#Tolkien after dark

[parttimesarah]

I’m can’t stop laughing at this. I’m such a child! 😂

Tolkien, you saucy minx!

[trees-of-valinor]

"He was as noble and fair as an elf-lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer."

is such an amazing character description. All of it lends to the image of a being who is very stately and aged, but "kind as summer" in particular is incredibly evocative. Even if you generally dislike summer (like me), you can't help but know what it means.

It just conjures up the image and feeling of the softest most beautiful day, golden sunlight, flowers and meadows. Just life. And there is strength in summer. The heat of the sun, and summer is all about vitality and growth.

That short phrase says so much and shows Elrond's character so well. After everything he's been through, he still has so much life and strength.

He manages to show so much softness and kindness to people who come to him and his home for help, and is a person of healing, and the fact that he is able to be so and to remain so kind is his strength.

[fictionadventurer]

I keep thinking about Lewis' review of The Hobbit, because he claimed that the main thing contemporary reviewers compared it to was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Was fantasy in that poor of a state that Alice was the closest thing they could think of? Comparing that chaotic fever dream to Tolkien's intricately crafted world? Lewis does specify that the comparison is that both books are by an "Oxford professor at play", but they're otherwise so different that putting the two in the same category baffles me.

[annamannamanaman]

first of all, wtf.

secondly, I understand that he has an ulterior motive to give the lockpick, but like what the actual fuck.

thridly, THAT'S HIS FUTURE MOTHER-IN LAW

im literally screaming. it could've been like those friend-like kiss on the cheek BUT NOOOOO. they don't need any romantic relationship even. they're bond is so lovable even as just friends. but ofc the directors would want smth to "entertain" the viewers. it wasn't necessary at all.

[thenixkat]

Still fascinating to me that there's people who truly think their experiences are universal, that because something is popular in the circles they run in means that everyone should know it and will insult and treat people like stupid uncultured swine for even perceived differences in experiences. or if folks disagree with them when they make overly broad generalizations on what 'everyone' knows or thinks.

(b/c it's not like poor people, people from different cultures/subcultures, and people with fundamentally different interests exist.)

Like? That's complete asshat behavior.

[ryan-is-a-god]

Brûz the Chopper is an absolute icon. "Bright lord, Dark lord... Same thing really".

[brethilach]

starting a BG3 save with The Dark Urge in Honour Mode. pray for me

[thethirdtreeofvalinor]

Ëol: Lómion?

Maeglin: That’s right. It’s me. Your son.

Maeglin: And it’s Maeglin, dad

Ëol: No. L-Ó-M-I-O-N . I named you…

Maeglin: You ruined my life!

Ëol: How could I ruin your life? I wasn’t even there!

[lightthewaybackhome]

I can only imagine what laughter, what tears of joy mingled with sorrow, and what giggling must have issued from Tolkien's office as he wrote The Houses of Healing.

[arlenianchronicles]

Hello! I read your Dark!Maedhros AU a couple days back—thanks for replying to my tags about it and sharing it, it’s super cool! I hope you don’t mind me gushing about it? If it were a fic, I would leave a comment to show my appreciation, but in lieu of that I figured I’d send you an ask. I hope that’s alright (humble apologies if you’d rather just delete this).

The plot beats are so riveting and well thought out, also so in line with the heavy vibes and themes of canon! I love how it centers on Maedhros’s deterioration after so much trauma and loss—it’s heartbreaking, and imagining Maedhros on Morgoth’s side is terrifying! At the same time, the way you get him there is so painful and angsty!!!

I was really invested in the story, all the way from the initial loss of the twins and Maglor’s death. I could see it just getting worse and worse! Especially once the war was won for Morgoth. I think it’s such a clever twist/manipulation on the Oath that he would convince Maedhros that he’d basically fulfilled it by allying with his greatest enemies. That’s just so!!! Ah—scrumptious angst! Also I don’t know how you did it but the way you’ve crafted/told this story, it’s really got me thinking about how it must feel to be immortal, to be cursed to keep going and going. I feel like this AU really leverages the relentlessness of Elvish immortality, especially as it relates to lasting grief.

I love the idea of the twins being captives in Maedhros’s twisted, dark fae vibes court (which, that concept? Inspired!). The way his love has been twisted into something covetous feels so on-theme and so tragic! It’s like he’s been consumed by the thing that he lost/can’t have.

It was super exciting to see that you shared the entire plot breakdown/some of the best most gripping scenes. I read it all last week and knew I needed to send you an ask about it because it’s just such a good AU idea! Apologies if you’ve already answered this somewhere, but do you ever plan to write it out in full/post it anywhere? No pressure if not—thanks for sharing this AU, it’s amazing!

Hi there! Thank you so so much for your ask!! No need to apologize at all, I love receiving asks and comments (especially when it comes to my work hahaa It's just so much fun to see other people's reactions!) I had a big smile on my face while reading your thoughts loll So please feel free to gush as much as you’d like about the AU! :DDD

I’m really happy to hear that you were invested in the story, even when it was just an outline XD Maedros’ deterioration was lots of fun to figure out; the poor guy just can’t catch a break! And being immortal in this situation would definitely be painful, like, just being forced to watch the world deteriorate into a hellscape under Morgoth’s rule … It’s not a theme I thought of when I first started drafting this AU, but it’s definitely a welcome surprise! :''''D

I’m happy you like the dark fae concept for Maedros’ court! It’s one of those other things that I didn’t initially plan on, but once I started writing it out in my previous replies, it all just clicked (and I actually have a painting of his court coming soon, so keep an eye out! XDD)

Thank you so much again for sending me your ask, and for taking the time to read through my outline!! I love all comments, both in asks and tags <333 And please don’t apologize, it’s okay!! I currently don’t have any plans to write this AU out in a fanfic – the section with the twins isn’t fully outlined, and I usually get stuck while writing if I don’t have an outline to work off of loll ^^;; I’m also working on another fanfic at the moment, but once that one’s done, I could definitely look into working more on my dark!Mae AU! Thanks again!! <333

[starry-skies-tell-no-lies]

Dandelions (ver. 1)

Something I'm toying with is how I want to use the imagery of dandelions in the story. I really like dandelions as a symbol of hope and an everlasting symbol of resistance.

Like despite all the odds and everything dandelions persist. It's several frosts into late November, you can still find dandelions doing their thing. In concrete made to keep anything from growing, dandelion's favorite spot. The soil is to packed and basically rock, dandelions break up the soil and pave the way for other plants while the HOA cries in the distance.

I like the idea of making dandelions the symbol of resistance in a Tolkien kind of way. (the same way that Frodo was the only one who could carry the ring, not because he was in any way extraordinary, but precisely because he wasn't.) dandelions are exceptionally ordinary, common even. I like the idea of making dandelions this symbol of change and hope and determination and resistance to despair because they aren't out of reach, they are accessible.

You know that post about hope not being this fragile clean thing that floats above everything, but instead hope is getting back up after everything sucks and she's covered in mud?? That's why dandelions are hope in this story, they persist, they are beautiful, but they aren't fragile, they provide, and they make way, and they show up even when they shouldn't be able to.

Also this imagery of them looking like little suns. Even when all else seems lost and dark and hopeless, even when all you can do to avoid falling is stare at your feet and look down, even when you dare not let yourself hope, you may find a small sun looking right up at you

and when it's done giving light you make a wish

The following are some scene ideas that are not at all fleshed out, read at your own risk, this is the dumbest version:

The kids at camp learn how to make dandelion crowns in the arts and crafts time as young campers. They also learn how to be thoughtful with what they take, and only pick lots of dandelions at the end of their season, so the bees have lots of flowers to pick from.

When are fleeing camp in their floating wagons, it's past dandelion's prime season, but there's always some that are in bloom. There are none on the charred remains of the building that was formerly knows as Camp Office, though. Birdie tells the little ones to keep their eyes forward, even as they look back scared for the future, scared they'll fail these kids.

When storms rage and the wind whips all of the trees about, the woods that are left look nothing like they did only the morning before. When Birdie doesn't know what could possibly be left in this wake of transformation and destruction, Jesse finds a small patch of dandelions. Those at least, haven't changed a bit in the storm. The trees are startlingly large, moss carpets large swaths of the forest floor, there are fallen trees everywhere, and debris from those trees covering even more ground. The sky still looks as though it may pour once again, and the mud is hiding sharp sticks and thorns, but through it all Jesse can find joy in picking a dandelion to show Birdie. Birdie isn't sure if they should cry or laugh, but they have time for neither, so they wrap that fragile emotion in all the resolve they can muster and set it aside for later, when the children aren't watching.

[tar-thelien]

Looking For Light In The Darkness

Summary:

Elrond and Elros gets picked up by Maglor who´s on the bridge of falling into complete insanity, Maedhros is tired of everything but let Maglor do as he wants and Erestor watched from as safe of a distance as he can.

Chapter notes:

The third kinslaying happens, Maglor finds Elrond and Elros, Amrod dies, Maglor and Maedhors have a verbal fight.

words: 1300

AO3

Elrond looked up at the fire haired Valaruka as he trembled behind Elros.

Valaruka. That was what his Ada had called the beasts that had attacked his home, and since this tall fire demon had attacked his home too, it must be one of the Moringotto's fire demons as well.

“Where are our brothers?” the beast sneered at them in his rumbling voice, showing off his long white fangs.

“Maitimo! Show some decencies, you´re scaring my children,” the black haired elf said. He was the one that had found them and dragged them with him from the cave Glossien had told them to hide in.

“They´re are waiting ahead of us. They said we should ride towards Amon Ereb and that they would meet us when the time comes.”

-o0o-

The sound of fighting could be heard down in the streets and the little boy could feel the panic suffocating him as they were rushed out a backdoor that led out to narrow stone stairs.

“We have to wait on Naneth!” his bother declared out way too loud, and the boy flinched sure that some of the monsters would have heard.

“She will meet us at the cave.”

“NO!” this time the brother yelled, and the boy began to cry.

“Shush!” Glossien hissed as she took the boy in her arms and grabbed his brother´s hand, “we have to find a safer place, your Naneth will come when this is over!”

After they had been shown under a small waterfall into the cave to hide a red haired elf showed up, proving Glossien right that someone had been following them, running after them with a gaping wound in his stomach yelling in the same langue that Ada had talked in sometimes.

The boy didn´t know what had happened just that suddenly Glossien had screamed and then everything turned quiet as a small stripe of red showed up in the water in the cave.

“Pityafinwe, Pityafinwe-”

The brother peered up at the sorrowful voice, engrossed by it he stood up and began walking towards it, showing the boy back as he grabbed for his brother.

As he appeared out of the cave, he could see a dark haired elf covered in red and eight pointed stars, holding the red haired elf, looking straight into the brother's eye. The brother had seen him before, he had been in their room right before a guard had distracted him and he had left so Glossien could take them away.

Glossien who now lay facing down in the red water.

The dark haired elf smiled holding out his hand, “come here child, I won´t hurt you.”

The brother didn´t move even as he felt like the words were pulling him forward, like hands grabbing him, forcing him away from the safety of his warm bed and his brother.

“Come child, I said I won´t hurt you.” the Ellon insisted, “what is your name child?”

The brother didn´t answer and the man laughed, “no name then? A father needs to know the name of his son does he not? Well, I guess children needs an Anessi, no? And have Earendil ever given you a name child?”

The brother shook his head, no Ada waited till they were of age, as were customs in his Naneth´s culture, but he did call them vinimo.

“Then I shall name you… Elros. Do you like that name, my son?”

-o0o-

After having found them Maglor wouldn´t stop talking about how Illuvatar had blessed him in this cursed moment with the sons he always had wanted and prayed dutifully for. Elros had bitten him.

“You´re crazy Makalaure, look at them they´re shaking with fright.”

“My sons are not afraid of me, but of you! With that snarl, you so proudly display everywhere, ´Timo!”

“Do you even know their names Laure!” Maedhros, the oldest and second cruelest son of Feanor growled.

“Of course I do! I´m their father!” Maglor the kinslayer, second son of Feanor yelled back and Elrond and Elros trembled under the blanket they had been given, in the tent Maglor had shown them into with an order to sleep, “I named them Elros and Elrond!”

“YOU NAMED THEM!? Kanafinwe, you can´t just name children, they already have names!”

“They answered to my names when I asked them if they were tired! Elros nodded.”

“Oh, he nodded, did he? Because he´s too frightened to defy you, and that´s the same reason he answered to your made up name, you fool!”

A few hours after being told to sleep Maglor had woken them up with a bloodless face and a wide smile showing the start of his fangs, “come children, it´s time to wake as we shall be leaving now. I have some food ready for us for when we are on the horse.”

His teeth were much sharper than Ada´s or Naneth´s. They looked more like Egalmoth´s.

Elros took Elronds hand as Maglor took them from the tent leading them over to two horses, with Maedhros waiting on them.

Elrond knew that if Maedhros opened his mouth he would see bigger and sharper teeth than Maglor´s. Teeth ready to eat children in the dark woods as the people at home had said he did to Naneth´s brothers.

It was still dark, and the only light came from the moon, stars, and blue eerie glowing lanterns, one on each horse and more moving around them with the many Feanorian soldiers.

“Here Nelya, you can take Elros and I´ll take Elrond,” Maglor said as he bent down to pick up a crying Elrond up under the arms, “you should watch out for your remaining hand. He bites.” he murmured as he jumped up on his horse after having placed Elrond there.

Maedhros growled something in the other langue as he went down to pick up a now kicking and screaming Elros.

“Let us go kinslayer!!” the child yelled furiously as he tried to kick the red haired elf's arms away from him as he was lifted up on the giant horse, “stop kicking, you´ll fall and get hurt.” Maedhros mumbled irritated as he tried setting the elfling in front of the saddle without making him fall, “NO! He said he wouldn´t hurt us! I knew he lied!! I knew it! You´ll kill us, I know it! The king will come and avenge us! He´ll kill you all and you´ll be sorry! Let me GO!” Elros kept on screaming, and with the continued screaming Elrond began crying out louder as if howling at the moon, hoping he would help them.

“We should leave them here for Ereinion to come and find them,” Maedhros mumbled under his breath as he made a last attempt to set Elros before following him up on the horse, holding him in place with his metal hand.

“You really think you still have the right to call him that?” Maglor exclaimed loudly, “Erestor, help your poor Ontarororno he´s living in the past, do you even think he has realized his two youngest brothers are dead!?”

“What are you talking about Makalaure? Where is the Ambarussa? Laure, where are my brothers?” Maedhros voice shook and Elros had turned stiff with fright at the Feanorian´s raised voice.

“You really didn´t know? I found Pityafinwe dead in a bed of water with an open stomach as if he were a slaughtered pig and his brother a hedgehog in the middle of the city.”

“... You said they would meet up with us later Laure…” Maedhros said quietly.

“Come Ontarororno give me the child, I´ll take him for you.” Erestor cut in.

---

I like to think of Maglor as extremely manipulative and in the end he walks between feeling sorry for himself and trying to be a little bit of a better person and making everyone miserable, Maedhros still loves him and tries to ignore it when he can. I think Maglor is of thought that Elrond and Elros survived because Eru felt pity on him after having lost his two twin brothers, and therefore "gave" two other twins to him, he does come a bit more to his senses later but right now he´s just cut up in the insanity of the bloodshed. Maedhros doesn´t really know what´s happening and doesn't care, Maglor can keep the twins if that´ll make him better/happier. Erestor is 99% sure that Elrond and Elros are hostages, and Maglor only talks as he does to piss Maedhros off, which will ensure them that Gil-galad/Cirdan doesn't attack them. (or worse case, they can trade the twins for food and weapons)

Boy = Elrond Brother = Elros

Valaruka = Balrog Ada = Father: SindarinSindarin Moringotto = Morgoth/Melkor Maitimo = Maedhros: Quenya Naneth = Mom: Sindarin Gloss = Snow white: Sindarin Ien = Daughter of: Sindarin Pityafinwe = Amrod: Quenya Ellon = Elf man Anessi = father name Vinimo = Young, from Vinya meaning Young/New: Quenya El =Star: Sindarin Ros = Foam: Sindarin Rond = Dome: Sindarin Illuvatar = Eru: Quenya Illu = Universe: Quenya Atar = Father: Quenya Makalaure = Maglor: Quenya Ambarussa = Amrod, in this context both Amrod and Amras Ontaro = Father: Quenya Ororno = Brother: Quenya Ontarororno = Father´s Brother/Onkel: Quenya - Selfmade

Let me know what you think and if I should continue

[aro-ace-from-outer-space22]

Hehehehehe

i will never complain about a book seeming like a fanfic with the serial numbers filed off because that means the author had the invaluable ability to tell when their au had diverged enough that these were just straight-up different characters now

[hacked-wtsdz]

Every time I read or watch Lord of the Rings I can’t help but think about how Tolkien had survived one of the bloodiest, most cruel, most dirtiest and darkest wars in human history, came back and wrote this:

“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”

And this:

"'I wish it need not have happened in my time,' said Frodo.

'So do I,' said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.'"

And this:

"I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend."

And this:

“Many that live deserve death and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be so eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the wise cannot see all ends."

And this:

“True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.”

And clearly they were all written partly because he survived the war, because of what he’d seen and done and learned. But at the same time the unwillingness to lose faith, the courage and strength that this man had to believe in these things after going through hell! It makes the nihilists look so cheap, so uninteresting! People who’ve went through concentration camps and wars believe in humanity anyway, isn’t that proof that hope and love exist? And many, many, many of them did not return or returned broken and cruel and traumatised to the point when no faith in others was possible for them, and nobody can blame them. But there were many who refused to lose faith and hope. They have seen some of the worst that life has to offer and came back believing that we shouldn’t be eager to deal out death in judgement and should love only that which the sword defends.

No matter how many people say that humanity is horrible and undeserving of love, and life is dark and worthless, and love doesn’t exist I remember this and have hope anyway. Because there were people who have actually had all reason to believe in the worst and still believed in the good, so the good must be real. The good is real, even despite the evil, and we must trust in it.

[emyn-arnen]

"They are proud and wilful, but they are true-hearted, generous in thought and in deed; bold but not cruel; wise but unlearned, writing no books but singing many songs, after the manner of the children of Men before the Dark Years [...]. It was in forgotten years long ago that Eorl the Young brought them out of the North, and their kinship is rather with the Bardings of Dale, and with the Beornings of the Wood, among whom may still be seen many men tall and fair, as are the Riders of Rohan." —The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien (published 1954)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003, dir. Peter Jackson)

[kunoichi96]

Reading Recap: March

I was on a reading roll in March! Probably because the weather was rotten this month. For the alleged start of spring, it has been cold as a politician’s heart. Oh well, it gave me an excuse for staying bundled up at home with a good book and cups of tea.  Not only that, but I had more variety this month. From classics to non-fiction to graphic novels. Not too bad if you ask me. Thanks to this…