#Melkor has all the mental illnesses | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cilil · 6 months ago

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I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THEM TOO AND YOU'RE GIVING ME FEELS😩❤️ (and also thank you for being so sweet, especially about the egg fic, it's very dear to me and one of my favorite things I've written🤗).

If I had to write Gothmog's inner monologue as he falls into that (stupid and clearly Balrog-phobic) fountain it would be "Oh no. Oh shit. Oh fuck." Which is not exactly Shakespearean tragedy material, but what I think is an in-character reaction. Because yes, in my mind he's thinking about all the people he loves and is loyal to and how they need him (not wrong) and how his mentally and physically ill Vala can't even bring him back.

The relief that he won't have to fight Eönwë now probably came as a bit of an afterthought once he was dead (assuming that slain Maiar are not immediately and not entirely dormant)/as an attempt to comfort himself. Though this also comes with the unfortunate side effect of Gothmog's Balrog siblings having to fight Eönwë, which in my headcanons has happened and he was responsible for killing at least one of them. Yet more drama.

(Though don't worry, it doesn't ruin their relationship or anything; knowing that everyone has their orders and the Balrogs would rather die than go to Valinor, Gothmog is weirdly chill about it. But Eönwë will of course assume he hates him for it and angst about it.)

Last words... oooh let me write this down. I could write about that sometime👀

And yes. Gothmog is the biggest softie with his bird boy. Always very careful not to set him on fire. Always keeping him warm. Would take him into a volcano for hibernation if Eönwë was more fireproof.

Omg wait there's asshole Eönwë fanon? The only thing I can think of is "nice guy" Eönwë in the context of Eönwë/Mairon, either doing something nasty to him post-WoW or an AU where he drags him to Valinor - not my default take, but something I certainly entertain for a fic if requested. But otherwise I thought Eönwë was in the clear... well, apparently not. Maybe he's guilty by association due to the prominent anti Valar fanon. I saw someone claiming once that he's problematic for saying a slur. Interesting claim to make about a character with one line of direct dialogue.

The weak and stupid allegations probably come from the Mairon issue as well, but like... is the narrative parallel between Melkor deceiving Manwë and Mairon deceiving Eönwë due to evil people taking advantage of the very mercy and kindness they deny others just invisible to people? I suppose themes are sometimes a bit tough to spot (though Tolkien spelled it out somewhere). But that's what it is. And I frankly think Eönwë - while he will most certainly beat himself up over this in later years - was wise not to continue the cycle of violence. Same goes for his treatment of Maedhros and Maglor. It was simply mercy. The very nature of mercy is that it's not always the smartest or most optimal thing or you get an immediate benefit from it (see also Bilbo and Frodo with Gollum: Technically it bit them in the ass to spare Gollum, but it also allowed for the One Ring to be destroyed in the end).

I also think Manwë very deliberately chose a Maia as his herald who can embody his ideals of kindness and forgiveness instead of some warmongering, vengeful spirit.

Sorry for the tangent, anyway -

A hypothetical duel between Gothmog and Eönwë would make for such a good dramatic fic. I'll write that one down as well👀

Eönwë is the kind of person you never want to be angry at you. And it's really not hard to stay on his good side, but my god, if he snaps you're in BIG TROUBLE. He's one scary raptor and he can take down prey above his pay grade too (Melkor).

As for the egg, I have this headcanon that part of the reason why it even exists is because Eönwë felt so lonely and it then came into his head that if he, you know, allowed something to come from his and Gothmog's shenanigans he would have something to love and take care of at home too, something that's entirely his own and made with love. I hope maybe Ilmarë and Arien are willing to be egg aunties and maybe contribute some sun and star fire to nurture the little phoenix Maia before they started gnawing on high kings of the Noldor (run Ara run)😌

(Same about Manwë and Melkor, also both platonic and romantic. Manwë was definitely very alone with this; normally he can tell Varda and Ulmo everything, but this they don't get.)

Hand on my heart: I have been sitting on a broad outline of an Eönwë-centric character study type long fic and one of its main themes is him struggling with his mental health. There may be some self-harm and suicidal tendencies involved. Because he blames himself for everything that went wrong and hates himself for being a warrior spirit and thinks he deserves to suffer for every single thing he did wrong. He's been spiralling ever since Gondolin and Númenor will absolutely drag him down.

Gosh I love these characters so much, thank you for letting me rant😭❤️

wait wait wait, it took me so long (i was binge-reading all your fics hehe) to realize the romeo-and-juliet type of relationship eonwe and gothmog have going on. its even better because tolkien once envisioned gothmog and eonwe to be the children of melkor and manwe so them meeting up secretly is sooooooo sweet but heartbreaking, like they are on opposite sides, and they know they'll eventually fight each other. but gothmog died first, so how did eonwe handle that. imagining him trying to live after gothmog's death is just asdkjakdakds

You're too sweet❤️❤️❤️

And yes, this is what really sucked me in too once I realized it! We (my friends and I) started out seeing Firebird as more of a crack ship or something that's maybe hot for smut, but then we realized the old Lost Tales connection and the doomed, tragic love and the parallels between them and... everything.

In a weird way, Gothmog falling in Gondolin was mercy for them both. Otherwise a confrontation during the War of Wrath would've been pretty much inevitable, especially if Gothmog had once again been ordered to go after the Elven kings (Eönwë can't just let him kill Finarfin and it's not like he's that terrible of a friend either). They would've fought each other, knowing that they have orders and that the other knows and understands this as well.

As for what the outcome of that fight would've been, I'd say 70-80% in Eönwë's favor, with this being a sort of average between "they duel and it's just them" (which is more beneficial to Eönwë) and "because the forces of evil cheat, Gothmog gets random assistance from other Balrogs" (similar to what happened with Fingon). Even if they refused to kill the other in the end, someone else on their side happily would. One of them would've wound up dead for sure.

Eönwë tries to take comfort in the fact that this scenario has been avoided and soon realizes that Melkor currently can't bring his Maiar back - so Gothmog also stays dead - but that means he no longer has the one person in his life who understands him. In all his other relationships, he has to perform; whether that's actually true or not is another question, but Eönwë definitely feels that way. It's not like he can tell, say, Manwë, Finarfin or Eärendil about his killer instincts and how he sometimes has the urge to hack, slash and dive bomb people.

What makes this worse is that Eönwë also can't express his grief, or at least he has to pretend it's just about Gondolin. How would he explain that he's mourning the evil Lord of Balrogs more than the brave warrior Elves?

It gets even worse in the one verse where he has an egg and now has to hatch it alone (which may or may not even be possible without another fire spirit) and can never tell anyone where it came from.

Maybe Eönwë goes into the War of Wrath so readily because he doesn't have much to lose. He doesn't feel quite at home or connected and has nobody to talk to about it and nobody to make him feel accepted and loved regarding the parts of himself that he always has to hide. But he also can't just... give up. He's immortal. Even if he died, Manwë would still be more than capable of bringing him back. And he has a purpose to fulfill.

So yeah. Poor Eönwë indeed😭

And now I'll go and dig up (pun intended) some Firebird headcanons for Ainur Week

#gothmog #eonwe #gothmog x eonwe #firebird #headcanons

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tar-thelien · 4 years ago

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Because I have nothing better to do then laying in my bed an eat watermelon while feeling bad for myself here you have some shit from my first version of Melkor:

About my first version of Melkor he is albino but why?

First of all my albino Melkor (my first version of him) starts out as a mass of light and colours and later when he needs a body he have red hair and blue eyes as all of my versions of Melkor have (the blue eyes)

I have some ideas of his eyes and the one I'm going for at the moment is that where his eyes are supossed to be white they are black and he have no pupils only a pale icy blue surronded by a void like black (Manwe has the same his blue are just a bit more blue therfor more natrual).

My albino Melkor have comepletly normal eyes if you look away from the red but before he becomes albino his eyes are all shades if blue flowing around while glowing like a fire.

Now the reason why he becomes albino is simple:

He becomes to happy with himself and not evil just... Melkor like? He just get some mental problems more then he aleraedy have okay?

(None of my versions of Melkor are evil just assholes and mental unstable)

So he loses all his color when he pours himself into Arda and now can only take a form with no colour so yes he can still chose a form of his own wich but it will be white, and if it is the first "form" he ever had you know light and colours it will just be white light or unlight if he wants it to.

And elvers who have seen white hair but never albinos are creeped out by him.

Come on you would be too if you didn't knew what an albino was and ended up looking at one.

Feanor thinks it's exciting and befriends him becouse why not?

He still looks like Manwe in body shape and curly hair and now both of them have white hair Melkor just a little more as Manwes are more sky white, Melkor also now have a lighter skin and his eyes are normal (not for an elf but still) (my first version of Manwe have the same eyes as my red haired Melkor)

Finrod who never have meet Melkor have of course heard of him and his albino syndrom mostly from Maedhros and is shocked as he sees humans also can be albinos.

Now about humans:

Melkor feels attached to them as he sees some also can be albinos and this is mostly the reason why he befriends them also the fact that he is more human in personality as he have a lot of mental illnesses that only humans can get of course other creatures can get them too like elvers but it is extremely rare so I would say "only" humans.

He also at first thinks that humans have more power then they ever had and just used it to something so that would be the reason some of them are albinos *hate to break it to you mel but you are wrong* of course he is jealous that they have the gift of death like some elvers are.

This confuse some people becouse why would Morgoth wich to die?

(I'm not completely sure why but I'm sure that this version of Melkor have a suicide wich (maybe just for the sake of dying? (or being the first Ainur to die (which he will be (Dagor Dagorath)))) WHO KNOWS!?)

Melkor also loves human because of their skin colour (again he is jealous) he thinks it facineting that one race can have difrent skin colour and is amazed by it.

I'll maybe put more on it another time I think...? Idk

#headcanon #i did this on my phone #and #im sick #give me some credit #albino melkor

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admirable-mairon · 5 years ago

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𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑬𝑻.

repost, don’t reblog

BASICS.

full name. Mairon Mayazônôz Aulëndil

pronunciation. Mah-I-Ron (roll the R)

nickname(s). Little flame, Clever one, Zigûr, Gorthaur, Sauron, Thauron, Annatar, Tar-Mairon, The Dark Lord and The Lord Of The Rings

gender. Male. He prefers to be Cis, so to speak, but depending on what a certain situation requires he will change his physical appearance. Aka, he sometimes wears a vagina and breasts if it can grant him things that he wants.

height. His prefered height is 9′3.

age. Eternal???? (In modern AU I would say in his early thirties)

zodiac. The stars didn’t exist when he was born (in modern AU, I think he’s a scorpio)

spoken languages. Valarin, khûzdul, sindarin, noldorin, Black speech, most languages spoken in middle-earth that I unfortunately don’t know the names to XD

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

hair color. Ginger - a shifting color of red, yellow and orange that seems to shift when he moves.

eye color. Y’all have seen the movies ;) His eyes are fiery with slitted pupils.

skin tone. Orange-y, and actually glowing faintly.

body type. Tall, slim and feminine. He likes it when people assume he’s weaker than he is based on his build.

accent. Somewhat neutral, but he articulates a lot

voice. Hissing, yet smooth. See further down where I’ll put a link for his “theme song”, seeing as that is also my voice-claim for him

dominant hand. Both?

posture. Tall and straight. The only straight part of him honestly. The corset he wears helps!

scars: Some on his back and thighs that Melkor gave him that he wasn’t allowed to heal.

tattoos. None.

birthmarks. Freckles? Lots of them?

most noticeable feature(s). His eyes, hair and teeth, as well as his jewelry.

CHILDHOOD.

place of birth. Eä

hometown. N/A

birth weight. Infinite

birth height. Star-dust size?

first words.

siblings. TECHNICALLY all other ainur, but to make it more easy he usually considers the other maiar of Aulë to be his siblings.

parents. Eru. Adoptive parents - Aulë and Yavanna

parental involvement. I mean Eru just fucked off when he was done, so I would say he’s a very absent, and thereby unworthy, parent. Aulë was, of course, very involved in his work, but ultimately not enough.

ADULT LIFE.

occupation. Dark Lord. It’s a difficult job but someone has to do it

close friends / family. None.... Unless you count my AU’s with @unknownjenmun or @first-son-of-finwe or @masteroftheseas , BUT IN CANON THERE IS VERY MUCH NONE

relationship status. Bound to Melkor (yes he sees it as a marriage sort of thing)

financial status. Rich. VERY rich. Mainly because he lies and cheats and tends to get deals that are far better for him than they are his buisness partners. THAT and the pillaging.

driver’s license. You know if that was a thing he would be good at it

criminal record. TOO. LONG. TO. LIST.

MISCELLANEOUS.

character’s theme song. “When the dust begins to settle” by Krypteria. As I mentioned earlier, this is also the voice claim I have for him.

hobbies to pass time. Torture, sorting through things, having sex and plotting. Sometimes all four at the same time.

mental illnesses. He certainly is a narcissist, and he completely and fully lacks any form of empathy/sympathy.

physical illnesses. -

left or right-brained. Bbbbbbbbbbbboth?

self-confidence level. Through the fucking roof. He’s better than all of you and he knows it

SEX & ROMANCE.

sexual orientation. Homosexual (Exclusive preference for cismen)

romantic orientation. Homoromantic

preferred emotional role. submissive | dominant | switch

preferred sexual role. He PREFERS being on the recieving end, but that doesn’t mean he’s submissive. Only one person has ever made him truly submit.

libido. Too much.

turn on’s. Blood, pain, slapping, spanking, strangling, biting, power and LARGE cocks.

turn off’s. Softness, gentle touches, weakness, crying, sobbing, women and vaginas.

love language. Obsession and/or possessiveness. I honestly don’t think that’s a good thing.

relationship tendencies. He understands romantic/sexual relationships on a Master-Servant level, and nothing else. The whole ‘emotions’ thing isn’t something he understands after all. Because of this, in any and all relationships he finds himself in, he immideately figures out which is which. Yes, as you can probably guess, he is mostly the Master.

Tagged By: @legolasgoldy

Tagging: @first-son-of-finwe , @spiritoffireburnson , and anyone else who feels like doing it!

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thedwarrowscholar · 6 years ago

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Hi there, firstly, I want to say I really admire and am grateful for all the work you've done! I'm writing a story and I was hoping you might help with some translation. 1) The gold sickness that Thorin suffered from, how would that be translated into Khuzdul? 2) If there were another type of disease, that also has the same element of corruption from an outside source, but it is unidentified, would there be a way to put that into Khuzdul? Thank you so much!

Shamukh!

And thank you so much for those kind words, always appreciated.

Alright, let’s dive right into your questions on illnesses in Middle-earth.

Firstly, Dragon-sickness (also called Gold Sickness, or Gold Fever), is a mental transformation that occurs to some in Middle earth when they have been in contact with large amounts of treasure, particularly treasure that has been hoarded by dragons. The apparent symptoms of this illness are extremely irrational behaviour, excessive greed, utter abandonment of logic and violent behaviour with little to no remorse during or shortly after the violent episode.

The word for Dragon-sickness is Neo-Khuzdul is “Uslukh-satas”, literally “dragon sickness”.

What other illnesses are concerned, in The History of Middle Earth (HoME XII: The Peoples of Middle-earth; ‘Durin’s Folk’) we are told about the dwarves that “Almost the only physical disorder they suffered from (they were singularly immune from diseases such as affected Men, and Halflings) was corpulence. If in prosperous circumstances, many grew very fat at or before 200, and could not do much (save eat) afterwards." So it seems that, apart from the already established “dragon-sickness” or corpulence, Dwarves wouldn’t really have much of a problem with illnesses at all.

The reason for this apparent immunity to most illnesses lies in their creation; since the dwarves were created in the days of the power of Melkor, Mahal (Aulë, the Great Smith, creator of the Dwarves) made the Dwarves strong to endure.

As for the second part of your question; I can’t think of any illness that would exist in Middle-earth that would have a similar sort of corruption, hence there is no group name for such type of illnesses in Neo-Khuzdul either.

I hope that answers your question, my friend.

Ever at your service,

The Dwarrow Scholar

#illnesses in Middle Earth

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adamantiiine-blog · 6 years ago

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THE NATURE OF THE AINUR

PART ONE: ORIGINS, IDENTITY, AND NATURE

III. Eäla and Fána

There are two main components to a Vala or Maia, known as the eäla and the fána. The eäla is Unseen, while the fána is Seen. Ainur that have taken a fána are “incarnate” or “clad,” while those that have not are “disincarnate” or “unclad.”

When the Ainur came into Eä, they had no physical forms, existing only as eälar; their true forms as spirits. The eäla is an energy construct, rather than a physical or visible one, that falls into the Unseen and is thus invisible to the eyes of the Eruhíni. They are visible to one another, obviously. The eälar were, at the beginning of time, rather shapeless, but through the ages the Ainur have gained a more humanoid shape, even when disincarnate. Eälar. cannot communicate using words or gestures with the Seen, however, they are still able to impart an aura. This is more of a feeling, such as a sudden sense of warmth or comfort, or a chill, or an inexplicable uneasy feeling. While disincarnate, Ainur are unable to be harmed through any physical means or touched or affected by anything Seen, however they are able to be affected by things that are Unseen, as well as by another Ainu, whether they be incarnate or unclad, as Ainur exist within both the Seen and the Unseen realms. Ainur can also communicate with one another without issue either incarnate or disincarnate, and a disincarnate Ainu is still able to see and hear things that are Seen.

The fána, or an Ainu’s physical form, is both similar and dissimilar to the hröar of the Eruhíni. These forms are made to be similar to the Eruhíni (Elves or Men), with most choosing a form that looks more elvish than mannish. These fánar are designed according to each Ainu’s personality and identity, and thus vary vastly, though Ainur of similar nature and siblings may take similar forms. The greatest difference between a fána and a hröa is tha the eäla is not bound to the fána as the fëa is bound to the hröa. Ainur can cast aside their fánar at will and become disincarnate. A fána is described as a sort of garment for the eäla, hence the terms “clad” and “unclad.” While most of Eä’s Ainur do take a fána at least at some times, there are some that choose not to incarnate at all. In other matters, a fána is similar to a hröa. It can be wounded by all normal means including weapons, impact, and any kind of elemental damage (however, it is all but completely immune to any damage induced by the element(s) that the Ainu in question is linked to, e.g. an Ainu attuned with fire won’t get burned, unless they are burned by a more powerful fire-attuned Ainu). However, an Ainu’s fána is often much more resilient than even the greatest of Elves, and is more difficult to damage by anything less than a direct hit with a weapon. However, if you strike a Maia and an Elf each with a sword, the damage will be the same, but the Maia will heal more quickly, as well as being less affected by the wound.

Ainur are also immune to all illness and most poisons, though anything specifically formulated to work against them will affect them. Incarnate Ainur need to breathe, as evidenced by Sauron’s drowning when Númenor was sunk. However, they do not need to eat or drink, though doing so can speed any healing processes as well as giving them an energy boost. Fánar also do not produce waste, as anything eaten is completely converted to energy. Fánar do not grow, gain weight, or build muscle, nor do they waste away. Ainur, particularly those who are active with their powers (note that powers include mental power, physical power, and mystical powers), do need to sleep at times, but this does not change whether incarnate or not.

The fána may be taken or disincarnated at will for the most part, with no substantial cost to the Ainu’s power. However, if the fána is wounded, the Ainu is unable to disincarnate at will until the wound is healed, hence Morgoth’s inability to disincarnate or change his form after touching the Silmarils, which caused wounds that never healed. Some fánar might scar, and these scars will remain throughout any form the Ainu takes. This is because if a wound scars, it is actually a physical representation of damage to the eäla, not just the fána. This phenomenon will be discussed later.

Some fánar are fixed forms that do not change, and the Ainu must disincarnate in order to assume a different form (Melkor, thus he is unable to change his form at all when wounded). Others may be able to shift between a few forms without disincarnating between them (Sauron’s shapeshifting during his battle with Lúthien and Huán). Those who can change forms without disincarnating are able to shift even if they are wounded.

Damage to the Eäla

While fánar can be damaged relatively easily, it is more difficult to substantially damage the eäla. Most often, these damages are dealt through extreme emotional stress, however, they can also be a result of more direct means.

Scars on the fána - Most physical wounds do not scar as they would for one of the Eruhíni. The wound will heal and vanish entirely, except for under certain circumstances. If a wound is linked to a traumatic event, damage will be dealt to the eäla, and the wound will scar. These scars may fade through recovery, as they are the result of emotional pain, but this is unlikely, as the Ainur do not easily forget. If a wound scars, the scars will remain throughout any further incarnations an Ainu takes, as evidenced by Sauron’s still-missing finger even after taking a new body (The Two Towers, The Black Gate is Closed).

Fading of the Light - All Ainur naturally emit light, often visible light while incarnate (aside from in the case of Melkor and Ungoliant, I will discuss this in a later section). This light is merely a reflection of the eäla, the energy and power of an Ainu. While sudden, traumatic events will cause scars and rifts, long-term stress, emotional pain, or intense grief will cause the Ainu’s light to dim.

Direct Psychic Attacks - Because much of the Ainur’s communication and existence is spiritual, it is just as possible to wound the eäla through a psychic attack as it is to wound the fána through physical means. It’s not particularly easy for any non-Ainu, but those Ainur with greater power (particularly in terms of Will), are able to directly attack a weaker Ainu’s eäla, causing great damage. These wounds are similar to those dealt by trauma or physical scars, but often deeper and even more difficult to heal. These wounds also often come at the cost of some of the victim’s memories, as part of their own eäla has been damaged or destroyed, and their memories are stored within their beings. Similarly, an Ainu may have part of their power bound and unusable, and the memories associated with the bound powers may be hazy or inaccessible. Luckily, most memories are often in the areas of power associated with Will and Presence, while fewer are found in the areas of power associated with Ability, which are most often the ones that are bound (such as in the case of the Istari).

The Manifestation of Damage - While the physical signs of damage to the eäla vary, the damage to the eäla itself is visible to those who are able to see that which is Unseen. Unclad, the eäla’s shape, as mentioned already, is vaguely humanoid, and appears as though constructed by light– each individual’s light being a slightly different hue, and often matching the light of their fána. When the eäla is damaged, this light is affected. The first type of damage, that which comes from wounds on the fána associated with trauma, leaves distinctive patches, often in the shape and general location of the wound, that are dimmer than the rest of the eäla. These are often a stark contrast to the rest of the eäla, but for the most part the effects are limited.

Physical Differences Between Fánar and Hröar

While Ainur are able to take forms that resemble those of Elves, there are a few identifiable differences between the two.

Bioluminescence - Most Ainur glow. Almost universally, their eyes glow, but for some their hair will glow as well, and/or markings on their skin. Sometimes, the entire fána will glow. This glow usually reflects the element(s) that the Ainu is in tune with. This bioluminescence can shift color and intensity to indicate mood, and can even be used by some to communicate. However, this is not always the case, though the intensity of the glow is almost always associated with the intensity of the current emotion. Ainur are often able to hide their natural glow if they wish, but their eyes will continue to hold their light regardless. An Ainu’s light is not necessarily on the visible spectrum, either– some ‘darker’ Ainur glow with infrared or ultraviolet light. An Ainu does not choose the hue of their bioluminescence, despite being able to construct their fána however they wish.

Height - In general, Ainur are quite a bit taller than the average Elf or Man. Valar are almost always more than ten feet tall, with some being much taller. Maiar tend to be about as tall as the taller Eldar or more, usually in a range of 8-10 feet. They can change their height at will, however, without disincarnating (if their form is fluid). Thus any Ainu can take a form that is the average height of another race, should they wish, and some might choose a form that is smaller to be their default because of a desire to blend in.

Hue and General Appearance - The colors used in the construction of the fána are far more varied than those of the Eruhíni, they are much more colorful (at least in the early days after the waking of the Firstborn). Green, blue, and violet hues are common for both hair and skin tones, with others that would be considered by most to be unnatural. After getting to know the Eruhíni, most Ainur now take a more ‘natural’ appearance when interacting with them, but may revert to their chosen appearance while interacting incarnate with one another. Along the same lines, it’s not uncommon for an Ainu to have a non-humanoid feature or two– wings, horns, tails, and reflective eyes are actually much more common than one might think. Though most have forms similar to Elves, they can inject personal preference how they see fit. Ainur also have no sex by default, despite having genders– they can choose , if they wish, to possess sexual characteristics of one, both, or neither sex.

Fluid Form - While not universal, some Ainur possess the ability to shift between two or more forms without disincarnating, as well as changing single aspects of their appearance such as height, eye color, or hair type. Not all Ainur can do this, however– and those with a fluid form tend to have less physical strength than those with a fixed form. Also, changing form requires a great deal of energy, and if the Ainu is exhausted or weakened, they may be unable to do so.

Internal Systems - While in outside appearance a fána might not be too different from a hröa, internal bodily systems are very different. Primarily, Ainur subsist as an energy construct, however, their fánar have need of a few systems to function properly. While the bodies of the Eruhíni have many different systems, the Ainur only had two at first– a respiratory system and a circulatory system. These systems likely don’t function the same as those of the Eruhíni, but an Ainu’s fána needs oxygen and blood to circulate it throughout. Oftentimes, there is no heart, and lungs are not where one might expect lungs to be. Maiar of Ulmo often breathe through gills instead of lungs. These systems become more familiar as time goes on, but are never quite the same as those of the Eruhíni. After meeting the Elves for the first time, it was made clear to the Ainur that it can be rather alarming if one’s body bends in a way that it shouldn’t. By the time that the Eldar arrived in Aman, most of the Ainur had added a musculoskeletal system to their fánar. This is quite similar to an Elf’s musculoskeletal system, though not quite as complex. The last and final bodily system to be adopted is a rudimentary digestive system. This system differs greatly from that of an Elf or Man, in that every part of any food consumed is metabolized into pure energy. The digestive system was adopted in order to enjoy food after seeing the Eldar do so, and to use it as a means of recovering energy. Ainur do not have nervous systems, full digestive systems, immune, endocrine, or exocrine systems, or reproductive systems, though some might manifest certain reproductive organs in order to take physical pleasure from sexual intercourse– though this is not the norm.

Physical Needs - Where the Eruhíni must have a steady supply (in varying amounts) of food, water, air, and sleep in order to survive and function, Ainur only need sleep or rest. This is used to recover exhausted energy. While an Ainu can go several months without sleep, they will eventually need to sleep and recover mental energy, even if they remain unclad. An Ainu’s sleep is very deep, and they are unaware of what is occurring while they sleep. They can be woken by a significant touch stimulus, but otherwise, and if they are unclad when sleeping and not woken by another spirit, they will remain asleep until rested. While incarnate Ainur need air or oxygen in some form to survive, they do not need it while unclad. However, if they are trapped incarnate by having their fánar wounded, they will drown if submerged for too long (more than an hour or so) if not equipped with gills or another means of taking oxygen from water, and they could also be suffocated. Under normal circumstances, not even incarnate Ainur need to drink water, however, if they are injured in a way that causes significant blood loss and unable to heal themselves through Song or disincarnate, an incarnate Ainu can drink water to replenish blood supply. This is rarely needed, and drinking water will only hasten recovery– an Ainu can still recover from wounds without it. Under no circumstances does an Ainu need to eat. They don’t get hungry either– but they can still recover some spent energy through eating if they choose to. Though food and water can help sustain an Ainu, the only significant and relatively complete way for an Ainu to recover from strain, exhaustion, or injury is through sleep.

Methods of Killing – Another key difference is that Ainur are much more difficult to kill than the Eruhíni. Or rather, one has to kill them differently. While a Man or Elf could be killed by significant damage to the head or a blade through the heart, Those things won’t necessarily kill an Ainu. In fact, it’s far more likely for an Ainu’s fána to die immediately after a traumatic amputation than after a crushing blow to the head. An Ainu’s fána can be killed through various forms of asphyxiation, traumatic amputation, or being forcibly disincarnated by a more powerful Ainu. The death of the fána will almost always cause fairly significant damage to the eäla as well. The reason that amputation often results in death is because an Ainu’s eäla (which inhabits the whole of their fána) is being severed into parts. Traumatic or sudden amputation with little preparation will almost certainly kill the fána because of the stress and shock. If an Ainu has prepared themselves enough, there’s a chance they won’t die, but it’s still likely the shock will be too much. This is the easiest way to kill an Ainu, and possibly the only way if you don’t have the means to successfully contain a very powerful being long enough to asphyxiate them. Other than that, it’s unlikely for an Ainu to die of any wounds, no matter how fatal they would have proved to the Eruhíni.

#( 𝗍𝗈𝗅𝗄𝗂𝖾𝗇 ) — headcanon

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celebrimbor-of-eregion · 6 years ago

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(AU where Tyelpë is the Lieutenant of Mordor. Trigger warning for mental illness and references to torture and self-harm. There is no happiness here; embrace the angst)

Mairon smiled, awaiting his Lieutenant. The war was still in its height, and there was a lot to do, but tonight, he will not be thinking about this all.

Ever since Tyelpë had healed enough to take the position, he’d been rigid and unresponsive. In Eregion, they would kiss sweetly, taking short breaks from work; almost every night, Tyelpë would be his. He had been dreaming about the moment when Tyelpë would join his cause. Then, the happiness of their love would be completed by the satisfaction brought by useful work, and they would be true to each other. But when he tried to kiss Tyelpë, the Elf’s lips weren’t as pliant as they used to be. And when he suggested that they spend the night together, Tyelpë replied, “If that’s what my Lord desires.” There wasn’t much enthusiasm in his voice. Perhaps Mairon put too many duties on him; perhaps, Tyelpë was still upset at his Lord for all the pain he had endured.

Tonight, he would correct it. Tyelpë had always been fond of romantic things; Mairon, not so much, but this night was for Tyelpë. Silently, Mairon looked around the room and checked every element. Dinner, yes; candles, yes; roses, yes - who cares if he grew them with magic? Even the curtains were blue since Tyelpë loved the color. Would it work?..

A knock on the door interrupted his reflections. “Come in, Tyelpë darling!” Mairon called.

Tyelpë came in, plainly dressed, his hair in a simple braid. He has had this style for as long as he served Mairon (which is, two months), and the Dark Lord was a little upset at that. Tyelpë used to be deeply invested into his appearance. But maybe it’s the result of all the suffering he had endured at Mairon’s hands? Maybe he only needed love and care to return to his previous wonderful self. Mairon would give him that.

“Come here, Tyelpë, why are you standing in the doorway?” Mairon smiled and beckoned for him to approach.

Tyelpë stepped closer, looking around, surprise in his gaze but no delight. Mairon felt uneasy.

“I thought my Lord would give me orders and send me away,” Tyelpë explained. “It looks like my Lord is expecting someone important. Should I send for them?”

Mairon blinked. Did Tyelpë’s self-esteem drop so badly he didn’t even dare think it was for him?

“No need, that person is already here,” Mairon reassured him, smiling, and pointed at the other chair. “Please, Tyelpë, have a seat.”

“Oh.”

That was the most emotional sentence Mairon has heard from him in two months.

Obediently, Tyelpë sat next to his Lord, his gaze respectfully lowered.

“Tyelpë, love,” Mairon purred, rubbing the Elf’s shoulder gently, “no need to be so servile all the time. I do not require this, my good boy. It is acceptable for diplomatic events or in front of our inferiors, but when we’re alone, you can be yourself.”

Tyelpë looked curiously at the hand caressing his shoulder. “Myself is nothing but the desire to serve my Lord,” he explained, still not looking up.

“You’re serving me very well, darling,” Mairon assured. “I am proud of you.”

Tyelpë bowed his head, smiling happily. This comment definitely brought him more joy than the dinner Mairon organized for him. That felt… odd.

“You’re doing your work well, Tyelpë, but you should rest too, and be happy, and enjoy my love. You know I love you, right?”

Tyelpë’s face looked puzzled. Mairon was growing more and more disturbed by his reactions. What on Arda was wrong with this Elf?!

“That is delightful to hear, my Lord,” Tyelpë finally replied. “I, on my part, do respond with love and loyalty for my Master.”

Mairon took a deep breath. Once, when Melkor upset him, he took on this role of a Lieutenant for a day, pretending they were nothing more than a master and a servant. Melkor was frustrated and had to apologize. But Tyelpë’s behavior looked genuine, there was no pretense or playfulness in his demeanor.

Maybe the best way was to be honest. “Tyelpë, I am sorry. I know I inflicted a lot of pain upon you. I deeply regret it, and I love you. I would like things between us to be as they were in Eregion.”

“In Eregion, my Lord?” Tyelpë blinked in confusion. “I do not think I ever visited that land.”

For the first time in years, Mairon felt cold shivers run down his back. “Tyelpë,” he asked carefully, “where do you think you’re from?”

“Mordor, my Lord,” Tyelpë replied without pause.

Mairon took a deep breath. “Tyelpë, no. You lived in Eregion. You lived there with me. Don’t you remember, my love?”

“I do not, my Lord,” the Elf answered. “I apologize. Would my Lord like to punish me for my neglect?”

It was impossible; Tyelpë did not remember anything! Oh, what had he done. What had he done.

“No, no, Tyelpë darling, there’s no need to punish you,” Mairon reassured, stroking his back lightly. Oh, no. Poor Tyelpë.

“That is right,” the Elf nodded. “My Lord should not have to bother punishing me. I am perfectly capable of doing it myself.”

Mairon felt a new wave of shivers descend down his back. “Tyelpë? What do you mean?”

The Elf undid a little button on his wrist to pull his left sleeve up. On his forearm, there was a trace of a large burn. It still looked a bit raw. “This I did when I misunderstood my Lord’s order,” Tyelpë explained calmly.

Mairon sighed in frustration. What was he to ask of Tyelpë? Around that inhury, there were others, scars from whipping, cutting, traces of the torments he had inflicted on the poor creature. Apparently, Tyelpë’s mind was now also scarred.

“Please, don’t punish yourself ever again, Tyelpë,” Mairon asked softly, stroking the Elf’s dark hair.

“I hear and obey,” Tyelpë nodded.

“Go to bed, darling boy,” Mairon sighed. “You must be tired.”

“Thank you, my Lord, I will,” Tyelpë nodded, ignoring the “tired” part. Immediately, he rose and walked to the door, where he bowed respectfully before leaving the room.

Mairon waited till the noise of his steps vanished and moved his plate away to put his arms on the table and press his forehead against them. For the first time in centuries, he cried.

#silvergifting #silverfisting #celebrimbor #tyelpe #sauron #mairon #annatar #fic #my fic

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curufins-smile · 7 years ago

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I never thought it would come to this

But I’ve reached Peak Irritation so here we go.

Feanor’s treatment in this fandom is frankly unfair and I’m sick of it. No other character gets so consistently called “crazy” and is derided so much. Feanor and most of his sons are often treated worse than Sauron and Melkor and I don’t understand at all. So I’m going to address some of the key misunderstandings i see all the time here. No references, i wrote this at work, if I’m wrong on anything please forgive me and correct me. Also I’m really very angry about some of the things I’ve seen recently so forgive the super confrontational language.

I’d just like to state a disclaimer.

I am not saying Feanor did nothing wrong. I am not minimising his misdeeds. I am addressing character issues that are frequently mishandled or overlooked.

1) Feanor is a bad father.

First, I don’t accept amrod dying at losgar as canon as it isn’t in the actual silm so don’t start about that. Secondly, why on earth would his sons have immediately sworn the oath if he was a bad dad?? I wouldn’t instantly swear a life binding oath for my dad and i love him very much. All quotes in regards to feanor and his sons describe a relationship where he cares for them a great deal and they him, with them travelling Valinor. I just can’t really understand how this hc has propagated because all evidence is to the contrary.

2) Feanor was awful to his stepmother

This is a sticky one as I am not denying that this is a two sided issue. Feanor was certainly not the best stepson/brother. But I feel here that there’s a wilful lack of empathy that goes on. If going with the timeline where feanor is an adult when Finwe remarries this is a different argument. However a lot of the fandom goes with the timeline where Feanor is still a kid (and this is my personal timeline so let’s argue that).

Real life families struggle with divorce and grief. A divorce or bereavement can often create issues for someone struggling with the loss. There is a reason that grief counselling exists and is often heavily recommended if someone is grieving so strongly. Magnify this by the fact that Finwe and Feanor are the only family in Valinor to even have this problem, and there likely being no one who can empathise with their pain, and you have them unable to even get help if they wanted it.

This is also two sided. Indis is the adult in this situation. Please don’t accuse me of hating on her, because i think it’s a very difficult situation for her. But as the adult, she’s capable of more rational thought than Feanor, and she should have assured him that she wasn’t attempting to replace Miriel.

Also, Indis is literally the reason Miriel can never return from death. You can argue that Feanor should be hating Finwe instead, but Finwe has been raising Feanor alone for pretty much his entire life, and Feanor *can’t* hate him. So Indis bears the brunt of it, which isn’t fair on her but nothing about this situation is fair.

3) The thing about the Þ

As someone who has had their name mispronounced their entire life, that shit fucking sucks. Also please i beg you stop calling it a lisp. I’ve got a damn lisp and it took a lot of work to get over so can we not make fun of that shit. I don’t have any nuanced arguments about linguistic shift, I’m just sick of people making fun of my speech impediment and my wish to have my name said fucking right thanks.

4) Feanor was hysterical and irrational in his feud with Fingolfin

No hate to Fingolfin but. He literally was spreading shit. There were two sides to the feud. Fingolfin handled it much better than Feanor, but Melkor was whispering in his ear probably more than he was to Feanor even. I’m not saying that Feanor didn’t overreact, but let’s not pretend Fingolfin was a perfect saint because you’re actually removing a lot of the agency from his character. Fingolfin genuinely was talking shit about Feanor and angling for the throne. It wasn’t just Feanor deciding one day to threaten his innocent brother. Was Losgar too paranoid? Yes. But one promise from Fingolfin that they’re besties now isn’t going to magically remove that feud mistrust.

5) Feanor was wrong to refuse the Valar the silmarils

No. This is bullshit. As someone whose work relies on materials manufactured by someone else this is legitimately a huge peeve for me. This is like DMC laying claim to all my cross stitch because they made the threads. It’s ridiculous.

Was Feanor wrong to refuse them when the trees had been destroyed? I think personally it’s a moot point as they were already stolen by then. But let’s look at the situation Feanor is in here.

He’s at a party he was ORDERED to go to. He’s been banished due to manwe interfering where he frankly shouldn’t have, and then made to go to this event. The valar have a history with the silmarils (I can’t imagine feanor actually being too pleased about Varda hallowing them). If i were put into this situation I’m fairly certain I’d tell them to get fucked too.

6) Feanor was crazy and took his people to war over shiny rocks

I am sick of seeing people calling Feanor crazy and then seeing their blogs full of “your mental illness is valid uwu” stuff. You don’t get to do both. Feanor suffers some kind of mental break due to his grief over his father. His actions before and his actions after Finwe’s death are two totally separate things. Feanor partly wants after Melkor for the silmarils of course but what is often forgotten is that he wants revenge for Finwe. Finwe is possibly the person Feanor loves most in the world, every single line of text about their relationship describes Feanor as loving him more than the trees or “the peerless works of his hand”, so more than the silmarils. Finwe is gone, and Feanor is now having to deal with that loss, and as said above historically grief has not been well handled among the elves. There’s no time for counselling if there even were such facilities so Feanor again has to work through it himself. Which he clearly can’t.

I am not stating Feanor is “broken” or what he did was not wrong.

There is absolutely no shame in needing help to get through mental illness or difficult periods. And mental illness such as depression (which i have so don’t start at me) is no excuse for the first kinslaying etc. I am just attempting to provide a more nuanced view about this since i so frequently see people just assigning it as Feanor “being crazy”. He’s grieving.

I’m going to leave off here because otherwise I could rant for days. The point here is not that I am trying to say Feanor did nothing wrong. I like my characters nuanced and I don’t think that can be done by erasing their misdeeds. But I just want to address a lot of the things I’ve been seeing because it’s really irritating to me that Feanor is being criticised for things exclusively when there were many factors.

If you want to shout at me about this please don’t, 90% of the fandom thinks the way you do. I wrote this to vent steam.

#feanor #tolkien #silmarillion #text #long post #sorry if readmore doesn’t work i wrote this on mobile #not cross stitch #fandom wank #the Discourse

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mallecurunin · 8 years ago

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Niënna Núri “She Who Weeps, The Sighing One”

Niënna Núri is the sister of the Fëanaturi, the twin brothers Námo and Irmo, and she dwells alone. She is the Lady of Shadows and Mistress of Sorrow, and the sadness of the world moves her to tears. In the Music of the Ainur, her grief at the Discord of Melkor became so great that she could not endure until the end, and so she has not seen the full future of all things. However, she takes pity on those who suffer and are wronged, and she gives the gift of courage to those who seek her out. She is moved to mercy, and she pities even the greatest of sinners. She it was who advocated for Melkor when he was tried after his ages of imprisonment, and she it was who watered the grounds of Ezellohar twice with her tears, bringing forth the Two Trees and the Sun and Moon. She is the last hope of the unfortunate, and the Mother of Mercy. She goes not often to Valimar the Blessed of Many Bells, and goes instead to the Halls of Mandos, and offers consolation to the souls in waiting there.

Names: Q. Niënna Núri, Lady of Tears, The Sighing One, Lady of Night, Heskil, She Who Breeds Winter, Qualmë-Tári, Mistress of Death, Fui, Night, V. Niðulâz

Colors: Grey, Purple, Black, Deep Blue

Associations: Mental Healing, Supplication, Comfort, Sorrow, Wisdom, Courage, Hope, Perseverance, Grief, Pity, Purification,

Element: Phantasm

Stones: Amethyst, Chalcedony, Jasper, Moonstone, Obsidian, Onyx

Animals: Doves, Elephants

Plants and Herbs: Amaranth, Arabic Gum, Borage, Celandine, Elder, Fennel, Heather, Pansy, Rue, Toadstool, Willow

Maiar: The Tiutali

Niënna dwells alone in Fui, her halls in the Westernmost part of Valinor, beside the Chasm of Ilmen and the Sea of Ekkaia. From there she gazes out towards the Door of Night and the Outer Dark, past the vast spaces and wheeling fires of Eä. She moves most in twilight, and in darkness, she brings comfort and knowledge. Her people are the Tiutali, who are the spirits of consolation and guardians of the Children. They watch over the peoples of Middle-earth, and offer hope in despair, courage in weakness, and comfort in grief. Among these is Olórin, whose name means the Dreamer, and who has moved many to courage and the correction of injustice, and is the patron of interpreting dreams. Their chief is Nornorë, the Sprinter, who summons and guides the souls of the unwilling dead to their rest in Mandos. He is the swiftest of the Maiar, and darts about Arda with his summons and guidance. He is the arbiter of exorcisms, and of dispelling spirits. Niënna is the mistress of the healing of the mind, and she calms the hurts of Melkor which cloud the minds and souls of those he afflicts. Her servants often cure the mentally ill, and she is the patron of those who suffer such things. She is also the Purifier, and her tears cleanse the earth of the hurts of Melkor. She is mighty among the Valar, and she is the patron of all who need her.

#ardan-paganism #Olórin #Niënna #Valar #Valar-valuvar

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swilmarillion · 8 years ago

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Hey havnt finished FYD yet but im like chap 9ish already love it though!! So i guess ill join on tge random facts. What are the groups favourite of go to thing to do to make themselves feel better if they had a bad day?

Ahh thanks! Glad you like it so far and thanks for the ask :3

Let’s say Gothmog has a bad day probably Melkor’s fault. He would most likely a) bitch about it to someone, probably Thuringwethil, and then b) go grab something delicious for dinner, probably with Mairon so he can bitch about Melkor some more.Let’s say Thuringwethil has a bad day very likely Melkor’s fault. She would most likely grab a bottle of wine on the way home, go sit in her nice, quiet garden, and make a mental list of all the ways she’d murder Melkor if she didn’t actually like him so much.Let’s say Mairon has a bad day almost certainly Melkor’s fault. Depending on the magnitude of whatever Melkor has managed to fuck up, he would do one of two things: a) stay at work and obsessively try to fix it, or b) cold shoulder the hell out of Melkor until Melkor figures out how he fucked up and does something vaguely apologetic.Let’s say Melkor has a bad day if you’re sensing a pattern here, it’s not just you, it’s definitely Melkor’s fault about 99% of the time. His go-to pick-me-up is to go make someone else miserable, most often some unfortunate underling. However, if his bad day is because he pissed off one of his friends, his fix is to go annoy the shit out of said friend until they forgive him. Which they do, very quickly, because it’s easier to give in than to endure his whining.

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theelvenhaven · 4 years ago

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Hello, i hope you are doing great!

So, we already know that elves are immune to all physical sickness and ailments, but how about mental illness, like depression or anxiety or psychotic, etc... are they immune to those too, or its possible for them to suffer from it?

I just had this idea and i would like to know your opinion and thoughts..

01.28.2021

Hey 💖 I hope you’re doing great too! 💖

Yes that they are! Thank goodness they are immune to physical sickness. As it comes to mental illnesses, I believe that elves certainly are not immune to that in the slightest. As when it comes to the mind I think they are just as susceptible to mental illness as we are.

Elves are described as hardy beings, but usually that seems to mostly be about their physical being. I am sure mentally they are fairly fortified as well. That was until I’m sure the Noldor came to Beleriand and chaos broke out. The Noldor and Sinda I’m sure were especially susceptible to the trauma of it not having experienced it on such a scale.

Their offspring would become relatively desensitized to it, though it wouldn’t make them immune to it. As that is a constant stress put upon them throughout the ages.

Fëanor is a very good example to start off with, exhibiting behaviors of extreme paranoia, aggression and mania just on the verge of the flight and during the flight. This came with constant abuse from Melkor as he manipulated Fëanor heavily- I’m sure with gaslighting and other mentally abusive tactics.

Maeglin is another good one too, clear signs of constant distress, upset and anger. And surely not just from him being an “evil” elf. Look at his circumstances. Who wouldn’t be? His father disliked him so strongly he didn’t name him for literal years. His father was awful, they escaped domestic abuse, his father killed his mother in front of him and then he watched his father be thrown from the wall. AFTER his father cursed him. It’s no wonder he wasn’t exactly just a budding ball of sunshine.

Maedhros with what little is given has a rightful hate filled grudge against orcs. And was tortured for Eru knows how long and hung by his wrist for 30 years. Not even the hardiest elf could withstand that. Ever.

Gwindor was said to be on the verge of fading with “grief” before he found Beleg. (Or before Beleg found him. Can’t remember which.) He fought the hardest against Turin’s tactics and well being for Nargothrond. Surely not just from experience but out of fear too. He was a Thrall for 15yrs?

Maglor is said to wander the shores of Middle Earth in grief and sorrow for everything he had done. A mentally healthy elf, probably would’ve just gone to Valinor and faced their punishment.

The elves, when most of the elven kingdoms have fallen, are described as skittish and fearful and paranoid as they search for the hidden kingdoms to take refuge. (Described in the Fall of Gondolin)

Elves are also said to, when the grief becomes too much, to fade from it.

So I’d imagine there is a bunch of mental health issues and illnesses and neurodivergency that elves are susceptible or capable of being born with too. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, CPTSD, depression induced psychosis, mania, ADHD, and I’m sure even autism too! I’m just sure for a lot of it they don’t have a name for it like we do. And if they do it wouldn’t be the same names we know them as.

Tolkien doesn’t really discuss it in depth and in great detail but does leave it open enough to leave you to draw your own conclusions. But it’s very safe to say depression, anxiety, PTSD and CPSTD is definitely a common issue in Beleriand and onward.

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ameliarating · 8 years ago

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Speaking of elves, I've always wondered if orcs are elves that have been disfigured and enslaved over generations, shouldn't the heroes be trying to heal them instead of remorselessly kill them?

Super interesting!

All right, so we need to look at this from two angles: in universe and out of universe.

Out of universe - we know that Tolkien himself was uncomfortable with the idea of orcs. That is, he was uncomfortable with the idea of a race or species of pure evil. His own feelings were that no one should be completely evil and everyone has the opportunity and ability within them to turn to good.

He’d also written himself into a bind. Melkor could not create. No one but Illuvatar could be capable of true creation of a species (only Aule came close) so his only option was to have Melkor corrupt something that had once been good. It seems Tolkien had some discomfort on this matter as well as his accounts of how this happened have shifted.

So now we’re stuck in a rather uncomfortable situation but out of universe the story does need shock troops. It’s a story about war and there needs to be killable Enemy for it to move forward. It’s unfortunately unreasonable to write the story he wanted to tell without battle and death and while I believe Tolkien tried to ease his own doubts by having the servants of the Enemy being utter evil (as they canonically seem to be, despite their origins), it actually leads to more and more uncomfortable questions.

In universe - the orcs, no matter their origins, are, like the Enemy in general, on the offensive. This is a longstanding war of survival. Even if we think about them as not purely evil, it is not reasonable, unfortunately, to expect a soldiers one side of a war to not fight back to the death in a conflict already explicitly being enacted to the death. That would just lead to a slaughter. Better to have avoided war in the first place, but once you’re in a war, it’s hard to blame the soldiers from saving their lives and the lives of their families, especially in a fantasy setting where we have every to believe, that, while, one side isn’t pure good, the other side still is pure evil.

Ideally, if there were a chance to take orcs captives as prisoners of war, maybe some kind-hearted Elves did give them a chance. I think we can assume by the laws of the universe of the books that those orcs did not change. Canonically, it seems to me, orcs are too deeply corrupted to be healed.

I’m actually more interested in something that Tolkien did write about: the return of those Elves who had been captured and even began to be twisted but who escaped before being fully Orcified. Many of them were able to be at least somewhat rehabilitated (before dying, of course because, you know, Beleriand) but many were already too influenced by Melkor to shake him out of their heads.

It leads me to believe that just as those Elves, who were still Elves, were too far gone to shake the terror of Melkor that continued to control them (and I do assume that other Elves were trying their best by them, though, as we know from Miriel, elves aren’t so good at helping people with mental illnesses and disorders and dying from heartbreak seems to be a not so uncommon thing), so much more far gone must be the orcs whose entire minds and beings are made up of terror of Melkor and the resulting urge to do his bidding.

I also want to point out that the vast majority of orc killing comes during the war with them - “remorselessly kill them” sounds to me a description of if the protagonists were spending their days seeking out orcs to kill rather than guarding their homes, trying to build peaceful lives, and, in those famous cases, trying to retrieve stolen property. And certainly if we want to imagine that orcs could have still stood a chance, we can imagine as well that many of the elves had remorse.

It’s our choice how we want to interpret that.

TL;DR, while it would have made a fascinating set of stories, it doesn’t seem to be either in-universe or out-of-universe plausible for a) the orcs to be capable of healing en masse or b) that our heroes could have gone about trying to heal them without being killed.

#-#--#---#----#-----#tolkiening #Anonymous #asks

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