#Vigil 2021

[spockvarietyhour]

[partiallypearl]

a little gift for my fellow silvacre fans

[hoboblaidd]

follow up question playing on Pluto’s. There is a study in veterinary medicine that is called the multiples eyes hypothesis, that a group of, ie a rebellion, animals having a higher populace and more eyes on their situation as a whole are less vigilant as a species, to the extent of our multiple eyes hypothesis, do you think solas added additional sense ( perhaps magic with his mage form and eye with rat dog ) are a hold over of old magic that allows him safety or vigilance? Could the additional eyes been an addition with growth of magic? We have also seen that he’s a foil of many things, are these eyes an allegory of the many life’s and lies he’s seen and told? Is ratdog blind in that one eye? Or is it just hazy, the world must know.

“When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.”

Solas is the Dread Wolf, but he’s a poor example of what a wolf should be. A wolf's strength is the pack, and Solas is determined to be a lone wolf. A wolf should be a predator, but the way Solas acts is prey. Varric has an ambient line in Veilguard that sums up Solas' doomed perspective perfectly:

Our enemies are gods, Rook. Nobody fights those alone. That's why Solas lost, and why you'll win. He always thought his attachments were a tragic flaw he had to overcome. But they're a strength.

Solas’ enemies have always been gods. He’s convinced himself that he alone is the person who can both defeat them and “fix” the world that he broke. Yes, he’s had a “pack” throughout the years - the rebellion, the Inquisition, his agents - but he keeps them at a distance, or uses and discards them. He does everything he can to avoid attachments. And he’s destined to fail because of that.

Why does he so fervently try to avoid attachments? Because he's afraid, and because he doesn't want to get hurt.

Onto the multiple eyes hypothesis because I’m living in it right now, for a lone wolf to survive, it makes perfect sense for Solas, the eternal tinkerer, to find a way to twist a positive group behavior into something he can do solo. He doesn’t fully succeed because he can’t do this alone, but he tries anyway.

I love the idea that he shaped this form - his most powerful, tanky form - to be more perceptive of threats and to see a knife coming (unless said knife is wielded by you, Elisa). It's protection and it's driven by learned fear. He would've spent so long shaping ratdog into a heightened defense mechanism. He'd weave together magic, ingenuity, and maybe the help of spirits to turn this form into both weapon and shield. With that, comes the eyes. He needs to see more, he needs to watch every angle. He wants to be self-reliant, and thus he needs to be constantly vigilant.

Ratdog has six eyes. There were eight Evanuris. One was Mythal, so he would not watch for her. And Ghilan'nain ascended after Fen'harel became a rebel general. Idk it's just interesting to think maybe the eyes were also symbolic of his fight against each of them.

But like the hypothesis, that constant vigilance of a lone animal without a group to offset it takes away his ability to devote equal time to "gathering resources." I.e., equal time to live and flourish. He's essentially trapped himself in survival mode. There's no time to rest and recuperate, because he's made it so that he has no one to watch his back.

They are a symbol of the life and lies he's seen and told, because everyone he's hurt, and everyone he thinks he's failed, is because Solas went it alone.

Finally for ratdog, I WANT THE RATDOG EYE GONE. Solas was so thoroughly damaged in that fight with Lusacan. Nothing he’s ever fought before was that bad, and as always, he went in alone. And what happened? He was outmatched. He could only break free of the blight and kill the dragon with the help of Bellara/Neve. His scars have to linger, because they're the visual proof of his failure.

[age-of-moonknight]

“The Final Hours of Moon Knight,” Moon Knight (Vol. 9/2021), #29.

Writer: Jed MacKay; Inker and Penciler: Federico Sabbatini; Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg; Letterer: Cory Petit

[squirrellyshorrorreviews]

The Vigil (2019)

A man providing overnight watch to a deceased member of his former Orthodox Jewish community finds himself opposite a malevolent entity, in writer-director Keith Thomas' electrifying feature debut.

[spoken language: Yiddish/English]

where to watch it: Shudder

rating: 5/10 (but i want to rewatch it with my Jewish friends)

I actually really liked this movie, though I will say I cannot give it much justice in my review because I watched casually. Much of it is in Yiddish and warranted more attention than I gave it. I intend to give it another watch in the future.

That being said, i loved the story here. The movie tells a really toothsome tale about generational trauma and survivor’s guilt. The bond between the main, Yakov, and the dead man he is Shomer for feels really genuine by the end.

Some bits are clunky, the sound mixing leaves a lot to be desired and the use of jumpscares always makes a rating take a hit.

This movie, though, encompasses so much about what I adore about the genre; catharsis and character. There’s a lot of heart in this movie. More than I was expecting by the end.

I recommend it highly, especially for people like me who are fans of religious horror and metaphors for emotional pain.

[headspace-hotel]

any other autistic people have to drop out of college and have stories to share about what they did/how they managed to find a job and a bearable life?

I'm considering it again and there's a good chance I'm actually gonna do it

I'm only a year away from graduation, but...I've been having this deep sense that "this is wrong, I'm on the wrong path" for a while. I've never been able to convince myself that I should stay because it's what I want, only push down the feeling and try to convince myself I have no choice.

Despite many good things that happened, 2024 was almost definitely the worst year of my life (which is saying something, considering how 2021 went for me) just in terms of how much of it I spent utterly miserable.

I'm about to turn 25. I am so sick of being around 19 and 20 year olds, not that there's anything wrong with them, I'm just starting to struggle to connect with people who haven't been around the block a little bit and lived outside of the regimented, narrow constraints of school.

My school situation is difficult to explain but it's unlikely I will ever be given a better chance to graduate without debt. However, my school has proven completely rigid and inflexible in regards to several crucial disability accommodations, and I have fought so incredibly hard to make this situation work for me and it just isn't and every time I think it's finally going to be okay there is some other bullshit that happens and I am tired of running myself ragged fighting to survive in a place I don't want to be.

Not only do I not want to spend another year feeling like my life is a black hole of despair, I don't want to wait any longer to get my driver's license and figure myself out and learn who I am and form meaningful relationships and escape the narrow little crevice my college life is. I am so exhausted all the time when I'm in school that I can't work on myself, and I feel stunted. I feel like a plant in a too-small pot where its roots are all bunched up along the edges.

I was hopeful about getting some kind of career related to studying plants or working with plants or something, but right now my only career goal is for the pain to stop.

Family says they will support me no matter what I do, but seem to lack faith in me to take steps toward independence or something I want to accomplish. My mom just seems to live in fear that I will go back to how I was in the Burnout Year where I just laid in bed for months, as if this is all I'm capable of without the external structure of college. It leaves me doubting myself and whether I've actually grown any.

Family also seems to think that I'm naive to how hard a job would be, to which my honest answer is Jesus if this is the easiest my life is going to be I am just not going to make it. Parents keep saying college is hard, it was hard for me too but I think I just completely fail to communicate how much they don't get it. It's not that my classes are hard, it's not that the work takes effort. If anything it's not enough work, not enough stimulation. It's just...the stressors. The exhaustion of having to go to class every day for hours and participate in group projects and presentations and having to go to different meetings and appointments. Not having any control over anything in my life. Not knowing whether I'll have good food to eat every day, not knowing if the kitchen will be free for me to boil a pot of goddamn noodles, not knowing if my energy budget is free enough that I can hang out with a friend or make a dentist appointment without fucking up and contributing to an ongoing backlog of exhaustion that nothing, nothing, nothing but time ever can fix. The hyper-vigilance I have to maintain to avoid locking myself out of my own room.

I'm just...not 20 anymore. I can hardly stomach Ramen noodles and microwave mac and cheese anymore. I feel gross and nasty when I don't eat green things and fresh things and things with fiber in them. I get too exhausted to stay awake by 12:30 and wake up at 8:30am whether I set my alarm or not. I can't skip meals anymore, I can't just roll out of bed, stuff down a granola bar and function until lunch anymore.

I don't know what's right. I just know that what I'm doing right now is wrong. If I ignore this, I might as well never listen to a "gut feeling" ever again because I've never had one so strong or so persistent.

[reasonsforhope]

"The world’s largest hornet, an invasive breed dubbed the “murder hornet” for its dangerous sting and ability to slaughter a honey bee hive in a matter of hours, has been declared eradicated in the U.S., five years after being spotted for the first time in Washington state near the Canadian border.

The Washington and U.S. Departments of Agriculture announced the eradication Wednesday [December 18, 2024], saying there had been no detections of the northern giant hornet in Washington since 2021...

“I’ve gotta tell you, as an entomologist — I’ve been doing this for over 25 years now, and it is a rare day when the humans actually get to win one against the insects,” Sven Spichiger, pest program manager of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, told a virtual news conference.

The hornets, which can be 2 inches (5 cm) long and were formerly called Asian giant hornets, gained attention in 2013, when they killed 42 people in China and seriously injured 1,675. In the U.S., around 72 people a year die from bee and hornet stings each year, according to data from the National Institutes of Health.

The hornets were first detected in North America in British Columbia, Canada, in August 2019 and confirmed in Washington state in December 2019, when a Whatcom County resident reported a specimen. A beekeeper also reported hives being attacked and turned over specimens in the summer of 2020. The hornets could have traveled to North America in plant pots or shipping containers, experts said.

DNA evidence suggested the populations found in British Columbia and Washington were not related and appeared to originate from different countries. There also have been no confirmed reports in British Columbia since 2021, and the nonprofit Invasive Species Centre in Canada has said the hornet is also considered eradicated there.

Northern giant hornets pose significant threats to pollinators and native insects. They can wipe out a honey bee hive in as little as 90 minutes, decapitating the bees and then defending the hive as their own, taking the brood to feed their own young.

The hornet can sting through most beekeeper suits, deliver nearly seven times the amount of venom as a honey bee, and sting multiple times. At one point the Washington agriculture department ordered special reinforced suits from China.

Washington is the only state that has had confirmed reports of northern giant hornets. Trappers found four nests in 2020 and 2021.

Spichiger said Washington will remain on the lookout, despite reporting the eradication. He noted that entomologists will continue to monitor traps in Kitsap County, where a resident reported an unconfirmed sighting in October but where trapping efforts and public outreach have come up empty...

“We will continue to be vigilant,” Spichiger said."

-via AP News, December 18, 2024

[cookiiefreak]

Hmmm this is dough again - You trapped in close quarters with PV as his most loyal knight as you are protecting him from an assassination attempt from mysterious hooded figures.

Dragging him out of the Vanilla Kingdom as fast as you can and getting very far into the shrubbery and trees until you both fall into a hole in the ground. Landing right on top of him. You both seem to be safe for the time being as the footsteps faded a few minutes ago. You warn him to stay quiet and vigilant and you'll find a way out of this as your limbs are tangled together, right into his sensitive ear.

He, is blushing and stuttering from the proximity. But you are unaware of this and claustrophobic, jostling around trying to climb out, hitting some spots of his that made him need to cover his mouth, mortified.

DO WITH THIS WHAT YOU WILL POOKIE

DOUGH AAAAAAAAAAA

I am so feral over this you have no idea, I feel like a dog that was just given its favorite chew toy <3

sorry in advance if this isn’t that good, this took me all day (i haven’t written anything since 2020-2021)

Additional tags: assassination attempt (not detailed), king/knight dynamic, pv has naughty thoughts, pv loves them possessive, knight!reader is a tad oblivious to pv’s feelings/their own sex appeal, might be a little ooc (sorry)

Ship: Pure Vanilla x Knight!Reader

⚠️ MINORS DO NOT READ ⚠️

I imagine that he has been pining for a while, his mind drifting to you and your loyal, endearing mannerisms as his hands reach to pathetically grope and tease himself when he can’t seem to find sleep late at night. It’s appalling to him! How could he possibly imagine you, his most virtuous and faithful knight, in ways that are so explicit he can’t even bear to utter a word of it to anyone? Not even to his closest friends? He’s absolutely ashamed, vowing to never allow himself to take advantage of you like that in any lifetime.

It doesn’t help his situation when he’s suddenly attacked by a group of cloaked assassins, blades sharpened and ready to take down the monarch of the Vanilla Kingdom. But there you are, ever his knight in shining Vanillian armor, longsword in hand as you start defending your king like it’s your life’s greatest purpose.

Your king.

Pure Vanilla shudders at the thought of you claiming him as your own, the vision of your enchanting eyes peering down at him as your lithe fingers circle his soul-jam before trailing further down his trembling body…

Get ahold of yourself, Pure Vanilla!

It reaches a point in battle where too many of the enemies seem to be regaining their strength at concerning speeds, forcing you to take hold of his hand and rush through the streets of the Vanilla Kingdom. Some other knights, that had jumped into action earlier to help you, continue fighting them off to prevent them from chasing after the two of you, but it seems like a few had managed to break free and rush after you.

Heading into the forest in the hopes of losing them, you dodge and weave through the plentiful trees and shrubs until your escape comes to an end. A trap hole that had been disguised by a thick, leafy cover was the unfortunate barrier as Pure Vanilla slips in and tumbles down; bringing you with. One of your arms shoot down and wrap around his waist as the other reaches for the wall in an attempt to dig your fingers into the dirt and slow your fall, which works to a certain degree as you two land a bit softer than he had imagined.

He manages to let out a groan before your hand quickly covers his mouth, effectively silencing any more noises of pain. His eyes widen as he watches you lean your head down, feeling your breath gently brush against his cheek.

“Silence, m’lord. Wait for them to leave,” your whisper caresses his ear and sends a shockwave down his back. He nods obediently and the two of you wait patiently, hearing footsteps close to your area but never coming near the hidden hole. A few minutes pass before you hear the assassins’ footsteps again, this time retreating further into the woods in an attempt to find their target.

You’re in the clear. You let out a sigh of relief, glad to have lost the bastards while Pure Vanilla is preoccupied with the startling realization of the position you have landed in.

“They’re gone, thank the witches.” You glance down at the king with a grimace, “My apologies. This is such a tight space, I shall try to figure a way out of here soon, m’lord.”

“I-It’s alright, you’re not hurt, are you?” His throat feels horribly dry as he struggles to look you in the eyes, all of his nighttime thoughts coming in to burrow further in his mind. You have one leg over his hip while the other rests slightly under his thigh with your crotches grazing each other, though he’s not sure if you don’t care or if you don’t notice because you seem unbothered by your position.

“I should be asking you that, my liege. It is unfortunate that you ended up falling first,” you shift your hips a bit and a zing of pleasure has him digging his nails into the dirt beneath him.

“Hmm? Why’s that?” Your eyebrows seem to furrow at his words while Pure Vanilla’s vision swims, it takes a good portion of his willpower to not buck up against your pleasant heat.

“I am a bit armored, sir. The landing would’ve been far less painful for me than it was for you,” a look of concern crosses your features. “Did you hit your head? You look quite dazed, m’lord.”

“I-I’m fine, just a little frazzled from all that transpired.” He feels guilty for being a tad bit untruthful, a nagging sensation gripping his brain and soul jam, but there is no way he could tell you just how badly he wanted to tear you apart right now. How he wanted to feel your thighs tighten around the sides of his head as you ride his face, your juices messily smeared down his chin and cheeks. Or, witches forbid, how he needed to feel you cream around his cock as you whine out your devotion to him.

“I’ll have the palace doctors check on you once we get back just to be sure, you’re looking flushed. Intensely so,” you take your glove off and press the back of your hand against the side of his face before recoiling in shock. “You’re scorching! I’ll have to be quick, just sit tight, your highness.”

He nods his head as he watches you pull your glove back on before getting to work trying to untangle your limbs, your hips moving occasionally as you test which position would free you both. This feels like a test of sanity to him, every movement has you practically grinding yourself against him and he swears you are doing it on purpose. Yet the focused expression on your face says otherwise, your intentions are purely to try and crawl out of this witch forsaken hole.

One particular shift of your leg has him biting his tongue HARD in order to shut down the whimper that begs to be let loose, his brain screaming that he needs to be out of this dirt coffin already or else he’s going to cum in his pants.

“I know this can’t be too comfortable, my liege.” You give him an empathetic smile, “If any of my movements are causing you harm please let me know.” Fuck, why do you have to speak to him in such a tender tone? He flashes you a smile of his own, though at this moment he feels like a monster baring its teeth at innocent prey.

“I am just grateful I had you with me. Your skills have aided me more times than I can count,” he can’t help but notice the way you seem to beam proudly at his statement.

“Of course! Because my oath I took those years ago will always remain true: I will fight until my dying breath to keep my king safe!”

Oh fuck.

[spockvarietyhour]

[ovaryacted]

Y'all know how I get down politically, but I just wanted to say truly, now is the time to be the most vigilant when it comes to the media & how people talk about Iran in particular, specifically of the upcoming retaliatory response.

Now that President Trump chose to strike three nuclear bases in the soverign nation of Iran at night, at random, without congressional approval during a complete internet blackout in the country, that sets the groundwork for Iran's retalliation & that will bring the United States into war. Likewise, you will see A LOT of media sources trying to manufacture consent to make you all believe that we should be going to war with Iran in order to "liberate" them from their suppressive regime and to spread democracy in the region. Please know, we as a nation have absolutely no business getting involved into another war in the Middle East when it was the zionist colonial project of Israel that sent that first strike, and Iran was well within their right to defend themselves against the unjust strikes from Israel, and now the United States.

The "threat" of Iran possessing nuclear weapons has been mentioned for decades, and they have never come close to manufacturing one because of very strict sanctions & rules on how Iran can possess & use uranium. The biggest argument of why they shouldn't have nukes in the first place is because they will serve as a deterrent to Israel, who already possess nukes (badly kept secret). Globally, there are 9 countries that have nuclear weapons: Russia, United States, China, France, United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea. Several others host nukes, but don't have the capabilities to make them. Iran doesn't fall in either category, however they've been able to utilize more of their uranium in the past few years because Trump pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal that Obama signed in 2015 during his first presidential term.

Having a country like Iran possess nukes, that is close to other neighboring countries and has openly and vehemently vocalized it's disgust with the zionist entity that is Israel in how they're able to bomb 5 countries simultaneously while committing a brutal genocide against the Palestinan people for the past 2 years (really 80 years), would pose a threat to the colonial project itself. It would make sense why Israel or the U.S. doesn't want Iran to have nukes if it threatens their ability to control and infiltrate the Middle East whenever they want, right?

But you will hear headlines and people in the media all throughout news channels and newspaper articles that had Israel & the U.S. not struck Iran when they did, we would be closer to nuclear annihilation and they Iran now can't build a nuclear weapon. That is a pure lie, and not to mention, that is how the media will try to sway public opinion in making you believe we had to go to war with Iran to stop them, we just had to get involved in the conflict because Iran was brutally killing civilians, raping their women, and they will attack us in the imperial core with weapons of mass destruction so we must stop them!

Sounds familiar right?

The current administration, whether it's just Trump or the entire godamn thing, is following the same framework President George Bush laid out to send the United States on a fictional witch hunt to track down these "weapons of mass destruction" they didn't want hitting American soil following the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. spent decades and trillions of dollars invading Afghanistan (2001-2021), Iraq (2003-2011), all while getting involved with Yemen & Syria to this day. They did all of that, sent people to die senselessly for these weapons that did not exist, all for a military conflict that in the end failed and resulted in a complete dismantling of several countries in the region. Not to mention the residual impacts of war that often go dismissed: disregard for our troops, disease spreading, famine & food insecurity, human trafficking, climate change from warfare, overall destruction of entire communities, infrastructure, & social systems. War isn't good for anybody.

The belief that Iran is a threat to the United States and to the world is based on so many things, mainly racism, orientalist ideals & islamophobia, and you will see the same language that was used post-9/11 to demonize Muslims & Arab people now being used to justify our continuous involvement within the region. America is the great bringer of democracy and peace all around the world. Israel was just protecting itself and its people from being invaded and killed. I beg and I pray that you all don't fall for the same lies that have been spread for decades to bring us into unnecessary wars and conflicts for the sake of funding our military industrial complex. Because nothing brings politicians and billionaires closer together than profiting off of the deaths of black and brown bodies, whether that be overseas or back at home. Colonial imperialistic projects need frequent expansion and investment, so war, in combination with late-stage capitalism and a sign of huge fascistic military force, presence, and aggression, is how that is done, and Israel & the U.S. are doing such things in the Middle East. We as people shouldn’t be sent to war to fund & defend an occupational entity’s right to wipe an entire group of people off of the face of the Earth and expand into other countries.

We don't know what's going to happen, everything is up in the air and the next 48 hours are crucial, but one thing is certain. We live in a world where we have erratic people in power who are blood thirsty and have a craving for death on a large scale, regardless of the consequences, the cost, and whos involved. Do your research, stay away from mainstream media sources like CNN and the NYT that are acting like propaganda machines for the American military industrial complex, read a book on the histories of these countries before jumping to conclusions, defend and protect your Muslim & Arab neighbors, because it's only going to get worse from here, and we aren't prepared for how bad.

We have our rights being stripped away one by one, increased mass policing towards immigrants with ICE, cost of living is through the roof, cuts to Medicare and Medicaid are being passed & healthcare is practically unattainable, social safety nets are being wiped out, political assassinations are being swept under the rug, AI Corporate heads are being promoted to the highest branches of the military...and now we have war. They don't care if it's illegal, they don't care if it's unconstitutional, they only care that we die for the empire's benefit.

Iran is not the "bully" of the Middle East, just like Iraq wasn't, neither was Afghanistan, Yemen, or Syria. It will always be the United States and it's dog without a leash, Israel. You can have your critiques about the Iranian regime, but their liberation is not coming from Israel or the U.S. bombing them. You can't liberate the violated women & children of Iran when you're dropping bombs over their heads. And from the bottom of my heart, fuck anybody who voted for this man, you voted for this, you asked for this.

[wlwgif]

AMY X KIRSTEN in Season 2 of Vigil (2021 -)

[femaledaily]

Rose Leslie as Kirsten Longacre in VIGIL (2021-)

[yazthebookish]

Why is the whole "Gwyn is a child" topic is being discussed again? Sarah killed it in May 2021 by confirming Gwyn is a "fully grown woman". She left no question about it.

Cassian calling her a girl is irrelevant because Rowan called Aelin both a girl and a child, that didn't stop him from ending up with her because we know Aelin is already almost an adult at 19.

Sarah retconned (which is not something new) the aging process of Fae in ACOMAF. The bat boys and Mor fought in the Great War in their mid-20s, are we to believe the Night Court is sending children as soldiers? Mor and Lady of Autumn were betrothed/engaged at 18, would SJM promote child marriages? Gwyn tells Nesta she didn't get a chance to lie with a male during the Great Rite, meaning she was already old enough to have sexual relations with others.

The books have enough hints that High Fae are already adults once they reach their 20s. If people didn't complain about Mor and the Bat Boys joining a war as "children" in their 20s, then there's no point in arguing about Gwyn's age over something that was retconned in ACOMAF not ACOSF.

Her being bubbly has nothing to do with maturity, if you don't have a bubbly adult in your life it's probably dull. Also, it's not like she's bubbly and unserious 24/7, she's vigilant about her work and is quite empathetic and helps Nesta understand her own feelings.

This argument has been dead for 3 years and a half, let's put it to rest.

[sylkithecat]

SYLVIE LAUFEYDOTTIR; a phoenix only needs her fire to burn.

Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless | Taylor Swift; Would've, Could've, Should've | Emilie Autumn, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls | Aria Aber, Ideology | Sally Wen Mao, Mad Honey Symposium | Lidia Yuknavitch, The Chronology of Water | Taylor Swift, Nothing New | Joan Macleod, The Shape of a Girl / Jewel | Linda M. Crate, A brighter phoenix | Odysseus Elytis; Maria Nephele: A Poem in Two Voices, | Clementine von Radics, Vigil

Sophia Di Martino & Cailey Fleming as Sylvie (Loki 2021-2023)

@giftober 2023 + @mcuchallenge| Day 21/31: Spring & LOKI APPRECIATION WEEK 2023 | for @dailyloki + @mcuchallenge

Day 4: Favorite character (or Variant)

[sallysavestheday]

End of Year 8+8+8+8 Fic Recs

It's that time again! This was a tough year to narrow down, so you get 8 of each, with no author repeats. There's such great stuff out there to read. Enjoy!

8 of my favorite long fics of 2024

sisyphus, unhappy by @tobermoriansass. M: 140K, WIP. Curufinrod after re-embodiment is the simplest description, but it's so much more. Philosophy, musical theory, racial and sexual politics, a very dark family comedy of manners. Featuring one of my favorite Maglors ever.

Two Half-Kings and a Full Lake Between by @melestasflight and @polutrope. T: 12K. A fantastic exploration of the period in Maglor's regency when Fingolfin had arrived but Maedhros had not yet been rescued. Tense and compelling. Another favorite Maglor.

Northern Stars by @idrilsscribe. T: 62K, WIP. An AU of an AU, featuring traumatized kidnapped-while-young Elrohir making his way back from Harad to Imladris with Glorfindel's assistance. Elegant, moving prose; fantastic worldbuilding; delightfully complex OCs; etc., etc.

I Do; I Will by @littlewhitemouseagain. M: 23K. Fingon fights all the Feanorions, back to back, at his own coronation. Glorious (and painful, and moving, and hopeful, in a very Fingon way).

i've been so worried (you've been so still) by @welcomingdisaster. E: 9.5K. Maglor is drawn to an acolyte of Este after Maedhros is taken. An absolutely fantastic OC, delicious worldbuilding, and peak Sexy Maglor. Just WOW.

a stranger in my bed (a pounding in my head) by vauquelin. T: 11K. A surprise new installment makes this a 2024 fic, hooray! Maedhros and Fingon wake up married. Maedhros wants it annulled because he can't imagine Fingon is happy; Fingon is miserable therefore. Hilarious and touching at once, with the best punchline of the year.

Across So Wide A Sea by @emyn-arnens. G: 20K, WIP. A fantastic epistolary fic: Galadriel writes to Finrod (after his death), as a deliberate historical record that quickly gets very personal. Rich and complex and humorous and poignant. Delightful.

The Other Daughter of Twilight by Anna_Wing. G: 16K. Maedhros/Thuringwethil. Just read it. Go.

8 of my favorite shorter fics of 2024

The Vigil by @balrogballs. G: 5K. Celebrian plans and delivers her own sendoff, the night before sailing. Oh, my heart.

A flickering flame by @camille-lachenille. G: 960 words. Andreth/Aegnor, Finrod, and a Gil-galad origin story, oh ow!

To Evil End by @zealouswerewolfcollector. T: 2900 words. Decades after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Fingon comes back to Maedhros. Or does he? GAH!!

Body and Spirit by @meadowlarkx. G: 1500 words. An anonymous scholar considers the food and drink customary during Elven pregnancy. Deliciously thoughtful and creative.

we could be kings by @queerofthedagger. T: 1600 words. The copper circlet Maitimo is crowned with is a work of art. He finds that he likes it much better on another's brow. Oh, babies.

Two Peredhil and an Elf in a Boat by @cycas. G: 5000 words. Elrond begins to make his peace with Earendil. Tender, humorous, touching.

precious stone set in the silver sea by rain_sleet_snow. G: 2000 words. A Celeborn/Galadriel origin story in which he is a Teler from Alqualonde. Gorgeous. Read the rest of the series, too.

The Warning Sounds Too Late by @eilinelsghost. T: 6000 words. Part 18 of the fabulous Atandil (Finrod/Beor) series, featuring a family dinner that, like so many, sparks insights and regrets.

8 oldies but goodies, circa 2013-2021, that I've recently reread and loved again.

The West Wind Quartet by @hhimring. T: 16K. Always a fave. Maglor unexpectedly takes on a Sinda as a student. Elegant, original, and moving.

Flawed and Fair by @a-tehta. M: 33K. Classic Glorthelion. Hilarious and tender all at once. Those GUYS!!!

Though All Whom Ye Have Slain Should Entreat For You by @thearrogantemu. G: 12K. Maedhros and Elwe have it out upon Elwe's return. A classic, for all the best reasons.

The Sound Below Sound by @adnirod. T: 35K. Gimleaf eloquence and angst and beauty. Spectacular.

Detour by @dawnfelagund. T: 8K. Reborn Maedhros is resigned to a gloomy life as a teacher in Fifth Age Tirion. Then Fingon Returns, with hope (and stickers).

Defiant Hope, Take Wing, by @lordnelson100. T: 10K. Halenthir: an alternative ending to the War of the Jewels, and a heartbreaker.

a light in darkness, hope in woe, by @admirablemonster. E: 4K. A Gil-galad origin story. Perpetual fave.

Letter 97 by @batshape. T: 9K. Orc academics, Russingon, and musings on the afterlife. Delightful.

8 favorites among my own fics from 2024. If you haven't read them, do give these a try.

When the Hurly-Burly's Done. G: 850 words. Elrond and Gil-galad and Celebrimbor picnic at the edge of the world.

The Blue Line Between Sea and Sky. G: 900 words, Idril/Tuor/Voronwe. Voronwe drowns. And drowns. And drowns.

Larded With Sweet Flowers. G: 400 words. Edrahil's last moments.

O, Blithe New-comer! G: 1000 words, background Russingon. Another origin story.

The Heaped Ashes of the Night Turn Into Leaves. G: 850 words. Glorfindel is being sent back to Middle-earth. Finrod has FOMO.

Deeper Roots Than Reason. G: 5500 words. The Oath of Fëanor makes its way across history and cultures, dragging Doom in its wake. TRSB 2024.

Among So Many Marvels. G: 1500 words. Early friendship between Eomer and Faramir, built around their people's stories.

Molded on One Stem. G: 3200 words. An exploration of Fingon and Aredhel's relationship, in which they are, fortunately and unfortunately, very much alike.

Everyone! What have you been reading? Consider yourself tagged. Please share!