:
- Max: 20
- Aisling McGregor: 19
- Oscar Knightly: 19
- Neil Fitzpatrick: 19
- Allie (Max’s sister): 15
- Judith and Peg (Max’s moms): 41 and 44
- Tyler: 21
- Nell: 21
- Rocky: 21- Avi Johansson: 22

G/t Group Characters: - Victor (giant): 25
- Saoirse (human): 27 
- Alek Carson (human): 23 
- Celeste (tiny): 22
- Ash (tiny): 24

[sickandvomiting]

Does anyone have any of my characters that they are particularly interested in seeing drawn profiles for? Like, drawings of what they look like, and short character profiles? Because I want to do some art tonight, and people don’t really know my OCs. Here is a list of them:

Middle Earth characters: - Lírion of Mirkwood (elf) - Aldwyn Telperiën (man) - Dwaer of the Iron Hills (dwarf) - Madoc Brandybuck (Hobbit)

Wartime characters: - Tank - Raptor - IQ - Muffin - Ghost - Tron - Jeeves - Butch - Col. Joshamee Sanders

Human group characters: - Max - Aisling McGregor - Oscar Knightly - Neil Fitzpatrick - Allie (Max’s sister) 
- Judith and Peg (Max’s moms) 
- Tyler 
- Nell 
- Rocky

G/t Group Characters - Victor (giant) - Saoirse (human) - Alek Carson (human) - Celeste (tiny) - Ash (tiny)