#Rath Dinen

[tenth-sentence]

And dimly to be seen were many rows of tables, carved of marble; and upon each table lay a sleeping form, hands folded, head pillowed upon stone.

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

[glitteringaglarond]

Also I feel like it's important to mention at this juncture that Aragorn later goes through Orthanc and found proof that Saruman found Isildur's body, which up until that point was thought to have been lost to Anduin and the sea.

And instead of returning the body of Isildur to Gondor to be laid at rest in Rath Dinen, he disposed of it dishonorably.

Just in case y'all wanted to hate Saruman just a little bit more this evening

[janeeyreofmanderley]

Boromir and the very bad timing

Boromir: Pippin! Finally a familiar face! I am on my way to see my father and brother. Did I miss anything important while I was gone little one?

Pippin: * looks towards the last bits of smoke coming from Rath Dinen* Pippin:

[kevin-sedai]

"There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadow fax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dinen.

'You cannot enter here," said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. 'Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!'"

-Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien

[araluendunedainofluna]

Smeagol killed Deagol, and Boromir died.

Smeagol turned Gollum, and Gollum, well, fried.

Doom came for Boromir because he was caught

Off his guard by the orcs, in the valley was shot

But that's not related to Gollum at all

Who crept through the mountains, unnoticed, and small

And stalking poor Frodo, and Sam, and the rest

He proved himself awful, a horrible pest. 

These aren't the only poor characters dead

King Theoden died for the charge that he led

The worst one by far was dear Gandalf who fell,

(But that was a fake-out, he’s back, all is well)

Some antagonists too are deader than mice

Being honest, we’re glad, because they were not nice

Lobelia died of old age (no one cares.)

And Denethor burned on the Rath Dinen stairs

But look on the bright side: the villain is gone!

The worst one in a long time, that awful Sauron

Everyone thought he was dead once before

But this time he’s definitely dead (we are sure)

[tolkienillustrations]

Arwen Mourning by Brandon Kenney

[abrazimir]

(thinks) oh my god... where are Boromir and Theodred buried...

[ohifonlyx33]

Love how Tolkien did a freeze frame montage at the end to tell us where all his characters and their children ended up for the next 120 years or so. Some highlights include Pippin getting married and his son Faramir marrying Sam's daughter, the Lads getting named Counselors of the king, Sam packing the family up for a road trip to Gondor, and just generally everyone trying to keep in touch a little bit with everyone.

1427. Samwise is elected Mayor of the Shire. Peregrin Took marries Diamond of Long Cleeve. King Elessar issues an edict that Men are not to enter the Shire, and he makes it a Free Land under the protection of the Northern Sceptre.

1430. Faramir, son of Peregrin, born. 1431. Goldilocks, daughter of Samwise, born.

1432. Meriadoc, called the Magnificent, becomes Master of Buckland. Great gifts are sent to him by King Éomer of Rohan and the Lady Éowyn of Ithilien.

1434. Peregrin becomes the Took and Thain. King Elessar makes the Thain, the Master, and the Mayor Counsellors of the North-kingdom.

1436. King Elessar rides north, and […] comes to the Brandywine Bridge, and there greets his friends. He gives the Star of the Dúnedain to Master Samwise, and Elanor is made a maid of honor to Queen Arwen.

1442. Master Samwise and his wife and Elanor ride to Gondor and stay there for a year.

1451. Elanor the Fair marries Fastred of Greenholm on the Far Downs.

1454. Elfstan Fairbairn, son of Fastred and Elanor, is born.

1455. Fastred and Elanor make their dwelling at Undertowers on the Tower Hills, where their descendents, the Fairbairns of the Towers, dwelt for many generations.

1463. Faramir Took, son of Peregrin, marries Goldilocks, daughter of Samwise. 1469. Master Samwise becomes Mayor for the seventh and last time, being in 1476, at the end of his office, ninety-six years old.

1482. Death of Mistress Rose, wife of Master Samwise, on Mid-year's Day. On September 22, Master Samwise rides out from Bag End. He comes to the Tower Hills, and is last seen by Elanor, to whom he gives the Red Book afterwards kept by the Fairbairns. Among them the tradition is handed down from Elanor that Samwise passed the Towers, and went to the Grey Havens, and passed over Sea, last of the Ring-bearers. 1484. In the spring of the year a message came from Rohan to Buckland that King Éomer wished to see Master Holdwine once again. Meriadoc was then old (102) but still hale. He took counsel with his friend the Thain, and soon after they handed over their goods and offices to their sons and rode away over the Sarn Ford, and they were not seen again in the Shire. It was heard after that Master Meriadoc came to Edoras and was with King Éomer before he died in that autumn. Then he and Thain Peregrin went to Gondor and passed what short years were left to them in that realm, until they died and were laid in Rath Dinen among the great of Gondor. 1541 In this year on March 1st came at last the Passing of King Elessar. It is said that the beds of Meriadoc and Peregrin were set beside the bed of the great king. Then Legolas built a grey ship in Ithilien, and sailed down Anduin and so over Sea, and with him, it is said, went Gimli the Dwarf. And when that ship passed an end was come in Middle-earth of the Fellowship of the Ring.

[morwensteelsheen]

at the british museum rn currently having a lot of feelings about rath dinen as an ancient egyptian temple

[fatal-flaws-aflame]

From The Return of the King:

In rode the Lord of the Nazgul. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgul, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.

All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dinen.

"You cannot enter here," said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. "Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go Back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!"

The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark from a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.

"Old fool!" he said. "Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade.

Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the City, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of wizardry or war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn.

And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.

- from The Return of the King, J.R.R. Tolkien

[tenth-sentence]

At length they came back to the Steward's Door, and Beregond looked with grief at the porter.

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

[aowyn]

celebrian + divinity

She pictured her mother, starlit and white, almost divine in the radiance of Aman. Her brothers would run up the shore to meet her as their father walked behind, a joy he could not hide brilliant on his face.

She would never see any of them again. Luthien’s choice barred the Straight Road from her.

Cerin Amroth beckoned her closer, whispering words of twilight and Doom. She stumbled forward, the strange numbness moving sluggishly up her body hindering her steps. Death was closer now than it had ever been for her, though she had felt its gnawing darkness in her soul since Aragorn’s passing in his white tomb in Rath Dinen.

I’m sorry, mother, she thought, speaking too painful now, Arwen has gone the way of Luthien. Though I pass away beyond the world, however, do not forget me as I once was!

[laedevolta]

Para dentro cavalgou o Senhor dos Nazgúl. Uma grande figura negra contra as labaredas ao fundo, ele assomou, transformado numa enorme ameaça de desespero.Para dentro cavalgou o Senhor dos Nazgúl, pelo arco que nenhum inimigo jamais atravessara, e todos fugiam diante dele.Todos exceto um. Esperando ali, imóvel e calado no pátio diante do portão, estava Gandalf montado em Scadufax: Scadufax que era o único entre os cavalos livres da terra capaz de suportar o terror, imóvel, imperturbável como uma imagem esculpida em Rath Dinen.— Não pode entrar aqui — disse Gandalf, e a enorme sombra parou. — Volte para o abismo que lhe foi preparado! Volte! Caia no nada que aguarda você e seu Mestre. Vá!O Cavaleiro Negro jogou para trás o capuz e todos ficaram atônitos: ele tinha uma coroa real, e mesmo assim ela não repousava sobre nenhuma cabeça visível. As labaredas rubras reluziam entre a coroa e os ombros largos e escuros protegidos pela capa. De uma boca invisível veio uma risada mortal.— Velho tolo! — disse ele. — Velho tolo! Esta é a minha hora. Não reconhece a morte ao deparar com ela? Morra agora e pragueje em vão! — E com essas palavras ergueu a espada, de cuja lâmina escorriam chamas.Gandalf não se mexeu. E naquele exato momento, em algum pátio distante da Cidade, um galo cantou. Cantou num tom estridente e cristalino sem se importar com feitiçaria ou guerra, apenas saudando a manhã que no céu, acima das sombras da morte, chegava com a aurora.E como em resposta veio de longe uma outra nota. Trombetas, trombetas, trombetas. Ecoaram fracas nas encostas escuras do Mindolluin. Grandes trombetas do norte, num clangor alucinado.

Rohan finalmente chegara.

O Senhor dos Anéis - O Retorno do Rei Capítulo IV - O cerco de Gondor)

Arte: Gandalf and the Witch King

Artista: Ted Nasmith

[tolkienillustrations]

Arwen Mourning by Aurora Wienhold

[one-small-garden]

A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgul, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face. All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dinen.

The Return of the King

[tenth-sentence]

'So!' cried Denethor.

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