#and also cause that's not what silm is about it's about the Crazy Elves not the Sane Ones

[victorie552]

Ok, I checked with the Book, and Silmarillion clearly states that Finarfin ruled over Noldor who stayed in Aman, and that these Noldor went to Middle Earth with Vanyar during War of Wrath. So this is absolutely an AU but imagine:

Vanyar took over Noldor lands, assimilating the leftover Noldor into their numbers.

It wouldn't even be that much of a stretch. Silm said that only every 1 in 10 elves stayed in Tirion and I doubt numbers got that much bigger when Finarfin and his people came back. Tirion definitely became a ghost town after The Flight. They had to rearrange everything! And there was a lot of grief among the Noldor: over Finwe, over family members who decided to go to ME, over the Trees (still no Sun and Moon), over the happy times that are over.

Who would want to be a ruler in this situation? Not Finarfin, that's for sure. But he's Finwe's son, so he has the bloodline. He has a bloodline, so he has a duty, and if he has a duty, there's nothing to be done. He's stuck with the job.

Then Indis/Ingwion/Ingwe himself offer to come to Tirion and help him with his kingly duties. Finarfin feels grateful, feels guilty over what Noldor did at Alqualonde (coming from a guy who Actually did nothing wrong), his wife left (him?) his side to go help her father and her people, his children Definitely left him. He accepts the help.

And Vanyar are helping! With administration and practical concerns, like where everyone should live now when a single Noldo living in their old house can have 3 streets to themselves each. But more importantly, they are messengers between Noldor and Teleri, who Finarfin Has to make amends to even if he doesn't know how. Teleri don't want to see any Noldo in their lands, so Vanyar messengers it is (Valar are unresponsive, thinking up the Sun and Moon).

Finarfin is doing a good job, but depending on what is practically another country to solve your problems is always tricky, and he isn't ambitious. Noldor are NOT doing well and are grateful for help, even if Before it would have hurt their collective pride (but then again, pride in what? Inventing murder? The morals are low). Ingwe is suggesting a deeper collaboration between their people and an general overlook over Noldor.

Why not? Finarfin is of Finwe's line, but he's also of Ingwe's. And wasn't Ingwe always the High King of all the elves in Aman? And he's feeding them cause his brothers' forces took most of their provisions and it's still dark and it will take a while before they relearn how to harvest under the stars. So while Noldor figure that out, why not give over some administrative power to Vanyar? Noldor judgement is probably still clouded by Morgoth's lies.

Things of course change when The Sun and Moon finally happen but the change happens, again, in Vanyar favour - they trusted the Valar who salvaged and restored The Light! They get things Right! Noldor want to get things Right too! (Vanyar clothing and customs become fashion with the same intensity as when Indis wed Finwe. Noldor are ashamed of themselves still. Teleri fashion is really not an option).

So by the time War of Wrath happens, Finarfin is not a High King, but a vassal to High King. And everyone is really cool with that.

Noldor of Middle Earth find that insane in a polite, half condensending and half betrayed way (like they can talk). Then Finarfin is the brother who, you know, actually DEFEATS Morgoth, so everyone has to reconsider their opinions on the matter.

Noldor who come back to Aman, by sailing or by reembodiment, experience a bigger culture shock than expected. Because even in the Blessed Realm, things change.

[child-of-hurin]

Dark Narn AU

Recently I mentioned I had some ideas for a Dark Narn AU and @outofangband  expressed curiosity, so I decided to copypaste my notes here :)

The reason this AU was conceived was that I wanted Túrin and Nienor to get buddy buddy with Gothmog and Glaurung…. Literally my motivation for this lmao.

WORD OF WARNING:

1. This is almost 3 pages long on Gdocs 😭 2. This is actually dark, so mind yourself. CW for mentions of nonconsent, manipulation, murder, slavery, the whole nine yards and, of course, incest.

And btw, this relies on my headcanon/understanding that there were mortal slaves in Angband as well as elves.

When teenage Húrin and Huor are cornered by orcs in Brethil, they are in a dense spot. Húrin stays behind to hold the orcs while Huor runs up the hill. Huor would never have left his brother behind, but it’s a mess and he doesn’t realize what happened until he’s being carried away by other soldiers/rescuers and screaming his lungs out for Húrin, who’s pulled back by the orcs and then taken captive to Angband.

There he undergoes some brainwashing by Melkor, who, true to the essence of their Narn interactions, sees he can profit more from corruption than from killing this agent. By this point Húrin is a teen and hasn’t met Turgon yet. He breaks eventually and becomes Melkor’s champion. 

We have Húrin, and now we need Morwen. To keep the chronology, I prefer having her be captured during a raid on Emeldir’s group of refugees, when they’re migrating west to escape the Battle of the Sudden Flame; that can also have Rian either being captured as well, or escaping and following canon and marrying Huor and mothering Tuor, which I prefer for this AU (also casts a shadow on them as… replacements for the true heirs, sort of! Both having dear family members, who are also the eldest and the legitimate heirs, captured by Morgoth). Either after his brainwashing is complete, or during it, she is given to Húrin to marry as a token of Melkor’s regard: Morwen the beauty, the heir of the House of Bëor, the only fitting consort for the heir to the house of Hador, etc. Túrin is born in 464.

Lalaith is born two years later, which is a weird year because that’s when Beren and Lúthien steal one of Melkor’s silms! Angband has never been more somber, but there is talk of hope among the slaves, of which Morwen hears some, as well as the name of Beren her kinsmen who she knows and loves. She’s fiercely proud of him. But then Húrin, who is head over hells smitten with her, but who’s still wary of her loyalties, casually mentions in bed at some point that Beren was killed by Carcharoth (a lie meant to shake her/destroy any hopes of rescue), and that despite the loss of the Silmaril, Melkor is somewhat satisfied that the whole ordeal ended up dividing the elven kingdoms further apart, and confides in her about some of the plans for the following war (Unnumbered Tears).

The very next day, Morwen kills Urwen. She knows how other female thralls fare, and she knows that as soon as Húrin is dead Melkor would have no more use for them. Like canon, better dead than a thrall. To her, killing Urwen is not only a mercy, but an act of love. I think Morwen was about to end her own life too, or maybe end Túrin’s, but they caught her before she did any more. Maybe she locked herself with her children in a bedroom, ready to off all of them, and someone intervened before she could.

This sends Húrin into a rage out of despair because he really dotes on Urwen no matter the AU, and Túrin takes it all pretty hard, as he adored his sister and feels betrayed and confused. Melkor ofc enjoys the opportunity to turn Húrin even more towards him, and encourages him to get another child from Morwen to make up for the one he lost, whether she wants it or not. 

In this AU Niënor is conceived (at least) nine months before the Unnumbered and not nine months later. During all the pregnancy Morwen is watched, to make sure she won’t do anything drastic. Túrin is one of the people keeping tabs on her. Morwen names her Niënor, lamentation, and instead of being offended, Húrin laughs and says it’s an appropriate name for a warrior that shall bring woe to her foes, who will lament upon seeing her. Morwen is forbidden to be alone with Niënor and they are closely watched; as a result, they aren’t very close in this hc, as opposed to canon.  Niënor grows up being reminded that her mother wants to kill her, never wanted to conceive her in the first place.

Both Túrin and Nienor have strong mommy issues. Túrin is always keeping Morwen company and they have a very similar temper, but he tries to keep his visits a secret from Nienor. Nienor loves Túrin enormously but confronts him when she learns he still visits Morwen; also I think she sees Morwen in Túrin a little, too, because they’re so similar. It drives her mad. There’s a lot going on here with sibling competition / possessiveness / jealousy; Nienor doesn’t want Túrin to get along with Morwen, against whom she has a big grudge; she also doesn’t like that Morwen gives to Túrin the love she has always denied Niënor (according to how Niënor perceives the situation). She wants Túrin to choose her but Túrin just evades the question or gets angry and they fight. 

I like the idea of Húrin heading the fight against mortals in the Unnumbered, and him and Huor meeting on the battlefield, and killing each other. 

Túrin is crazy about Nienor, though you wouldn’t guess it by looking. Not only they’re the only mortals around who are equals and thus relatable on any level, he projects a lot of his Urwen grief on her and is very protective and possessive. There’s a lot of unresolved tension that they don’t even acknowledge. When they’re together onlookers get a feeling like there isn’t space for anyone else - though Morwen is an always-felt presence and the only crack in their bond. Túrin is stoic and reserved and his canon obsession with fighting Melkor is changed into a type of family pride. Right now I think he’s really mad that Dor-Lómin was given to the Easterlings and his mistrust of Melkor grows. He’s also concerned with the hidden elf cities, especially Nargothrond and Doriath because of their ties to the Silmaril heist. 

In this AU Túrin (and Húrin before he dies) is buddies with Gothmog who is sort of a mentor to him, and Nienor has a great friendship with Glaurung, whom she rides on sometimes, maybe into battle. 

I had considered the idea of either Túrin or Nienor meeting Gwindor by accident on the woods and goading him and fooling him, following him until they got the path to Nargothrond, while the other sibling followed them from afar. One sibling goes into the town and the other comes with the army down on them, no need for bridges I guess. Or the bridge can be deliberate sabotage. Since I like Nienor riding Glaurung, it can be Túrin who goes in, as in canon - OTOH idk how good Túrin can be with deception no matter the AU, so maybe it is Nienor... though, really, is she any better? Also, would she have a voice in council? How sexist are they? Maybe if she got Gwindor’s ear somehow… idk, thoughts!

Anyway, Finduilas is captured and not killed, though I’m not sure how much better this is. Maybe both Túrin and Nienor take her for consort in a smoking hot, nonconsensual, incesty edain sandwich. 

I haven’t thought ahead of this yet, that’s all I have! They need to have a cool and tragic ending, though I’m still unsure how. I feel like they need to fall with Brethil, but then I’m unsure what happens. Also I really don’t want Túrin and Nienor to have a permanent falling out and dying hating each other, it’s not my thing. I feel like they need to die together, like in canon. 

Things to consider:

>> Tuor and Aerin as kin who are held captive. Do Túrin and Nienor know they exist and are there? If they do, how do they react?

>> Morwen + other mortal thralls, or maybe Morwen + having ELVISH thralls to serve her, which Melkor does to show Húrin how much he honors him bla bla. I love this concept.

>> Húrin and Gothmog banter, Gothmog warming up to the mortal once he sees him being an absolute savage in battle, Húrin and Gothmog competing to see who causes more havoc

>> Glaurung is super mean to Morwen once and that tickles Nienor so much she just gets attached to him. Nienor joking with Túrin that she rides a dragon (Glaurung) and he is ridden by one (the dragon helm of Dor-lómin)

>> Gurthang???? I think Túrin needs a black sword. I’m SUPER attached to the visuals of Nienor using an axe though.

[procrastinationonvacation]

HC anon here, I have a confession to make. I got into Slim fandom before I read the book (don’t ask how because I don’t know either) and for a very long time I was under the impression that Eöl and Celegorm were the same person.

But honestly how many stories of evil blonde elves kidnapping and trying to marry dark-haired princesses (after which said princesses run away) can you fit in one book?

So in honour of that I’ve decided that there are other young elves who believe the same, and one day when they both happen to be in the vicinity one of these elves just blurts this misconception out.

The fallout nearly starts a Noldor-Sindar war, and Turgon had to be physically restrained from committing kinslaying. Several people had to go Lorien for therapy emotional healing. The question of who was more offended is now considered a classic debate, and is often assigned to students in class.

Hi!!! Great seeing you mate!

same actually, I got into the Silm fandom through the lotr film fandom. Kept seeing all these bat shit crazy posts about murder and arson and simply had to find out what was going on.

Mm yeah much princess kidnapping…. We should get some English majors on it. Is this a thematic message? Does it represent repetitions in the music? Certainly a motif in any case? (Don’t bully me I have no clue what a motif is)

*whispers* AU where Luthien goes to gondolin? no idea how that’s achieved but it’d be very cool.

but yes ok, it’s just Aredhel chilling with Celegorm (they’re still fighting but also still friends shut up canon is nothing to me) and then some asshole comes up with a comment about stockholm and anyways there’s quite a few attempted murders.

That being said, when someone thinks Maeglin is Celegorm‘s son he’s just like “yep.” The two are not very similar But they both like long road trips. (If Celegorm doesnt appreciate that their destination is always “this random mountain that looks kinda cool” then he can shush)

HC, are you *sure* you don’t want anyone dying from these encounter? I feel like this is good for causing murders.

Also coming back to wonder, with the new forgetting things in the halls of mandos, how this idea would be changed. Like imagine someone being like “Celegorm I can’t believe you kidnapped Aredhrl” and Celegorms just there like “I did WHAT?”

[fireeaglespirit]

beyond-far-horizons replied to your post: 

Yeah!!!! I so wondered what you thought of it!! Glad you saved it for this difficult time. Self care is v.important okay. Sparda and his sons command you. Also Silmarrillion is v.cool. Reads like mythology/history but is super cool.

I also need to know if you thought Sparda was too much at the end…no-one has told me yet and I was worried but I wanted for drama for him to battle this longing for heaven that every demon must feel in some way.

I have just started reading it a few days ago but something happened and I just decided to keep it for when I had some true peace to read it... my life is very messy now, believe me its 24/7 something happening. Now I want to read it again a little more to make an appropriate reply so wait out!! So far I loved it so much.

I think tumblr ate out but I’ve said... I LOVE your Sparda. Again, believe its not just cause it was your writing but it pretty much aligns with my own idea of him. Kinda like he’s been struggling against this for centuries but it re-surfaces from time to time... more later! But I do feel a sympathy to this feeling and I can relate to it, it makes sense, also he’s absolutely fascinating as he is in your fic.

About Silm, I might take a while to finish it. Its a really weird book TBH and at parts I almost gave up and I still feel like skipping some parts (such as the chapters relating in excruciating detail the settling of the noldor, etc..), it goes crazy with names ans stuff and reads like a history book sometimes. Its interesting, I can’t deny... but one has to read it slowly, I guess? In order to absorb all that stuff? 

Its eras after all and many generations, it has a complex narrative which changes tone weirdly. You have to be ‘in the mood’ to read it and I’m just a mobile-reader so I read it in chaotic environment (LMAO). I like mobile reading as a past-time when I’m stuck somewhere with my phone I start reading promptly and I rarely read formally, as in... with calm and silence, I don’t have much time... but I’ve read the entirety of ASOIAF like this so it works (LOL I might be screwing my eyes with it ._.)

TBH I knew nothing of Tolkien lore, now I see. I never got around knowing all of those things about the world and the elves, etc... I barely watched the movies and never got around much reading about it. I’ll be quite honest, the movies never made me much interested despite the cool visuals, as once I took the first book in my hands and the whole introduction regarding the Hobbits put me off, but it was roughly 12 years ago, so perhaps now I’m more mature and patient to get around it, who knows?

Plus I have next to 0 lotr knowledge so the places are like unknown to me and it should feel familiar, so, reading Sil. to me its mostly a huge wave of new names every page and every name has like 10 secondary names, etc... I guess I’m reading it in the wrong order, who cares? I like a challenge.

But so far I’m like 1/3 in it and I know the most of it should happen later so I’m sticking to it to see what it holds... I just want have a basic knowledge of it so I can interpret Vivi’s stuff properly and also enjoy all cool fanarts and stuff. I’m so glad for what I know right now makes me much more apt to talk with you guys without risking sounding overly stupid.

I’m not the biggest fan of some of the concepts (such as the bible-like morality among other stuff), but at the same time I really enjoyed reading some parts of it so it was worth, so far. I’m writing a review for later with more detail.

Anyway, its really almost ridiculous that someone so invested in fantasy and literature like me has never got around Tolkien. Its very different from what I imagined but at the same time, it sort of feels familiar, I think exactly because it IS mythological and founded on real life myths. I cannot deny it is a masterful work, esp. if you take in consideration the epoch of the writer and the sheer innovation it was to write something like that back then.

[child-of-hurin]

PLEASE TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS DARK AU

Took me ten thousand years to reply to this because I wanted to DRAW THINGS about it and I didn’t!!! But I’m in a dark au mood tonite so I typed out my ideas for the

Dark Narn AU

Motivation: I wanted Túrin and Nienor to get buddy buddy with Gothmog and Glaurung…. Literally my motivation for this lmao sorry I just. Monster buddies. It all was inspired by [this drawing] of @nyolofinwe’s where for a split second I thought Túrin was cuddling Gothmog (actually it’s Túrin killing Morgoth lmao!!! Im a dumbass. No regrets tho).

Disclaimer: 

1. UGLY things here, it’s fine if you hate it, also you might block “dark narn au” in advance if you want; 

2. Also it is my headcanon and understanding that there were mortal slaves in Angband as well as elves. 

What I came up with was:

When Húrin and Huor are cornered by orcs in Brethil, they are in a bad spot for pick up, so Húrin stays behind to hold the orcs while Huor runs up the hill. Huor would never have left his brother behind, but it’s a mess and he doesn’t realize what happened until he’s being carried away and screaming his lungs out for Húrin, who’s captured by orcs and taken captive to Angband.

There he undergoes some brainwashing by Melkor, who, true to the essence of the Narn, sees he can profit more from corruption than from killing this agent. By this point Húrin is a teen and hasn’t met Turgon yet, so he breaks eventually and becomes Melkor’s champion.

We have Húrin, and now we need Morwen. To keep the chronology, I prefer having her be captured during a raid on Emeldir’s group of refugees; that can also have Rian either being captured as well, or escaping on and following canon and marrying Huor, which I prefer for this AU (also casts a shadow on them as… replacements for the true heir, sort of! Both having dear family members captured by Morgoth). Either after brainwashing is complete, or during it, she is given to Húrin: a true prize, the heir of the House of Bëor, etc. Túrin is born in 464.

Lalaith is born two years later, which is a weird year because that’s when B and L steal one of Melkor’s silm iirc! Angband has never been more somber, but there is talk of hope among the slaves, of which Morwen hears some, as well as the name of Beren her kinsmen. Húrin, who has developed genuine affection and trust in her, mentions in bed at some point that Beren was killed by carcharoth and that despite the loss of the Silmaril, Melkor is somewhat satisfied that the whole ordeal ended up dividing the kingdoms further apart, and confides in her about some of the plans for the following war (Unnumbered Tears).

The very next day, Morwen kills Lalaith. She knows how other female thralls fare and she knows that as soon as Húrin is dead Melkor would have no more use for them. Better dead than a thrall.

This sends Húrin into a rage out of despair bc he really dotes on Lalaith no matter the AU, and it also hits Túrin pretty hard, he adored his sister. Melkor ofc enjoys the opportunity to turn Húrin even more towards him, and encourages him to get another child from Morwen to make up for the one he lost. I think Morwen was about to end her own life too, or maybe end Túrin’s, but they caught her before she did any more.

In this AU Nienor is conceived (at least) nine months before the Unnumbered and not nine months later. During all the pregnancy she is watched, to make sure she won’t cause an abortion. Morwen names her Nienor, lamentation, and instead of offended, Húrin laughs and says it’s an appropriate name for a warrior that shall bring woe to her foes, who will lament upon seeing her. Morwen is forbid to be alone with Nienor and they are closely watched; as a result, they aren’t very close in this hc, as opposed to canon.

Both Túrin and Nienor have strong mommy issues. Túrin visits Morwen and they have a very similar temper. Nienor loves Túrin but confronts him when she learns he visits Morwen; also I think she sees Morwen in Túrin a little, too, because they’re so similar.

I like the idea of Húrin heading the fight against mortals and him and Huor meeting on the battlefield, and killing each other.

Túrin is crazy about Nienor, though you wouldn’t guess it by looking. There’s a lot of sexual tension that they probably don’t even realize they have. When they’re together there’s a feeling like there isn’t space for anyone else - though Morwen is an always felt presence an the only crack in their bond. Túrin is stoic and reserved and his canon obsession with fighting Melkor is changed into a type of family pride. Right now I think he’s really mad that Dor-Lómin was given to the Easterlings and he thinks a great victory might convince Morgoth to give those lands back to him and Nienor? Though I also like the idea of him snooping around and trying to find Nargothrond or Doriath.

In this AU Túrin (and Húrin before he dies) is buddies with Gothmog who is sort of a mentor to him, and Nienor has a great friendship with Glaurung, whom she rides on sometimes, maybe into battle.

I had considered the idea of either Túrin or Nienor meeting Gwindor by accident on the woods and goading him and fooling him, following him until they got the path to Nargothrond, while the other sibling followed them from afar. One sibling goes into the town and the other comes with the army down on them, no need for bridges I guess. Or the bridge can be deliberate sabotage. Since I like Nienor riding Glaurung, it can be Túrin who goes in, as in canon - OTOH idk how good Túrin can be with deception no matter the AU, so maybe it is Nienor, though, really, is she any better? Also would she have a voice in council? Maybe if she got Gwindor’s ear somehow… idk, thoughts

Finduilas is captured and not killed, though I’m not sure how much better this is. Maybe both Túrin and Nienor take her for consort in an incesty-non-incesty weird triangle dance.

I haven’t thought ahead of this yet, that’s all I have! They need to have a cool and tragic ending, though I’m still unsure how. I feel like they need to fall with Brethil, but then I’m unsure what happens. Also I really don’t want Túrin and Nienor to have a falling out, it’s not my thing. I feel like they need to die together.

Things to consider:

Tuor and Aerin as kin who are held captive. Do T and N know they exist and are there? If they do, how do they react?

Morwen + other mortal thralls, or maybe Morwen + having ELVISH thralls to serve her, which Melkor does to show Húrin how much he honors him bla bla

Húrin and Gothmog banter, Gothmog warming up to the mortal once he sees him being an absolute savage in battle

Gurthang???? I mean, we NEED it. Also something for Nienor!! Maeglin fans will kill me but uuuhhh imagine if the twins had anglachel and anguirel… #goals

Beleg?? Mablung?? Everyone else?