#after fingons death 100%

[thelien-art]

Just a small Maedhros sketch

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Silmarillion AU - Fingon Lives (Dark Fingon AU)

I’ve seen the idea of Fingon surviving the Nirnaeth (potentially along with Maedhros dying in it) and spent a bit of time considering what I thought the results of that might be.

And while I understand, on some level, the narrative-parallel appeal of a ‘reversed’ storyline where Fingon goes off the rails after losing Maedhros and joins up with the Fëanoreans for the Second Kinslaying, it doesn’t feel likely to me. I think he’d have quite different priorities.

If Maedhros dies in the Nirnaeth, Fingon is not going to blame Doriath, because it frankly takes a very tenuous and twisted chain of logic to get there, and there are much more obvious people for him to blame. First, Morgoth, who is not a viable target post-Nirnaeth. Second, and even more directly - the traitorous Easterlings, who, in a scenario where Maedhros died in the Nirnaeth, would probably have been the ones to kill him. Amd the Easterlings, now the occupiers of Fingon’s home territory of Hithlum and Dorthonion, are viable targets. So if Fingon is defeated, his army destroyed, and he goes (somewhat) off the rails, but he survives (possibly with a small number of others) and makes it back to Hithlum, the most likely putcome to me is him going ruthless-guerilla on the Easterlings who are occupying and oppressing his people and are responsible for the death of his closest friend. I can see scenarious where he gets something of a resistance movement going, and Túrin does not leave Hithlum and, once he hits his teens, joins up with them. That would be an interesting interaction, because Túrin’s canon interactions with elves are mostly with ones who have at least slightly more chill than he does, and that would not be the case here. I can see Tuor being part of it for a while before getting discomfited with hiw far the guerillas are willing to go (and how they’re not achieving much but revenge) and noping out of there and heading to Gondolin as in canon. That makes for an interesting AU in itself.

But that’s if you can come up with a plausible tactical mechanism that gets Fingon back to Hithlum. Because one of the reasons for the heroic last stand of the Men of the House of Hador, in addition to guarding Gondolin’s retreat, was because there was no way for them to get back to Hithlum, and they were not willing to be driven from their homes. So if Fingon survives, some of the Edain of Hithlum might as well. (You could even have a version where Húrin survives and isn’t captured and his family isn’t cursed, which is altogether more hopeful, not only because of the curse but because Húrin has a lot of good sense.)

The alternative, and tactically more plausible scenario, is one where Fingon survives the same way any other west-Beleriand forces who make it out of the Nirnaeth alive do - by retreating to Gondolin. And ironically, although that’s safer territory, I think it could end worse than the Hithlum option. Because Turgon post-Nirnaeth is 100% of the nobody-leaves-Gondolin mindset. During the retreat everyone is too exhausted abd demoralized to talk policy, but once they get there and Fingon learns via Thorondor that 1) his people are occupied by the Easterlings; 2) Maedhros has been betrayed and killed by the Easterlings; and 3) he’s never allowed to leave Gondolin to do anything about the first two items….he is not going to react well. In canon, some of the Noldor of Hithlum did join with the Gondolindrim and survive, so Fingon may still have a group that is loyal to him. It’s going to get messy.

[lamemaster]

The Glorious One

Request: Hi. I was wondering if you could write a fic, where Maedhros comes back from Angband and finds the female elf reader with a child and assumes she had given up on him and moved on. He decides to stay away from her life. The reader comes to him with their son, but he keeps his distance and still believes he ( son ) is someone else's son. Their son decides to participate in the war. Only for him to find out that the boy is his, after his death in the war. The reader and Maedhros had a heartfelt moment in the end.I hope you can understand this and it doesn't sound too confusing and complicated.

Pairing: Maedhros x Reader

Genre: Angst (caution- 100% concentrated angst)

Word Count: 3k

AN: Thanks for the request I loved writing it. Also, Baldur has been a long-time OC of mine so lmk if you would like to know more about it.

Part 2

The peaceful shores of Nevrast offer little comfort to your heart. The unease that hasn’t left you for the past months has followed you there.Yet, you wander these shores looking for the last hope. Your only hope.

Turgon had become your last resort. It was nearly a year since Maedhros’ capture and you were close to exhausting your options. The only remaining option now seemed to be Turgon. 

Related to you by your aunt Anaire, your mother’s sister, you believed Turgon to be the only one who could help you find Maedhros. You had begged Maglor and pleaded to an unrelenting Celegorm. You tried everyone but none answered.

But now that you find yourself closer to Turgon’s averting eyes, where lingers no love for his once half-cousin, you wonder if it were to be you. You would have left long ago, had there not been kicking signs of life in your belly. Yours and Maedhros’ child. 

You found it no later than when you first received the news of your beloved’s ambush. And now it became the only tether that kept you away from Maedhros. Maybe you had expected him to be back, for someone to care for him, for anyone of his extensive kin to go look for him. 

You desired for him to be here for the news. You wanted him to witness your growing belly or be there for the mornings of your sickness. You never talked about having children of your own but you knew how much it would have pleased Maedhros. How much he would love his child. 

So, by the quiet shores of the Nevrast, you wait for a time when you will be able to go look for your Nelyo. When you would be able to reunite the father of your child with them. 

The pains of your labor pass in the halls of Turgon. The day that you wished to spend by Maedhros is spent alone in pain. It seems unending and there is no one to hold your hand as your body tears itself. But that too passes away when you hear his first cries. 

Baldur, your son enters the world with shrill cries that drown yours. And just like this hope springs back into your life. He has come and Maedhros would as well. 

It is that day you start counting the time that you would be allowed to go look for Maedhros. One day when your son would be old enough to be by himself and you could bring Maedhros back. 

You spend years raising Baldur, who inherits your hair but glimpses of Maedhros reflect from his face. Cherishing every moment of his little life. Writing every passing moment down for when you will meet Maedhros.

So, it comes as a surprise when you hear the news of Maedhros’s return. Fingon rescued him from the cliffs of the Thangodrim. Holding your son Baldur’s little hand you make your way to Hirming. And on your way, you tell your son all of his father’s tales, his valor, his speech, his kindness, everything you remember your Maedhros as.

What greets you in Hirming is not a warm welcome…you did not expect that but a sense of hostility fills the air. Something that you did not expect to encounter. Not on the occasion of Maedhros’s return.

In your arms, Baldur excitedly whispers the name of each of his uncles. At least he tries to from whatever he can remember. Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curfin, Amrod, Amras, you have told him of all his uncles. Every single one of the big family he belongs to, even the ones separated by the sea.

“I must meet Maedhros,” you ask of Maglor who stops you outside of Maedhros’ door. Despite burying his head in your shoulder you can feel Baldur’s curiosity towards his uncles. The merry swing of his legs betray his excitement but your son has promised for Maedhros, his father to be the first one to be the one who he looks at. So, your darling waits with the patience of the most obedient elfling. 

You, however, unlike Baldur face the disdain on Maglor’s face who does not budge from the door. “Brother is unwell,” your heart drops at his words but Maglor continues, “Please leave.” Curt words grate on your nerves. There lingers a dangerous edge of Feanorian rage hidden in your brother-in-law’s voice. 

A dreadful sorrow fills your entire being as you re-adjust Baldur in your arms. 

“You don’t unde-”

“I understand well enough and so does Maitimo. We have all honored your wish to choose another so leave. Do not burden my brother with any more grief. Do not make him witness your child with another,” words that leave Maglor’s mouth leave you numb. 

“I would not…you know that Laure,” you try to explain to the ellon who does not believe anything that leaves your mouth. 

“My brother has honored you enough to offer you a home in Hirming but nothing more. So honor him in return and stay away.” Yet your mind focuses only on the slight wetness on your shoulder. Your son’s tears dampen your gown. Little hands that clutch your fabric close in a fist. How could he, who you shielded from every hurt, how could he be bared to such cruelty?

Your truth and your son’s truth go unheard. And you let it be for the prince you once knew to be your husband. The one who escapes your every sight. 

Maybe it is your last favor to him. A mercy of sparing him of the bond he seems to deny so vehemently. You do not burden him, who has suffered enough. 

 Concealed behind the thick curtains of his room, Maedhros observes you leave. His heart drowning in what seems the most painful of hurts. Moments ago, what had been his unconcealed joy now turns into despair.

He had felt the familiar flutter of his heartbeat your voice albeit strained but it had been your voice. The one he had craved for years of his capture. The voice of love from Valinor, the voice who stood by even in the hour of their dreadful doom. Your voice.

But the reality of the present comes crashing down. His brothers had told him of your choice. Your binding to another who lived in Nevrast. And despite all that happened, despite your betrayal, Maedhros could not blame you. It was for better that you remained away from the Maedhros of middle earth. It was better that for you he will always be the Nelyafinwe of Aman. Unscared ellon you loved. Not the broken husk he had become. And maybe just the act of your care of coming to visit him was enough. It was enough for Maedhros. He could not ask more of you.

He watches you leave his tower, it is then that he notices the mass on your shoulder, and his heart skips a beat. Resting on your shoulder is a mop of hair similar to yours. A tiny squished face and dazed slightly reddened eyes of an elfling. Your son. Yours and someone else’s, who wasn’t him, who he could never be.

Years later as Maedhros walks the paths of his celebrating soldiers, he for the first time feels the thrum of joy run through his veins. Dagor Aglareb, the glorious battle had been glorious indeed. A win against the dark lord.

The air feels fresher and the walls of Hirming more welcoming than they ever did. Maybe there was hope for them. With a thousand future plans forming in the eldest Feanorian’s brain, the victorious battalion made their way to the fortress. 

Yet, despite the joy that fills the party, the first night of the return is mellow. It is spent to honor the ones lost for the cause. There is a small number of them but that makes it even more important to honor those who took the fall for the cause of this world.

Heroes in their own right. It is members of a small segment led following an onslaught of a chunk of the orc army. Numbers smaller than the ones surviving. It is what most would call not a heavy loss. 

Carrying the list of departed, Maedhros spends the night comforting the families. He sits next to grieving wives and lamenting daughters. He does that earnestly. Their tears become his and their burden his. But he does not stop.

So, the world falls silent when his steps land him in front of your door. The one he has ignored for so long. And Maedhros’ heart thunders and an ominous feeling haunts him, leaving goosebumps lining his arms.

Baldur, Captain of the guard. Died following a party of orcs. The words written on his list haunt him. The handle to your door is cold. There is a solitary chill that creeps through the wooden door. 

Pushing open the door, Maedhros pauses as he takes in the scene in front of him. The entire room lies in disarray and in the middle of the broken glass pieces, a sea of cloaks, coats, pieces of paper, are seated you. 

With your hair undone, your hands bleeding onto the floor as pieces of glass dig deep into your skin. Maedhros finds you. Your face is full of blood, for a fleeting moment it alarms Maedhros only for you to smear it further as you wipe your tears.

“Baldur,” your voice is a whisper as your hug a cloak close to you. “Baldur,” you repeat and Maedhros notices how hoarse your voice is. He steps closer but you do not notice him.

“I am sorry for your loss,” formal words feel awkward on his tongue. “He was a great soldier. A captain worthy of his title,” Maedhros strings sentiments that do not come easy to him. He tries to imagine the captain he cannot remember. A distant face, he had not known to be your son. “Your son’s body is retrieved. You may ask his father-”

“His father will not come,” you interrupt him. Your voice so distant. Maedhros aches to hold you. Even through this, a sense of rage fills him. The unfairness of the ellon who left you to bear this alone. “Why not?” Maedhros questions back. 

“He does not know of his son. His father never knew how much his son cherished him. How much that child wished to be with him.” a cold seeping fear fills Maedhros. But he does not stop his next question. He cannot stop himself from asking you, “Who is it?” In some sense, he knows the answer.

You do not answer him. But Maedhros does not need words to know. He gingerly picks up one of the papers littered around you. It is written in a handwriting he has never seen but it feels hauntingly familiar nonetheless. 

Silence hangs heavy between you, the unspoken truths and the untold years of longing stretching out in the space. The ache in his chest grows unbearable as he takes in the sight of you, battered by grief and loss. His voice trembles as he finally speaks the words that have been lodged in his throat for far too long.

"I am sorry," he whispers, his voice laced with regret and a pang of profound sadness. “I am sorry,” he repeats as his soul seems to be ripping itself.

Dearest Father,

The day I meet you, I shall immediately demand my Ataresse. You must name with pride. Every day I work hard for that day. For that fated day when you will recognize me as your son. I know it will come and how proud you will be of me. I will work hard for it.

I wonder about you a lot. All of you. I have heard your tales from Mother, from your soldiers who seem to admire and respect you more than the Valar themselves. Father, your strength, your kindness, your valor, I admire them all. I hope that I too can become likes of you one day.

Your empathy for trying to save the boats, your humility in passing the crown to grand uncle Nolofinwe, your strength in remaining unyielding to the enemy. I love them all. Mother tells me that I am as tall as you and that I speak just like you. You must tell me if that is true when we meet.

My mother loves you intensely. She speaks of you with such fondness that even I cannot help but be endeared to you, who I have never met. I too wish to find to love like that once in my lifetime. But I shall only do that once I unite you and Mother.

And when that happens I will meet all my uncles and ask them more about you and them. I am writing this letter as I wait for the Hirming guard to respond back to my recruitment. I hope this step brings me closer to you. 

Until then father, I will pray that you will love me. 

With all my love,

Baldur

Dearest Father,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. It has been some time since I last wrote to you, and there are many things I wish to share with you.

I have recently been appointed as a squire to one of the knights of Hirming. It is a great honor, and I am learning a great deal from him. He speaks highly of your prowess in battle and your strategic brilliance. I strive to emulate your skills and make you proud.

Mother often tells me stories of your adventures and the battles you fought. She speaks of your unwavering courage and unwavering loyalty to your kin. I am in awe of your bravery, and I long to be a warrior like you.

Father, I have been practicing my archery skills diligently. I can now hit the target from greater distances, and I am improving my accuracy. I hope that one day, I will be as skilled as you were with a bow and arrow. I know you would be pleased to see my progress.

Sometimes, I sit beneath the stars and imagine what it would be like to have you by my side. To learn directly from you, to hear your words of wisdom, and to feel the strength of your embrace. I yearn for that day, Father, when we can be together as father and son.

I often wonder if you think of me, if you know of my existence. I hope that one day, you will hear of my achievements and be proud of the son you have. I dream of the moment when we will finally meet, when I can look into your eyes and see the love that only a father can give.

Until that day comes, Father, I will continue to train and strive to be the best version of myself. I will carry your name and your legacy with honor. I will make sure that the world knows of the great Maedhros and the love he has for his son.

With all my love and longing,

Baldur

Dearest Father,

Guess what?! Something amazing has happened! I can hardly contain my excitement as I write this letter to you!

I am thrilled to share with you that I have been chosen as the Captain of the Guard in Hirming! Can you believe it? I get to lead a whole group of brave warriors and protect our people. It's like a dream come true! I'm walking on air, Father!

Every day, I put on my shiny armor and hold my head high, just like you would. I feel so important and strong, just like the great Tulkas himself! Everyone looks up to me, and I make sure to lead with courage and honor, just like you taught me through Mother's stories.

Oh, Father, I can't help but imagine the day when I will finally meet you face to face. I'll run up to you, all covered in armor, and say, "Father, it's me, Baldur, your son!" And we'll hug and laugh and talk about all the adventures we'll have together.

I'm training harder than ever, Father. I want to be strong and skilled, just like you. Every swing of the sword, every strategic move, brings me closer to you. I can almost feel your presence guiding me, cheering me on. I'll make you proud, Father, I promise!

I have so many questions to ask you when we finally meet. I want to hear about all your epic battles, your wise words, and the lessons you've learned. And I can't wait to share my own stories with you too! We'll have the grandest adventures together, just you and me.

Until that magical day arrives, Father, know that I carry you in my heart always. Your spirit fuels my determination and gives me the courage to face any challenge. I'm counting down the days until we can be together, to laugh, to fight, and to create memories that will last a lifetime.

With overflowing excitement and love,

Your enthusiastic son, Baldur

Cheers of victory fill the empty field where Baldur lies. A smile creeps on his face. They made it. They had won. His father won. 

The sword that impales him seems to pin him to the ground but Baldur cannot care. Even as shreds of his soul are ripped from his body, the ellon is full of pride. 

The world blurs as his breaths come uneven and maybe he is indeed lost in a trance when he sees a blurry outline come walking towards him. He squints his eyes but it is hard to distinguish the battered armor that seems to be heading his way.

“Father,” he calls but no one replies.

Alcarinque, Maedhros names his son. The glorious one, who died in the glorious battle. 

[dysfunctional-family-fight]

Round Three

House of Finwë (The Silmarillion) VS The Homunculi (Fullmetal Alchemist)

House of Finwë art by Jenny Dolfen

House of Finwë

Members: Finwë, Míriel, Indis, Findis, Fëanor, Fingolfin, Finarfin, Lalwen, and many others

Propaganda:

"The whole events of the Silmarillion - including a few wars, a dark lord, the destruction of a continent, etc - revolve around this family's drama" "Well míriel died and finwë remarried to indis, and fëanor hated his half siblings, going so far as to threaten fingolfin with a sword. Then after the fëanorians and fingon and maybe others killed a bunch of people, fëanor abandoned fingolfin so he couldn't follow, and when finarfin turned back his kids didn't and they left him. After that it's all feuds and murders and death and treason and such. Greatest hits of that include maeglin betraying turgon and trying to murder idril and eärendil, plus maedhros and maglor kidnapdopting elrond and elros. Also we don't even know who gil-galad's parents are" More propaganda here

The Homunculi

Members: Father, Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Greed, Wrath, Sloth, Pride

Propaganda:

CW: Murder

"All only exist to be their Father's pawns. The eldest (Pride) has been pretending to be his youngest brother's (Wrath) son. Pride is about 400 years old while Wrath is like 60 There have been at least 2 instances where one of the hommunculi ate another. The second time it was on purpose and killed the one eaten. Greed ran away about 100 years before the plot of fma. Wrath killed all of Greed's friends and then captured him. He got submerged in some sort of molten metal but he was fine later. Then he got reabsorbed by his Father and helped to kill him. Greed was not fine this time." More propaganda here

[ceescedasticity]

Another Silmarillion illustrated music outline which I do not have the skills to illustrate

This time to 'Runs In The Family', because I saw a video on YouTube! but it was just a random assortment of other people's illustrations in no particular order. I can do better than that. Except for the illustration part.

I don't have total detail, mostly an outline, but

My friend has problems with winter and autumn They give him prescriptions, they shine bright lights on him They say it's genetic, they say he can't help it They say you can catch it, but sometimes you're born with it

This is Eärendil's verse. Tuor aging on 'winter and autumn', Silmaril on 'shine bright lights on him'. Otherwise, we want some ocean-sailing, some dragon-fighting, some star-sailing. Maybe some Fall of Gondolin, but only a little and at the end, because

My friend has spite, he gets shakes in the night And they say that there's no way that they could have Caught it in time takes his[?] toll on him It is traditional, it is inherited, predispositional

This is Idril's verse. Waking up from visions on 'shakes in the night', pre-Fall-of-Gondolin stress on 'takes its toll'. Besides that we want some Helcaraxë, some Fall of Gondolin, maybe some 'made it to the Havens of Sirion but knows they're still screwed', if you can convey that in a drawing.

All day I've been wondering what is inside of me Who can I blame for it? I say it runs in the family

Maeglin, and Maeglin and Idril's interactions. Maybe some quick images of Aredhel and Eöl.

This family that carries me to such great lengths To open my legs up to anyone who'll have me

Still Maeglin, and Maeglin's capture and betrayal.

It runs in the family, I come by it honestly Do what you want 'cause who knows it might fill me up

I'm not sure — could still be Maeglin, or we could switch to Finduilas hoping Túrin will make everything better somehow.

Me up x7 Fill me up Me up x7

Montage of ships, taking particular note of separations and deaths but not just that. In the second half also include non-romantic relationships. Should include:

Aredhel and Eöl, weird meeting, tempestuous relationship, Aredhel running with Maeglin

Nerdanel leaving Fëanor

Aegnor and Andreth

Pissed-off Fingon in Araman and not-happy-about-this Maedhros at Losgar

Finarfin and Eärwen together but maybe not 100% reconciled yet — back-to-back?

Turgon losing hold of Elenwë

Finrod at Bëor's deathbed?

Lúthien in Mandos?

etc

My friend's depressed, she's a wreck, she's a mess They've done all sorts of tests and they guess It has something to do with her grandmother's Grandfather's grandmother saving civil war soldiers Who probably infected her

Elwing's verse. On the first line Elwing afraid and uncertain in the Havens, then show Thingol & Melian, Lay of Leithian scene or two (Beren's death? the disguises? Lúthien locked up?). Second Kinslaying on 'civil war soldiers'. On the last line, closeup of the Nauglimír+Silmaril, not clear who's wearing it. Put the Nauglimír Out Of Its Misery 2k24

My friend has maladies, rickets, and allergies That she dates back to the 17th century Somehow she manages in her misery Strips in the city and shows all her best tricks

Orodreth's verse. Struggling with the 'king' thing; maybe brief glimpses of Finrod's death, and Fingon's; in the second half of the verse, Túrin and the bridge and facing Glaurung.

With me, well, I'm well, well I mean I'm in Hell, well I still have my health, at least that's what they tell me If wellness is this, what in Hell's name is sickness?

Celebrían after being wounded. She wants to stay but she can't. If we didn't include Finduilas earlier, she could also be put here, cutting back and forth between Celebrían and Finduilas trying to be fine when everything is not fine.

But business is business and business runs in the family We tend to bruise easily, mad in the blood

Gil-Galad, at the beginning of his reign and at the end, carrying the burden of kingship.

I'm telling you 'cause I just want you to know me Know me and my family, we're wonderful folks But don't get to close to me 'cause you might knock me up

Not sure about this.

Could do more Gil-Galad.

Alternatively, Elros and Númenor.

Alternatively, Edain — Tuor, Huor & Húrin, Morwen and Rían, etc.

Me up x7 Knock me up Me up x7

Probably a violence montage

Various battles against Morgoth

All Kinslayings

Finrod's capture

Maedhros, captive

Celegorm & Curufin vs. Beren & Lúthien

Fëanor holding Fingolfin at swordpoint

Burning of ships at Losgar

etc

Mary, have mercy, now look what I've done But don't blame me because I can't help where I come from And running is something that we've always done well And mostly I can't even tell what I'm running from

Celebrimbor's verse. For the first line Celebrimbor facing Sauron with the One. Then we want some compare/contrast with Celebrimbor and Fëanor — Celebrimbor shares rings, Fëanor hoard[eth and hideth] Silmarils; Fëanor turns away Melkor, Celebrimbor welcomes Annatar; Fëanor with three Silmarils, Celebrimbor with three… Three. Could finish the verse back facing Sauron, about to lose, or else just he's very upset. Or the battle flag thing.

Now some micromanagement—

Run from their pity, from responsibility

Indis leaving court, or Indis and Nerdanel together

Finwë leaving Tirion with Fëanor

Run from the country and run from the city

Turgon leading people into Gondolin

Aredhel leaving Gondolin

I can run from the law, I can run from myself

Celegorm and Curufin getting thrown out of Nargothrond

Finarfin turning back after the Doom (bit weaker than some of these, but)

I can run from my life, I can run into debt

Fingolfin's duel with Morgoth

Finrod swearing oath to Barahir

I can run from it all, I can run 'til I'm gone

Maglor being a Beach Cryptid (or throwing the Silmaril with future Beach Cryptid status implied somehow?)

Maedhros with Silmaril jumping into the fire

I can run for the office and run for my cause

Fingon in the Nirnaeth, as king leading into battle

Galadriel, persisting — probably not in any identifiable time period, just, she's persisting

I can run using every last ounce of energy

Fëanor's spontaneous combustion death

I cannot, I cannot, I cannot run from my family They're hiding inside of me, corpses on ice Come in if you like but just don't tell my family They'd never forgive me, they'd say that I'm crazy But they would say anything if it would shut me up Shut me up

Elrond's verse, which means it's time for the Elrond Bereavement Conga Line! (Eärendil, Elwing, Maedhros, Maglor, Elros, Gil-Galad, Celebrían, Arwen, did I forget anyone?) But focus more on him reaching fruitlessly after people than on the actual deaths. If there's any time left over, perhaps Elrond being torn between the different aspects of his heritage?

Shut me up Me up x7 Shut me up Me up x7

The entire rest of the song is Eldarin Royalty Death Supercut deaths/bodies. (That's sixteen lines and some deaths have been covered already but some people may still need to double up.) (Do not forget we're including the Doriath royals here.) (If there's somehow extra room there's Edain.)

[hhimring]

An Element of Noldorin Design

Drabble featuring a Noldorin OC, posted here for @tolkienocweek

(Day 7, Freeform).

Summary: Melimo, Fingon's architect, defending the fortress he built against overwhelming force, after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.

Warning for implied character death.

Melimo knocked out the single strut that would collapse the scaffolding that supported the drawbridge and send the enemy troops assailing the gate plummeting into the depths of the ravine. It had been his own addition to Curufin’s design, a fail-safe for the kind of attack he had hoped would never come.

Now, even this turned out not to be enough, not after the disastrous defeat out on the plain. The fortress in the Ered Wethrin would fall, like the rest of Hithlum. But they could hold out a little longer, take a few more of the enemy with them.

This is a fixed-length drabble (100 words) written earlier this year for a SWG Challenge. Previously posted only under lock, now it has received a title.

The drabble is a sequel to my more light-hearted ficlet Engineering and Diplomacy.

[conundrumoftime]

Dear Unsent Letters Writer

Hello and thank you so much for writing for me! Please think of all my prompts for the tags as suggestions rather than things I’ve got my heart set on - as long as you avoid my DNWs, I’m happy if write whatever calls to you. I’ve got a broader likes/DNWs section here and then some specifics for each fandom.

Silmarillion: 

Melian and Sauron - Maiar bickering calls to my very soul. This could be during the time Melian's in Doriath (maybe Sauron is trying to formally negotiate on Morgoth’s behalf? Or maybe he’s just annoyed that she gets to have her own kingdom in Middle-earth but he’s in the Velar’s bad books?) Maybe Sauron's writing a report on Melian and her activities for Morgoth, or maybe they both keep diaries about their existence in Middle-earth. Or maybe a later Sauron is writing something to about Melian after she's left Middle-earth for good? 

Maedhros & Any of the Sons of Feanor - I’d love a glimpse into Maedhros’s mind when he’s still trying to get an alliance together to fight Morgoth - how frustrating must it be when your own brothers are making life harder? Or maybe something later, letters to or diary entries about brothers that have died (this can include Amrod (or Amras!) dying when the ships burn if you want). Or maybe it’s a last letter left behind for Maglor.

Fingon/Maedhros - Maybe Maedhros writing something about or unsent to Fingon after the Feanorians arrive in Beleriand, and Maedhros realises they are not in fact sending the ships back for the others; maybe Fingon writing something from the ice during the same time. Or maybe an exchange between them later on? I’m more into angst than fluff for them, but I am more than happy with them genuinely loving each other and saying so despite all else that is happening.

Babylon 5:

Delenn & Susan Ivanova - love them both, love angst and tragedy, love anything that dives into Delenn’s somewhat turbulent past and how she feels about that (or how she feels about anyone else learning about that). They must have so much to talk about after Sheridan’s death. Or maybe it’s a letter sent in s5, after Ivanova leaves? Or maybe earlier on - what if Ivanova had found out some of what Sinclair was looking into (what does ‘Satai’ mean, etc) - what would Delenn do or say?

Marcus Cole/Susan Ivanova - while a big fan of the tragedy here, I am also 100% up for a canon-divergence happily ever after in their case, whichever you’d prefer!

For All Mankind:

Margo Madison/Sergei Nikulov - I’d love something early on when they’re not admitting their feelings but still trying to find out whether the other one stands. Or perhaps later on in the lead to the end of Season 3. (I haven’t yet seen all of Season 4, so if you could keep canon events as s3-and-earlier timeframe that would be lovely!)

Ghosts:

Margot Fawcett/Julian Fawcett - would love any take on Julian writing to her after his death, especially if it mentions the political career of their daughter (good for you, Rachel!)

Star Trek: DS9:

Elim Garak & Odo: Anything, at any point, Terok Nor era or DS9 era. I just love their canon interactions.

Jadzia Dax & Kira Nerys: I love Dax’s interest in matchmaking and getting a bit too involved in other people’s relationships, and I’d love to hear more about what she thinks of Kira’s.

Baldur’s Gate:

Dammon & Karlach, Dammon/Karlach: I’d love her to write back to him after the version of the epilogue in which he writes to her. I’d also love to read anything before that - maybe he’s writing to her to find out more about her engine works while still trying to fix it, and gets to know and like her better as they exchange letters that way?

Gale & Tara: Assuming Tara has some way to send a message (maybe that’s why she ended up catching the carrier pigeons), what would she write to Gale when they were apart? What does she think about Mystra, or about Gale’s plans? 

Original works:

Here I’d be happy to receive whatever strikes you as interesting and fun to write! I love anything that includes people having different angles on the past; rivals having more in common than they like to admit; people dealing with guilt; people dealing with the weight of their own history or the expectations of their role/culture/world; or all forms of bickering.

Likes, DNWs, and ‘everyone DNWs this but I love it’s:

General likes: Angst, complicated feelings, stories that dive into a character and what motivates them, questions of loyalty and of how the past affects the present. Happy with any degree of smut from ‘none at all’ to ‘E-rated’. Other things I like in fics: parenthood/kidfic (prefer if it’s about the emotional feels of the adult characters rather than cute kid things); canonverse AUs of the ‘what if this thing happened differently?’ variety; worldbuilding in fantasy/sci-fi fandoms; and established relationships being complicated. 

DNWs: Non-canonverse AUs (canon divergence is fine); bashing of characters or ships (individual characters can like who they like but I’d prefer the narrative wasn’t weighing in behind them); traumatic birth or pregnancy loss; noncon as a major plot element (dubcon is fine); heavy dom/sub dynamics with a male dom and female sub; underage; watersports and scat.

Things that are often DNWed that I like and you are welcome to write for me: Infidelity, preferably in the sense of overlapping pairings and feelings for multiple people (not if it’s infidelity to get one ship out of the way); first- and second-person POV; ambiguous endings; pregnancy; sibling incest.

[tanoraqui]

responding to @shrikeseams’s tags on this post separately bc it was getting long...

#tbf i think fandom puts too much weight on Turgon being the Staid One #since most of his cautious behavior is... after his wife died. and while he's trying to keep at least his daughter from Death By Doom #he was down to cross the ice in the first place! it's not like he turned back with finarfin! #IDK what KIND of hellion he was at tirion formal events. but HE WAS A HELLION LIKE ANY FINWION COUSIN. #I just haven't pinned down his specific brand of bastardy yet 

...because they are good and right and I DON’T want to fall into that Turgon characterization trap. Looking back at the text, Turgon first stood with Fingolfin to tell Fëanor he was a fucking idiot for swearing that Oath he just swore and like hell were they going anywhere with him, but after Alqualondë and the issueing of the Doom he was with Fingon in being, “bold and fiery of heart, and loath to abandon any task to which they had put their hands until the bitter end, if bitter it must be.” He was, if not eager for rebellion, certainly #inittowinit once they’d started.

I think that very “this is still a terrible idea but now that we’ve started, I’ll see it fucking accomplished” is what cuts deepest later, after Elenwë’s death. The end is too bitter already; he doesn’t want to be here and he doesn’t want their daughter to be here. Ulmo warns that a time will come when hidden refuges are their only hope and it rings true in his heart. And he finds some pride and joy again in the city he builds, in its long peaceful rule and (for a while) its continued safety even after the peace is shattered and burned elsewhere. Even as he felt Doom closing in on them, and he sent seven different crews to try to reach Valinor and plead for aid before all fell...

That said, I still think young Turgon prided himself on being more sensible than his older brother (and certainly more sensible than his younger siblings - a category which, again also includes Finrod’s younger siblings). Someone in this family has to be responsible, and it’s clearly not Fingon, and it’s rarely Finrod! The heavy, heady duty Must fall to him, Turukáno, or all will be lo-

oh, well, if the food fight is already started, then he’s going to throw a bowl of mashed potatoes are Carnistir’s head. For what he said about Irissë earlier (which Turukáno nearly punched him for at the time, too, and was only stopped by Findarato grabbing his arm and Tyelkormo elbowing his own brother sharply in the ribs.)

(Side note: my real hobby is referring to Noldor by their Quenya names when talking about them as children who had no idea how bad fighting could get.)

Tldr: I think Turgon’s brand of childhood bastardry is that he rarely initiates the hellion-doings, but he WILL escalate them, and afterwards might accept responsibility but might also loudly protest to his parents that it wasn’t his fault.

Relatedly, I think Finrod always had very good instincts for when it was important to be responsible, eg, when the world is dark, your grandfather is dead, and your uncles are on the verge of civil war; or when you meet a new species and need to negotiate your extended relatives into giving them land; or when an old friend’s grandson comes to you with a request for aid...or, once upon a time, when doing something would genuinely upset someone, whether they be one of his siblings or the artist whose ice sculpture looked really enticingly climbable, or genuinely upset the increasingly delicate balance of power in Tirion...

Conversely, however, that instinct for when responsibility is important means he always knew in his heart that almost all state dinners are 100% fair game for tomfoolery, hellionship, bastardry, and, dare I saw, shenanigans. And Finrod and Turgon were - you know JD and Turk from Scrubs, the “We’re not married.” “Dude, we’re a little married.” “I know. I love it”? That. So...

Edit: “will not start the fight but WILL escalate it, especially in personal retaliation” does still make Mandos the Turgon of the Valarin family

[sunflowersupremes]

Heyy, first of all, I love your destroying-the-ring-releases-Melkor-au-idea. The concept is great and hilarious!

I was just wondering if Gil-Galad being Maglor's son was based on any personal headcanons or just ideas of yours?

I must admit that I was kind of surprised (not negatively) by this choice since you majorly write Maglor/Eönwë (at least atm).

Yessssss. Hello, I am always glad to get questions. Particularly about Maglor.

‘Gil-Galad as Maglor’s son but Fingon raised him because Maglor wanted to protect him from the Doom’ is mostly because of @nikol-nikiforova.

We have this running idea that Maglor gets mistaken for Fingolfin’s son a lot, because he hangs out with Fingolfin and looks the most like him (of Fëanor’s sons). So when Maglor knocked a girl up he took the kid to Fingolfin for help (he didn’t want the Oath to hurt his child, and at that point his brothers were still 100% into thinking the Oath was a great idea, so he couldn’t go to them). Fingolfin considered claiming the kid was his own, but he couldn’t bring himself to claim that he hadn’t been faithful to Amarië.

So while Fingolfin and Maglor are stressing out over what they’re gonna do with this kid, Fingon waltzes in and Fingolfin has an idea. You see, Fingon had been away for a while, exploring Beleriand, and he got back late at night, so there wasn’t a huge party to greet him. So they just tell everyone that Fingon knocked someone up while he was exploring and brought Gil-Galad back with him.

And it sort of works. For a few years it goes great. Maglor comes by often to visit, or Fingon takes Gil-Galad to the Gap, and everyone is happy. Maedhros eventually figures out that the kid is definitely not Fingon’s, and then he sees Maglor playing with him and goes ‘ohhhhhh’ but other than that the Feanorians don’t know.

The plan was to tell Gil-Galad who his real dad was eventually, but then Fingolfin and Fingon died and Maglor went east with the sons of Fëanor, so Gil-Galad is raised thinking Fingon is his dad.

The next time Maglor sees his son is when he’s taking Elrond and Elros to Balar, and by that time Gil-Galad hates him. He blames the Feanorians for Fingon’s death (The Union of Maedhros) and he saw Sirion after the Kinslaying and saw the destruction there.

Elrond and Elros were never told of Maglor’s connection to Gil-Galad, but they figured it out (or, Elrond figured it out and told his brother). They saw how Maglor would react whenever someone mentioned Gil-Galad (and they saw his face when Gil-Galad spat at him and called him a Kinslayer and a monster).

And then Maglor leaves at the end of the First Age, and poor Elrond doesn’t know how to go about telling Gil-Galad his suspicions. He has no proof, after all, and everyone agrees that Gil-Galad looks like Fingon, so no one questions that he is Fingon’s son.

Also, for bonus angst: Gil-Galad would have inherited Maglor’s voice, but they couldn’t explain where that came from if he was Fingon’s son, so he was never taught to wield Songs of Power. After his death, Maglor is left wondering if his son would have lived if he had been brave enough to face him and teach him to Sing.

Maglor and Eönwë

Maglor & Eönwë is definitely my favorite ship at the moment, but I typically write Maglor as being something of a ladies’ man, particularly during the First Age (its how he deals with his trauma).

So Gil-Galad is probably just the son of Maglor’s girlfriend of the week (because I ignore LACE and NOME, clearly, because thats fun).

Maglor’s Wife

Canonically he has an unnamed wife. I believe Tolkien’s phrasing was something along the lines of ‘he is most likely married’ which, to me, says even Tolkien was like ‘this man can GET IT’

But I don’t (usually) use her as a character.

I once joked that Maglor’s wife doesn’t exist, that he just made her up because he wanted to tell some mortals about Elrond and Elros, but he didn’t want to explain how he acquired them, so he just said ‘no they’re mine and my… my wife’s? Yeah, I have a wife. Definitely’ and then whenever he told stories he would just swap Maedhros out for an unnamed wife.

It started as a joke but now it’s my personal headcanon.

Gil-Galad as Eönwë’s Son?

It is likely? No. Does it make sense? No.

Would it be amazing? YES.

Even funnier if it’s Fingon trying to pass off a half-Maia child as his own.

Although then I would have no idea how they GOT Gil-Galad since Eönwë was in Valinor during the First Age.

Actually, no, I do know, Fingon ran into Eönwë and got ahold of baby Gil-Galad shortly after Aqualonde, promising to take him across the sea to Maglor. Except then the boats burned and Fingon had to take the fucking Eldritch horror half-Maia kid across the Ice, while trying to convince people it was actually his own kid.

Fingon: No this is mine

Argon: it… it has feathers

Fingon: Can you prove I don’t have feathers?

So they get across the Ice with this horror child and Maglor is the depressed and borderline suicidal Prince Regent, and Gil-Galad is pretty happy with Fingon, so Maglor and Fingon end up splitting custody.

[absynthe--minded]

I would read an Arathorn meta!

okay so the thing about Arathorn is that like

we don’t actually know anything about the guy? We know a grand total of five things

how old he was/his birth and death years

his dad’s name (I think his mom is mentioned somewhere but I don’t recall off the top of my head)

the fact that he married Gilraen and the circumstances surrounding their marriage

that he was raised in Rivendell as a child

how he died

and okay that’s significantly more than we know about a lot of Silm characters (hi Orodreth, sorry Orodreth) but it’s not a lot about his character. Anything beyond those bare-bones facts are speculation and headcanon. And I have a ton of that! It’s just not really good for meta except in terms of examining cultural parallels. And unlike Théodred or Fingon or Turgon, we can’t extrapolate character details based on what he did, since what he did was “marry, die after like three years”.

(general disclaimer: the thrust of this is 100% Not Canon; there’s canonical backing but it’s through my own filter)

he’s very intense and earnest but in a quiet, brooding way

he was fostered in Rivendell but didn’t pay very much attention in history class

he’s a decent healer - not his son, but about as good as you can get without the aid of supernatural favor from Estë

he’s very much a gentleman but in a very awkward Mr-Darcy-at-parties way, minus the rudeness

Gilraen was a marriage of necessity not love, but they grew to love one another

he’s the stereotypical friend to all living things you’d expect in your D&D party

he’s kind of cagey but it’s because he’s socially awkward

if he and Aragorn had ever known one another well it would have been super funny because his son is this gallant lordly knight errant type and he looks at social engagements like they’re going to bite him BUT they have the same dour dry humor

[fuckingfinwions]

AU: In Noldorin culture, starting at his majority at age 50, an elf sexually serves his father. After all, so much was putting into raising the child, it’s only fair that he gets to see what came of it. It would be abhorrent for a father to physically force or to sexually torment his son, but the son is expected to come to his father’s bed whenever requested, until the son reaches his second majority (age 100), or marries and starts a family of his own.

This fulfills the “leather/rubber” square of my season of kink card.

Gil-Galad and Maedhros sat across from each other. They had met at an abandoned village halfway between the two camps so that Elrond and Elros could go to the large, safer force. The main negotiations had been completed by letter, but now the two commanders were finally seeing each other face to face. Both had left their swords outside to demonstrate truce, though there were guards close enough to make betrayal costly.

Gil-Galad said, “Thank you for releasing the boys. What did you want to speak with me about?”

“That’s all the warmth you have to welcome your father?” Maedhros replied.

“As you are a murderer who hasn’t spoken to me since I was twelve, yes.”

“I sent you away for your safety after the war seemed hopeless. Do you really wish you had fought alongside me these past fifty years?”

“No!”

“Anyway, that touches on what I wanted to speak with you about. I have missed you, though even without me you have grown into a strong king.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“I have also missed the chance to see how you’ve grown as a man, as the reflection of my lover and myself. I would have that tonight.”

“You can’t be serious!”

“Why not? You are my son, and I have the right to you. I’m not even considering repayment for the decades you stayed away from me.”

“It is a perverted tradition, and you are worthy of nothing.”

“This has nothing to do with your opinions of my actions. It is a part of Noldorin tradition as much as the crown; you can’t claim one without the other.”

“What would my other father say of this if he were here? Would Fingon be as willing to bend me over the nearest scrap of furniture?”

“You’ve truly been among Sindar too long! The homage of a son to his father is perfectly reasonable and honorable, not merely the refuge of immoral creatures such as you consider me. Fingon and I discussed that we would raise you to understand Noldorin customs and responsibility, and he would be grieved that you turn your back on them.”

“If being among Sindar allowed me to see clearly what is unnatural and marred about having sex with someone you raised from a child, I am glad of it.”

“Unnatural! What could be more natural than to wish how to see the person you find most beautiful in the world combines with yourself? And if you object to sex with someone who raised you, that should make me more appealing rather than less.”

A terrible thought occurred to GIl-Galad. “If you think this way, I assume your brother does as well, and he raised Elwing’s sons. Were they forced to pay for their care the same way?”

“You are phrasing it in the worst possible way, but no. Though the twins call Maglor 'father’, he does not claim any rights over them. And besides, as Peredhel it is hard to know when they are of age.”

Gil-Galad let out a sigh of relief.

“You, though, are my son, and I am growing frustrated that you will acknowledge that but not your duties.”

“Why should I? What benefit will I get out of pretending you deserve anything from me?!”

“Benefit! Fine, then, if you want to cheapen yourself by bartering your body I can hardly stop you. First off, I won’t have my men shoot you tomorrow as you ride away, even though it would help me a lot for the Beleriand Noldor to have no king. Second, I will not tell your followers who curse my name whose son you are, nor will I tell Arafinwe either that you’re mine or that you have less respect for tradition and law than Feanor himself, even though it’s true.”

“So you put me in your bed through threats and blackmail.”

“It could have been out of your own desire and respect, but you decided that was not enough. I you need to be bribed with a treat though, I will tell you in the morning all the tactics that Morgoth has employed in the past five hundred years, so you can better defend against them.”

“You paying only after me? Hardly fair.”

“I am already paying for what is mine by right. I think you have heard quite well what happens to those who try to extort me.”

“Fine. For tonight, I will obey you, Father.”

“Good. Start by taking off your armor, I can hardly see the shape of you.”

Gil-Galad did so, setting each piece off to the side and wondering if this was all an attempt to get him vulnerable enough for an assassination. He struggled with the buckles on the back of his thighs, usually having a squire to help with them.

Maedhros approached, and Gil-Galad tensed. Maedhros undid the buckles that Gil-Galad had been having trouble with, then moved upwards. Maedhros kissed the back of Gil-Galad’s neck as he undid the buckles on his shoulders.

When Gil-Galad was down to his tunic and hose, Maedhros said “very good. Help me with mine now; as I’m not wearing full plate it should be faster.”

Gil-Galad pulled the mail tunic over Maedhros’s head, and wondered aloud, “Even with each other’s help, are we going to be able to put all this back on?”

Maedhros gave an uncaring shrug once he was down to his leather riding pants and jerkin. “Probably not.”

“But people will know!”

“Maglor will guess, but no one else knows you’re my son. You can say that we were working late into the night and sleeping in armor is uncomfortable. Or you can say that the vile kinslayer threatened you into sex, I don’t particularly care. Just know that if anyone tries to avenge your honor their death will be on your conscience.”

“Are you-” Gil-Galad bit off the comment he was going to make. “Don’t joke about that tonight; not if you want me to stay polite.”

“If you inherited the family temper, you ought to practice controlling it more, especially as a king,” Maedhros chided. “But very well.”

Maedhros stepped back and looked at  Gil-Galad; he made a pretty picture. His clothes had been disheveled by the armor’s removal and Gil-Galad had not bothered to put them back in place.

“You look pretty, but I’m sure I’ll enjoy what’s under the clothes even more. Undress for me, slowly.”

Gil-Galad began to unlace his shirt. He looked Maedhros in the eye for a moment, then hastily glanced away. Once the shirt was unlaced at the neck he lifted it a few inches, paused to glance at Maedhros without making eye contact, lifted it an inch more and paused again. Maedhros was about to yell in frustration when Gil-Galad yanked the shirt up until was all bunched between his nipples and chin and wiggled his shoulders, perhaps to show of their breadth.

Gil-Galad was so obviously nervous that he nearly got his arms stuck in the shirt, but Maedhros was far too distracted to help. Maedhros had been right about how much he would enjoy seeing his son’s body. The breadth in the shoulders was all Fingon, but light skin dotted with freckles was barely a shade darker than Maedhros’s own. Gil-Galad’s height came from him as well, and that lovely chest several inches closer to Maedhros’s gaze than when he was with Fingon.

Their similar heights also made Gil-Galad’s lack of eye contact extremely obvious. He wasn’t looking up from his lashes and playing the ingenue, but rather staring at a fixed point a few inches past Maedhros’s left ear. It couldn’t be the ear itself, as that had been gone for centuries, and most people didn’t find it’s lack interesting after a moment or two of shock.

“There’s no need to be nervous. Even if I’m not your first choice of lover, I assure you that I will not cause you pain and have every intention of bringing you pleasure alongside my own.”

Gil-Galad blushed and mumbled for a moment.

“What was that?”

“Not my first choice, but my first all the same.”

“Really? You’re a virgin?”

“Yes. It hasn’t seemed worth the headache pursuing anyone.”

“Are there none who pursue you?” Maedhros asked as he walked closer.

Gil-Galad shook his head.

“You mean that a beautiful, brave, noble young man such as yourself has not yet been recognized as the treasure you are?” Maedhros was now standing with his clothed chest less than an inch from Gil-Galad’s bare one, still refraining from touching. He leaned close and whispered in his son’s ear, “That is a travesty I will thoroughly make up for tonight.”

Gil-Galad shivered and turned his head to look Maedhros in the eye. Maedhros held his gaze for only a moment before leaning in still further, capturing his lips and pressing against his front.

Gil-Galad had remained soft until now, but the leather laces rubbing against his chest began to stir him. He reached for them to try and get the two of them back on equal footing, but Maedhros caught his hand.

“Lately, I am more beautiful while clothed. You are magnificent though, and I expect I’ll like what’s under your trousers even more. Take them of; I want to see all of you,” Maedhros said, backing up a few inches so Gil-Galad could have room.

Gil-Galad did. The tent was chilly, and he leaned back towards Maedhros as soon as possible. His cock brushed against Maedhros’s thigh, the leather sticking and releasing.

“You certainly get the length from me, but that curve is all Fingon. I wonder if liking your balls played with is a family trait as well.” Maedhros reached down with his right arm, the left being occupied tracing patterns on Gil-Galad’s back. Maedhros wore an odd sort of glove on the handless wrist, but he had a lot of practice and was very skillful with it. He caressed Gil-Galad’s sack, letting the leather glove drag along the sensitive skin while never pressing too hard.

Gil-Galad moaned.

“It seems so,” Maedhros said, drifting his fingers lower as his right arm maintained its place.

Gil-Galad started forward when his father’s fingers found their goal. Even one finger was more than he had ever had inside him, and he was scared of how large a cock would feel.

Maedhros said, “Deep breaths, relax and just focus on what you’re feeling right now.”

Gil-Galad let his head rest on Maedhros’s shoulder and did so, inhaling the musky scent of the leather overlaid with the oil worked in to keep it clean. It was heady.

Maedhros was starting to sweat, but he had no intention of undressing beyond what was necessary, and not until the time it was necessary. He let the sweat run down his face and into his collar as he trailed kisses across his son’s face.

Gil-Galad was practically overwhelmed with sensation. The finger inside him had found a spot that made him see stars. Every time he tried to move away his cock rubbed against the firm leather of Maedhros’s pants, or against the sleeve where Maedhro’s arm was still toying with his balls. The kisses were a light contrast, until Maedhros began kissing his lips as well.

Gil-Glad came the moment is father’s tongue parted his lips. He threw back his head and moaned. Maedhros looked sweaty but still fully dressed as if he had come in from the training yard - with the exception of a very obvious white stain on one thigh and halfway up his belly. Gil-Galad thought he could have come again from the sight alone.

“I’d say this night is off to a very good start,” Maedhros remarked, making no move to wipe away the mess.

[stormxpadme]

WIP Sampler Basket

Thanks for the tag to @fingons-rad-harp and @inwiste!

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you and interests you and I’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it!

Okay, so that list will be ridiculously wrong, especially given I’m only doing Tolkien right now. When you look at that list, you won’t believe I can actually finish stuff, but 100+ published and finished stories on German archive fortunately tell a different story.

So, uh, I’ll start with the main franchise and then continue alphabetically :D. Yes, I have written for that many fandoms. No, I have no other hobbies (that is a lie).

Tolkien

Tales Untold - Walk through the fire (#7) (current proofreading project)

Valinor - erestorglorfindel.doc

Valinor - glorfindellegolas.doc

Regal claims

Necessary evil

Sealed With A Kiss - Before and after (#4)

Walking on water, walking with you

American Idol (German version Deutschland sucht den Superstar)

It's my life - Breath of life (#3)

Bravestarr:

The Legend Continues - Offspring (#1)

Elisabeth das Musical

Join me in death - Wir treiben Richtung Ewigkeit (#4)

He-Man & She-Ra

Terra Exit - Show the wind how to fly (#5)

Marvel Universe

Quote me on that

Marvel Cinematic Universe

On the clock

In a hundred voices

Almost unreal

Prison break

Miscellaneous fandoms

Meine neue große Schwester - A summer’s tale

The Island - Tracks in the sand

Tomb Raider - What’s pleasure without pain

Verliebt in Berlin - Sail away

Star Trek - The Kelvin Timeline

What was right here all along

Star Wars

Alternative factor - Dark Halo (#2)

Chosen realm of relativity

Jedi Future - Of theory and war (#4)

Levity - Naboo skies (#1)

X-Men

Mutant Shifters - Crash site (pilot)

Weathered II - Return of the X-Men (#1)

X-Teens - Blind hate (#4)

Tagging @estelanel, @absynthe--minded, @spectralarchers and @thefifthbattle!

[starspray]

#2 for the Tolkien meme?

2. Who are Gil-galad’s parents, and what was his upbringing like?

I haven’t given a whole lot of conscious thought to my Gil-galad headcanons, except for that one AU I wrote where “he” was actually Finduilas, so most of the detail here is probably gonna be made up on the fly.

I go with the published Silmarillion so that his father is Fingon, because I had it cemented in my head well before I learned about the whole Orodreth thing. And also I like the parallels between Gil-galad and Fingolfin, and that works best, at least for me, if Gil-galad is of that line.

I think his early childhood was very happy, during the peace before the Dagor Bragollach. His mother is Sindarin, from the Falas; her name is Glingaereth. He was probably super spoiled by all his various cousins coming and going.

Things were less happy after he was sent to Cirdan, because everything was less happy after the Bragollach. But he learned to sail, and to fight in both Noldorin and Sindarin styles; his mother teaches him to wield a spear (Celebrimbor later makes him Aeglos). News of Fingon’s death at the Nirnaeth hits him really hard.

I’m not 100% sure of the exact timeline, but he’s still relatively young when Gondolin falls and he becomes High King, right? So that’s a scary thing, but at that point there isn’t a whole lot of room or time to be scared, and he’s already had to grow up pretty fast, so he adjusts pretty quickly. His mother is his closest adviser and mentor, with Cirdan a close second.

[hhimring]

Other stories featuring my OFC Curutane and her works

I have just posted a drabble about Curutane, a distant cousin of Miriel, who  came to Middle-earth with the Feanorians and died in the Dagor Bragollach, for Tolkien OC Week (A Different Kind of Flame).

Here are some other stories of mine that feature her or her work:

This recent drabble is set after Curutane’s death: Fire and Terror (100 words) by Himring Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Dagor Bragollach, POV Female Character, The Noldor, Halls of Mandos Series: Part 115 of Gloom, Doom and Maedhros Summary: Curutane died when Thargelion was ravaged in the Battle of Sudden Flame. Even after her death, she is at first not free of the terror of fire. Curutane has previously appeared as one of the narrators here: Maryame crosses the Marches to see Vanimo (1089 words) by Himring Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Original Characters, Caranthir, Maglor, Maedhros, Celegorm, Aegnor, Eldalótë Additional Tags: POV Multiple, Aftermath of Torture, Disability, Hurt/Comfort, The Noldor, Implied/Referenced Torture Summary: Despite her physical disability, a woman crosses Beleriand to assist a fellow victim. She has help on the way. In "Neighbourly Relations", almost in passing, I inflicted a terrible fate on two original characters. Here is their own story--how they dealt with their fate--as told by other characters, some of them familiar. Curutane made a festive robe and a more workaday cloak for Maedhros He went on wearing both long after her death. The robe features in the following story: A Length of Ribbon (3708 words) by Himring Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros Characters: Fingon, Maedhros, Orc(s) Additional Tags: Romance, Flashbacks, Aftermath of Violence, Aftermath of Torture, Battlefield, Thangorodrim, Politics Series: Part 40 of Gloom, Doom and Maedhros Summary: The fate of a bit of blue-and-silver ribbon before and after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. The cloak features in the following story: The Cloak (1077 words) by Himring Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Elrond Peredhel, Maedhros | Maitimo Additional Tags: Gift Fic, Beleriand Summary: Young Elrond, Maedhros and a lot of rain.

[ceescedasticity]

Part the Sixth

Back up.

Maedhros asks what it would take for Lúthien to consider joining an assault on Angband.

Lúthien says she'll think about it.

Then she says, as part of an army? Because she doesn't think that would do a whole lot of good, actually — she's never trained to work with a group, much less an army, and her power works best in shadows and mystery. She wouldn't be at her strongest out in the middle of a battlefield.

Huh.

What would it take for Lúthien to consider joining some sort of stealth action coordinated with an assault on Angband, then? He's not sure what kind of stealth action, yet, it depends.

Lúthien says she's thinking about it.

Lúthien talks it over with Beren. He suggests — mostly as a joke — that sneaking in and stealing the Silmarils would probably be pretty distracting.

Don't EVEN joke about it, you can't see what that Oath is doing to them. It's hideous.

Wouldn't it be better to get the jewels back to them before they get even worse, then?

Lúthien isn't 100% sure that would actually help.

Maedhros, when she brings it up, isn't 100% sure it would fix things, either. But he hopes it will help. Thinks it will — as long as the only people who handle the Silmarils are the sons of Fëanor. He's not saying it should be Celegorm or Curufin, one of the others — but no one else would touch them, if it can be avoided.

…And it would DEFINITELY be VERY distracting.

(The question, here— Well, there are two questions.

Does the Oath end if all three Silmarils are recovered?

If a Silmaril is held by Fëanor's kin (or another oath-taker, or ONESELF), does the Oath still demand death-dealing?

If it were simply an oath to reclaim the Silmarils, it should be "yes" and "no".

The exact words of the Oath would answer this "no" and "yes" — there's no exit condition included, no 'until', no 'be he friend or foe BUT not close kin we're not talking about them'. Maybe it doesn't require oath-takers to attack each other, maybe the 'we' makes a difference, but there is definitely no exit condition.

Many fans generally adopt the exact-words version but still say "yes" and "no" because the alternative is STUPIDLY self-destructive.

And this is a fix-it, but… I've made a lot of other things easy. This one stays hard.)

(Not that most people actually realize that.)

.

The plan comes together slowly.

Fingon isn't hard to convince, but Galadriel and Finrod and Lalwen are much more skeptical. Lúthien sneaks into Menegroth to consult Melian, who is cautiously optimistic; this helps sway Galadriel and Finrod, but Lalwen is more stubborn.

(Lúthien doesn't let Thingol know she's there. She wrote to him again, after Dior was born — two years earlier than he would have been in a more Doomed timeline — to inform him of her child and ask him again to accept Beren as a son. He didn't reply.)

(Thingol WANTS to reconcile, at this point. But he just can't bring himself to admit he was wrong.)

Lalwen is eventually convinced by the argument of "Is there anything a small stealth team could do that would disrupt Morgoth's end of the battle more than stealing the Silmarils?"

Maedhros has to convince himself to send Amrod and Amras into Angband. It can't be Celegorm who is actually best qualified for this sort of thing, Curufin would be a disaster even in a friendly group, Caranthir would turn any group unfriendly — but Maglor could do it!

But Maglor isn't as good of a hunter as Amrod and Amras.

And if Maglor isn't on the battlefield, people will want to know where he is.

He doesn't order them on this extremely dangerous mission he can't give details of unless they agree, he just asks — but he knows they'll say yes.

There isn't really a chance for the team to practice all together, but Lalwen does travel around and spend some time working with all of them.

(Maglor and Daeron aren't involved in the planning at all; they're just told, before the battle. Just in case.)

A lot of details about the confrontation in Angband are different from how things happen in canon, but— They infiltrate in very disgusting disguises. Morgoth can tell something's up but is distracted by Lúthien from looking for anyone else. Enchantment by dance.

Angband falling asleep is probably when Morgoth's agents on the battlefield start running back.

And it's easier to quietly cut jewels off a giant crown when you have more people and better equipment. They got out of Angband before anyone else woke up.

Of course AFTER that things were very tense what with all the enemies racing back trying to figure out wtf just happened. But they make it.

The battle is called Dagor Dannabas — the Battle of Seizing-back. Or it is eventually.

They don't announce the recovery of the Silmarils immediately — although some people guess, because after all what else COULD a small band of saboteurs have done to distract the Enemy so thoroughly?

The start of my very self-indulgent bullet point outline of a less-Doomed fixit:

The Doom of Mandos isn't VERY different — just a few key sentences: "Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and even forsworn shall it bring them grief immeasurable. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well, unless they come to understand the meaning of kin."

It starts off pretty much the same. It's not like Fëanor is listening to the Valar at this point.

Losgar still happens.

The Helcaraxë still happens.

Fëanor's death still happens.

Maedhros's capture still happens.

But Elenwë lives — maybe she's walking in a different place because she had to break up an argument between Turgon and Fingon about 'understanding the meaning of kin'.

And Argon lives — Elenwë saves his life. (She was a champion javelin thrower in Vanyarin athletic contests, before she got married and those sorts of risks became less appropriate.)

The tense reunion is basically the same, even if Turgon in particular is a little less hostile.

Maedhros's rescue is the same.

Giving the crown to Fingolfin is the same.

Early interaction with Doriath is the same; Thingol's Ban is the same.

[You know what this is already self-indulgent, maybe I'll just add some of the OCs from 'Absence of Evidence'.]

The arrival of Iestorwen Laethriel is the same. However, she's obviously not going off past Ered Luin by herself.

Ulmo's message to Turgon and Finrod is a bit different. Still the piece about hidden strongholds, but also something to the effect of "if you don't hang together you will surely hang separately".

Finrod's own behavior doesn't change much, but later on he does convince Galadriel not to take off for east of the Ered Luin.

Turgon's behavior would be a bit different even without the different message, because Elenwë wanted to come to Middle-earth, and holing up in a hidden city was not what she had in mind.

Gondolin is still very isolationist, but Turgon does send very trusted envoys — Aredhel, Glorfindel, Elenwë a lot more often than he'd like, rarely himself — to Barad Eithel at least every five years.

Aredhel takes off for Himlad from one of these trips, so rather more people are aware she's missing. There's a great deal of worry. No one's felt her die, but that's not a guarantee.

When they hear about it in Menegroth (sooner than they would have without Galadriel still there), Melian has a feeling that yeah actually this is kind of their problem.

Nothing more than that, though, and they conclude it's Nan Dungortheb, not Eöl. Melian doesn't like Eöl but she hasn't seen THIS coming.

Doriath sends some marchwardens with Galadriel to aid in searching Nan Dungortheb. Obviously this does not lead to finding Aredhel, but it does lead to understanding one another a bit better.

Meanwhile the arrival of the Edain has been much the same.

(Caranthir admires Haleth, especially how she manages to be a leader while being prickly and not particularly polite, but he's already married to a Nandorin/Avarin woman named Alpheth.) (Haleth for her part isn't into freaky unnatural glowing-eyed beings. It's Bëorings who are into that. Freaks.) (This is my go-to version of their interactions regardless of Doom.)

Eöl weaves his defenses more densely to the north because of the searching, and they stay up even after it dies down. Aredhel and Maeglin eventually escape south. (And Galvornil.)

They go to Nargothrond. Unlike Gondolin in canon, they already have a vague suspicion that some sort of foul play may have been involved. And unlike Gondolin in canon, they can just keep someone outside the front door — they don't have to bring them in or kill them. Eöl isn't admitted.

Thingol is not pleased about the diplomatic fallout. He repossesses Nan Elmoth. Eöl disappears into the east.

Maeglin stays in Nargothrond. (With Galvornil.) Aredhel stays too until he's older, but eventually resumes traveling.

(Another go-to version regardless of Doom: Aegnor and Andreth get secretly married in defiance of advice. Their immediate families eventually find out, but they don't want to tell anyone else. They have three kids: Gilrodel Barawen, Gilhíril Bardhis, and Gildor Bronadui. When visiting Nargothrond or Dorthonion they're presented as kin and given a confusing patronymic. Barawen chooses mortal, Gilhíril and Gildor choose elf, not that any of them realize it at the time.)

Up next: Dagor Bragollach

[forlorninquiry]

😭: What’s one of the saddest threads you’ve ever been in?

[oh maaaaaan so this is going to go back a few years ago when I was roleplaying in the Silmarillion fandom. I roleplayed a character of the Mordred persuasion: my eternal darling and forever my sharp-eyed Son of Twilight, Maeglin and his uncle the stubborn Turgon. Bear with me, this has quite a bit of explaining to do.

Long story short with Maeglin, I’m about to gloss over a lot of deets: he grows up in isolation with only his mom and dad. His dad doesn’t allow his mom to teach him anything about where she came from or anything about her people, and his dad pretty much keep them stuck in his realm of control. Eventually, Maeglin and mom run away while dad is gone after son and dad have a pretty big argument. They run away to a hidden city that Maeglin always dreamed of going to from his mom’s stories (that she told him secretly). ANYWAY, they get there, and turns out the dad followed them there after he came home early. SO, Dad, being mad af, throws a javelin at his son in anger because he wouldn’t go back home with him, and mom stand’s in the way. She gets struck, but she’s fine. Turned out, the javelin was poisoned and she dies later that night. Dad gets thrown off the fortress walls because he killed the king’s sister (mom was king’s sister), and he curses his son to die the same death as he. FAST forward a lot of years later, Maeglin ends up getting captured by the enemy, and he betrays the location of the hidden city. A year later, the enemy comes, torches everything and a bunch of people die (like his mom’s brother). Maeglin also dies, in the same way his dad said he would. 

ANYWAY, the point of this is that the saddest thread I ever did with Maeglin was with his mom’s mom, thousands of years after he died and came back to life (because Elves do that in Tolkien-lore). It was a hurt/comfort thread, where Maeglin doesn’t talk to anyone except his own mother but he doesn’t even want to talk about what happened with his own mother because after all, he was the cause of her brother’s death. This thread was important to me because it’s a long and arduous path for this Maeglin’s healing, and being able to accept comfort from someone that he hardly knew was a huge deal for him. A lot of threads in that re-incarnation phase of his life are kind of like this, but not always. 

FOR my other muse that I wrote in the Silmarillion: I also wrote mom’s brother - his name is Turgon. I would absolutely have to say the saddest threads I did were 100% ALWAYS with his brother, Fingon. Their brotherhood was great, up until certain events transpired that lead to an erosion of their relationship through a series of misunderstandings, lack of communication, and straight up absence (Turgon, after all, did take a bunch of his father’s forces during a war and vanished). So a lot of their rp interactions were driven by resentment and fierce nostalgia - imagine like JC and WWX. The saddest thread I ever did with Turgon was with his brother Fingon, once they came back to life again - the thread was called Dream Brother, and they reunited hoping to reach some manner of common standing and rediscover their fraternal love for each other. But each of them had died, been reborn into a place that was supposed to be free from worldly and spiritual hurts - but both of us, as writers, agreed that this was ultimately unrealistic even in Tolkien’s world and for the sake of writing dynamically we bent that rule. Anyway, ultimately, they did not reach an understanding with each other and the tragedy of their brotherhood from their previous lives continued. 

Edit: of course I write about that thread, and I forget the even better one where they have an outright shouting match right before Turgon runs off with his dad’s forces to hide away during the war as a strategy. The thread was aptly called ‘And 'We’re Supposed To Be Brothers’ .... I have such intense bro-feels, I need help.

I am so, so, so sorry that this was a very long explanation. I just spent the last hour deep diving back into those old threads to re read them and I’m really spun up with feelings. Damn.