#arda cultures

[edennill]

I wonder what would be Gondor's equivalent of a national epic... I'd almost say it's the Lay of Leithian -- but this doesn't work for me; it feels too Elvish. And since we're never told an author's name, I personally headcanon there were several different Lays, and translations back-and-forth of the various versions that were really new works in themselves, so it'd be hard to choose a specific one. Although it does tell of their greatest enemy getting thoroughly defeated and humiliated.

The Narn I Chin Húrin? We're explicitly given a (mortal!) author, we know Gondorian nobility seems to love naming their children after characters...

Or would it be something about more recent history, and not the Great Tales of the First Age? Not Númenor, I think; I don't think any poetic arrangement of that specific story would get so wildly popular... Elendil? The Kinstrife? Some other war they went through?

See, such epics become the cornerstones of culture, works everyone can quote... and if I am to write anything about Gondor it would do well to know what I might allude to.

[theelfmaiden]

Christmas is time of fortune telling. People light up candles in walnut shell boats and let water tell them of their families' fate.

Regardless of what water will foretell for next year, I wish all families and people stricken with sadness this Christmas good fortune, stronger bonds and peace in their hearts.

❤️

(A lil doodle 🤗 for everyone 🌟 a pro spolužáky z fildy UK od přírody UK 🙏)

[camille-lachenille]

I was thinking about how, in fanfictions and in the fandom in general, Elrond is often depicted as a pure Noldorin lord, if not a die hard Fëanorian. And while I do enjoy Fëanorian!Elrond, the more I think about it the more I am convinced Elrond is not the fëanorian one of the twins. Elros is. Elros who adopted seven eight pointed stars as the heraldic device of his whole dynasty, a symbol still used 6000 years after his death. Elros who had Quenya be the official language of Númenor. Elros who decided to leave Arda for an unknown fate after his death; not Everlasting Darkness but not the rebirth in the bliss of Valinor either. He choose to go to a place Elves aren’t supposed to go, just like Fëanor and his sons went back to Beleriand. Elros, the mortal man, who decided to forge his own path in the world.

And I am not saying Elrond didn’t, because Eru knows how much strength, patience and stubbornness Elrond must have to become who he is in LotR. But when I first re-read LotR after reading the Silm, he did not strike me as Fëanorian at all (except for the no oath swearing rule that seems to apply in Rvendell). In fact, Elrond, and all three of his children, are defined by being half-Elven. Elrond is so much at the same time they had to creat a whole new category for him. He is described as kind as summer in The Hobbit, but also old and wise, and his friendly banter with Bilbo in FotR show he is also merry and full of humour. Elrond is both Elf and Man despite his immortality, and this is made quite clear in the text.

But. If I had to link him to an Elven clan, I’d say Elrond is more Sinda than Noldor, and even that is up to debate. Rivendell, this enchanting valley hidden from evil thanks to his power, is like a kinder version of Doriath. Yet, the name of Last Homely House and Elrond’s boundless hospitality make me think of Sirion: Rivendell is a place where lost souls can find s home, where multiple cultures live along each other in friendship and peace.

In FotR, Elrond introduces himself as the son of Eärendil and Elwing, claiming both his lineages instead of giving only his father’s name as is tradition amongst the Elves. It may be a political move, or it may be a genuine wish to claim his duality, his otherness, or even both at the same time. But from what is shown of Elrond in LotR, he seems to lean heavily in the symbols and heritage from the Sindar side of his family, rather than the Noldor one. I already gave the comparison with Doriath, but it seems history repeats itself as Arwen, said to be Lúthien reborn, chooses a mortal life. Yet Elrond doesn’t make the same mistake as Thingol by locking his daughter in a tower and sending her suitor to a deathly quest. Yes, he asks Aragorn to first reclaim the throne of Gondor before marrying Arwen, but this isn’t a whim on his part or an impossible challenge. Aragorn becoming king means that Middle-Earth is free from the shadow if Sauron and Arwen will live in peace and happiness. Which sounds like a reasonable wish for a parent to me.

Anyways, I went on a tangent, what strikes me with Elrond is his multiple identity. Elrond certainly has habits or traits coming from his upbringing amongst the Fëanorians, and he loved Maglor despite everything. The fact he is a skilled Minstrel shows he did learn and cultivate skills taught by a Fëanorion, that he is not rejecting them. There is a passage at the end of RotK, in the Grey Havens chapter, where Elrond is described carrying a silver harp. Is this a last relic from Maglor? Possible.

But while Elros choose the path of mortality and showed clear Noldorin influences in the kingdom he built, Elrond is happy in his undefined zone he lives in. He is an Elf, he is a Man, he is Sinda and Noldo and heir to half a dozen lost cultures and two crowns. He is the warrior and the healer, the only one of his kind in Middle-Earth. And that is why I will never tire of this character and I love so much fanworks depicting him as nuanced and multiple yet always recognisable as Elrond.

[shitsndgiggs]

hey can i request an arda fic in which he and the turkish national team go to a restaurant and he develops a crush on their waitress?

A/N: This one is kinda short, sorry

BEYOND WORDS - ARDA GÜLER

In which Arda develops a crush on a waitress, despite the language barrier.

Arda Güler x waitress! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵

As I made my rounds in the cozy restaurant conveniently near the turkish national team's training camp, my mind was preoccupied with the usual hustle and bustle of serving tables.

The evening rush was picking up, and I focused on taking orders and ensuring everyone had a pleasant dining experience.

The said national team was settling in for dinner in the far corner of the restaurant.

When I approached their table to take their drink orders, Arda, a young talented player from the turkish national team, and Real Madrid, hesitated for a moment before attempting to order in broken english. "Um... water, please," he managed, his accent thick but his sincerity clear.

I smiled warmly, understanding his struggle. "Of course, water for you," I replied gently, jotting down the order and glancing at him with a friendly nod, before moving on to the next order.

His teammates, who seemed to revel in good-natured banter, wasted no time in teasing him.

"Arda, mate, your english is worse than Kenan’s turkish!" one of them joked, earning chuckles from the others.

Arda chuckled sheepishly, his embarrassment evident as he glanced down at his menu. "I'm still learning," he admitted with a self-deprecating smile, stealing a quick glance in my direction.

"It's no problem at all," I reassured him with a warm smile, feeling a rush of empathy for his effort. "I understand you perfectly."

Throughout the evening, I found myself stealing glances at Arda whenever I could, intrigued by his quiet demeanor and the occasional glimmer of amusement that crossed his face during his teammates' antics.

As I brought out their meals and checked in on their table, our interactions were brief but tinged with a mutual understanding and curiosity.

Towards the end of their meal, as I cleared away their plates and prepared the bill, I noticed Arda lingering behind after his teammates had left.

Curiosity piqued, I approached him with a friendly smile. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" I asked politely, though I already had a hunch.

Arda looked up, seeming a bit flustered but determined. "Um... hi," he began nervously, his accent more pronounced in his nervousness. "I was wondering... if maybe... you would like to go out for coffee sometime?"

His sincerity took me by surprise, but his shy demeanor was endearing. "I'd love to," I replied warmly, genuinely touched by his courage.

Arda's face lit up with a relieved smile, and he fumbled for his phone to exchange numbers with me. "Thank you," he said earnestly, his english more assured now in his relief.

We chatted briefly about coffee spots in the area, and I couldn't help but be charmed by his genuine interest and effort to connect despite the language barrier.

Over the next few days, we exchanged messages, finding common interest in sports and mutual curiosity about each other's cultures.

[magkinetix]

Eönwë the herald of Manwë 🦅🦅🦅

I was a bit inspired by depictions of Egyptian gods with animal heads (in particular Horus) for this design, as I wanted him to have birdlike features due to his association with the Eagles of Manwë.

I’m pretty pleased with this design, but it might be changed in the future. Since the Valar are the pantheon for all of Arda, not just western-inspired Middle Earth, I want to take inspiration in my designs of them from many different pantheons and cultures from around our world. In this case, I’ve decided to take ancient Egyptian inspiration for Manwë, and by extension the Maiar associated with him!

Of course I haven’t fully ironed out my image of the Valar pantheon, so this may change I’m the future if I decide to take a different route.

[valacirya]

Indis appreciation post!

Disclaimer: All the canon info is taken from Morgoth's Ring and Peoples of Middle Earth. Also, this isn't a character analysis/meta. It's just a list of stuff I love (plus some headcanons) about one of my favorite characters in the legendarium.

1. She's athletic and outdoorsy. We're told that Indis is "exceedingly swift of foot" and that "she walked often alone in the fields and friths of the Valar, turning her thought to things that grow untended." When Finwe sees her, she's chilling on a mountainside. I love that she's associated with nature, specifically the wilderness. She parallels Feanor in her exploration of Aman and interest in the imperfect. Also, this is purely self-indulgent but ever since reading HoME for the first time, I've pictured Indis as tall and broad, and muscular beneath a layer of fat.

2. She doesn't let her unrequited love affect her life. "There was ever light and mirth about her." She's not the pining, languishing princess stereotype. She goes on. She doesn't let it make her bitter or depressed, and she is so restrained that only Mandos and possibly Ingwe are aware of her feelings.

3. Part of her attraction to Finwe is intellectual. In HoME we're told that his "mastery of words delighted her." Considering that Indis is also a poet/composer ("wove words into song") and that the Vanyar enjoy linguistics, it makes sense. It's also just really cute.

4. She's politically minded. Her reasoning for pronouncing 's' instead of 'th' is: "I have joined the Noldor, and I will speak as they do." This is the right thing to do to gain the respect of the Noldor and their acceptance of her authority. I also think she makes a statement with Fingolfin and Finarfin's mother-names. Arakano ("high chieftain") and Ingoldo ("the Noldo, eminent among the kindred") are not only powerful, prophetic names, they're also strikingly similar to Ingwe ("chief of chieftains") who is the High King not just of the Vanyar, but all Eldar. What a power move.

5. She's able to balance her own culture with the culture she marries into. Indis integrates into Noldorin society easily while remaining Vanyarin at her core, as is evidenced by Finwe saying that "above all her heart now yearns for the halls of Ingwe and the peace of the Vanyar." Her sons also respect and are proud of their mixed heritage; Finarfin "loved the Vanyar, his mother's people" and is said to be like them (as are Finrod and Galadriel), and Fingolfin's daughter-in-law is Vanyarin (plus the Nolofinweans have a special connection to Manwe).

6. She gets an awesome prophecy about her line. "But I say unto you that the children of Indis shall also be great, and the Tale of Arda more glorious because of their coming. And from them shall spring things so fair that no tears shall dim their beauty; in whose being the Valar, and the Kindreds both of Elves and of Men that are to come shall all have part, and in whose deeds they shall rejoice. So that, long hence when all that here is, and seemeth yet fair and impregnable, shall nonetheless have faded and passed away, the Light of Aman shall not wholly cease among the free peoples of Arda until the end." Fuck yeah.

7. Her name means "valiant woman." This is the only definition given in Morgoth's Ring, I believe. I highly prefer it over the "bride" meaning because it's a badass name and is similar to Artanis ("noble woman") and Astaldo ("the valiant"). A headcanon that I'm particularly attached to is that Indis's mother-name is Indome, meaning "will of Eru."

8. She's popular with most of the Noldor. We're told that "Finwe, King of the Noldor, wedded Indis, sister of Ingwe; and the Vanyar and Noldor for the most part rejoiced." The majority of the Noldor also follow Fingolfin and Finarfin instead of Feanor.

9. She's friends with Nerdanel. HoME states that Nerdanel went to "abide with Indis, whom she had ever esteemed."

10. She gets pissed off at Finwe when he sides with Feanor. So much so that he thinks she won't want to see him if he's re-embodied. I know this is from his perspective but I'm inclined to agree. [However, this is still very presumptive of him, and his comment that "Indis parted from me without death" is super shitty. Eugh.]

11. She's close to her kids. Finarfin takes after her, Fingolfin passes on the name she gave him, Findis lives with her, Lalwen goes by the name she gave her. Finwe also says that "she hath dear children to comfort her."

So there we have it! What little info we get about Indis is pretty awesome. And this is just a list; I could write a whole essay on her fortitude and unconventionality and my numerous headcanons about her.

[lesbiansforboromir]

Why do you think Aragorn as accepted as a King? They don't have blood tests to confirm his identity and he is not even from Gondor (was probally born here, but not raised)

Oh no Aragorn was not born in Gondor, canonically speaking he was born in the north amongst the northern dunadain and that is his cultural heritage. And not only that, Aragorn's claim to the throne is legally shakey at BEST. His only claim to the line of Meneldil (original King of Gondor after Anarion and Elendil's deaths) is through a female line, which used to be an accepted path to kingship in Numenor, but was since entirely discarded by both Gondor AND Arnor (so not even Aragorn's own direct ancestors agreed with letting women rule kingdoms) And a previous legal ruling on this PRECISE ISSUE decreed that Aragorn's ancestor DID NOT have a right to Gondor's throne. So yes it's a good question isn't it? There are two answers!

#1 Gondor is still a partial if not full theocracy. This is one of those aspects of the book that doesnt really make sense unless you understand all the character's actions through the lense of catholicism and religious faith in general. Aragorn is 'Estel' or 'hope', but when people say 'hope' in Middle-earth what they mean is faith etc.

In lotr meta-logic the divine right to rule is a real thing that actually exists, god (Eru) literally wants Aragorn to be king. The characters within the story are aware of this to varying degrees, Boromir being one of the few characters who properly disregards this and wishes to view Aragorn's claim on it's own merit. Even Denethor knows and understands that Aragorn is chosen by god, and he's very bitter and angry about it! (good for him). But in general, all other characters including all Gondorian lords are 'faithful' or 'elendili', and within this religion the only people who could be called 'priests', who can bridge the divide between man and god, are their Kings. So, religiously, if Aragorn IS sent by god to rule them, then they would be committing a kind of heresy to refuse him. And remember, god literally exists in Arda canonically and so therefore does sin and heresy, not just in a moral way but also in a literal like... fact of nature kind of way.

So when Aragorn arrives in Pelargir with an army of ghosts it gives Lord Angbor FAITH in him. When Gandalf, an angel literally doing god's will, is his friend and expressly supports his claim the other lords of Gondor also are inspired to have faith in him. Aragorn spends a good deal of time after the siege of minas tirith ticking divine checklists for 'guy who should be king', he is not making a legal argument for his right to the Gondorian throne, he is making a religious argument for his right to rule over the entire population of 'the faithful' which includes Gondor AND Arnor, destroyed or not.

There WOULD be discussion though! Not everyone in Gondor is dunadain and not everyone is faithful in the way that the dunadain are faithful. Culturally the northern and southern dunadain have been seperated for 3000 years and a lot of people would have issues with being ruled by someone so other to them, even if he had lived among them for 10 years (though that does help). But in the end the lords of gondor are almost all dunadain and they all have to abide by the tenets of their faith, or '''fall''' and become '''lesser men''' than even the rohirrim (terrible I know 🙄) so they really had no choice but to support Aragorn in the end.

However, reason #2

Minas Tirith's armies were absolutely decimated after a weeks long siege and war before that, and what few soldiers were left were exhausted and barely functioning. Aragorn arrived at their gates and broke the siege with a full army who'd only done ONE fight and told everyone he was king of Gondor. What was Imrahil gonna do, say no?

[jsprnt]

eli’s masterlist!

Requests: closed

I will not write anything including:

smut, racism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, miscarriages, ignorance, religious hatred/themes.

please keep it respectful on here, and please upkeep the importance of being kind to others 🤍

Liverpool FC masterlist

including: virgil, trent, dominik, darwin and andrew

Jude Bellingham

one shots:

fight

you and your boyfriend fight about how much less time he’s been spending with you

confessions

your vacation with your best friend doesn’t go as expected

series:

Americano (completed)

What happens if two individuals who absolutely despise each other are forced to interact after unforeseen events occur?

Kenan Yıldız

one shots:

jealousy jealousy

still being somewhat friends with your ex brings up some jealousy in your relationship

precious

catching your boyfriend studying about your culture before he meets your parents, makes you a tad emotional

break

a no-contact relationship break, is shaken when your boyfriend finds out you’re getting hit on by other guys

last eight

celebrating the win against austria with your boyfriend

Arda Güler

one shots:

first meeting

meeting your boyfriend’s parents

language barrier

it’s difficult to communicate with a cute boy when you don’t speak each other’s language fluently

[animatorweirdo]

Hogwarts Student In Middle Earth

Requested by Anon

Hi! Sending you a request for headcanons (?) of a Hogwarts student landing in Middle Earth and meeting the elves? Thank you!

(Author note: I couldn't figure out what kind of reaction you were hoping for, so I made another analysis like fic to go through all the ages of Arda and the elves' reaction toward a Hogwarts student. I hope you enjoy it. )

Warnings: some mentions of the first age events, the first age, mentions of dangers, and trauma, some elves being nice, some not, possibly getting stuck in a world, some nice moments, and adventures.

------------------------------------------------

- If you were a Hogwarts student and ended up in Middle Earth. The reasons for that could be a failed group project, messing up with a spell, or going somewhere you were not supposed to go and falling through a magical crack in time and reality that dropped you off in Middle Earth. 

- How you manage will depend on your age and knowledge of magic, If you are somewhere in the sixth or seventh year, you would probably do fine. If you are somewhere in the third or fifth year, you will have challenges but will manage. However, if you are a first or a second year, you are a literal child in a dangerous world. 

- For the sake of this fic, let’s make you either a sixth or a seventh-year student. 

- If you dropped off in Middle Earth at the age of the trees, there is a high chance you ended up in Aman. 

- You would cause a small shock among the high elves as they have never seen a human, especially a child capable of magic. You might be a small teen, but in their eyes, you would most likely be considered a toddler and they would not be able to comprehend your age. 

- However, you will most likely be safe among them after explaining what happened and that you made a magical mistake.

- The Valars would likely give you some help, and some elder elves who are familiar in the ways of magic. 

- You would be given a chance to get familiar with different elven clans and their cultures, and in return, you would share a little of the human world and the world of magic there. 

- I think they would feel intrigued by your charms, and if you struggled in Astrology, they would likely be more than happy to help you learn— taking their appreciation toward Varda’s stars. However, don’t try to fly on the broom in front of them, they would likely get a heart attack. 

- They would likely teach you a few things about their magic so that you could show off to your friends in your world. 

- The chances are that you would be returned to your world before any of the darkening and schemes of Melkor began. However, if you appeared in Aman when it happened, you would most likely be kept at a safe distance. 

- You could offer your magic to make light through the darkness and help the injured with your potion skills, but otherwise, there would be very little you could do to help. 

- You would be traumatized if you witnessed the kin slaying and then you would be sent back without another word. 

- Overall, depending on when you appeared in Aman during the age of the trees, your experience wouldn’t be awful and there is a chance your eyes might end up glowing after seeing the two trees. However, you might want to stay away from Melkor and the drama between Feanor and his family. And no, the elves would still treat you as a toddler even if you were a teen by human standards. 

- If you appeared in the first age, then you would most likely have a rough time and would have to find a way back to your home on your own. 

- Personally, I think the safest places and elves for you to meet are either the Falathrim or the Doriath elves. I think Cirdan would easily take lost children under his care and offer help to you in magical arts, and you would be more safe from the dangers. If you appeared in the woods of Doriaths, the Sindar would be slightly skeptical of you but give you a chance to explain your situation, and if you do not turn out to be a danger, then they would allow you to stay and seek help from Melian. 

- I think with the Falathrim you could make use of your potion skills during your free time, and with the Doriath elves, you could make use of herbology and knowledge of magical creatures. 

- They would be more open-minded to your magical abilities and since you are a child in their eyes, they would let you stay safe from danger. The chances of you finding a way back are way higher and they could teach you a thing or two in magic. 

- I think the Noldor would be the least safe people for you to meet. Since they are mostly located in the north, you would face more dangers, and they might be the most suspicious of you and your magical abilities. If you manage to convince them, then they might allow you to remain with them for safety. However, some of them might find use in your magic against Morgoth, so your chances of going home would be low and you might get put into danger, depending on which elf you meet. 

- If you are somewhat involved with the war against Morgoth, then you would be in much more danger. You would have to count on your specialties to survive, and there might be a chance it would take years before you found a way back to your world. You also might want to watch out for those who try to sabotage your progress and prevent you from ever returning home. 

- With them, you would need a wide knowledge of potions and defense against the dark arts because they will be most useful to you. If you weren’t the best at those subjects, then you would be in the first three weeks of your time there. 

- No matter what, you will return home with some trauma. The first age was a time filled with war, so there would be a little safety for you there.

- If you end up in Middle Earth during the second age, there would be dangers of their own, but the elves would be least dangerous toward you. Your chances of going home would be moderate, and that might be because of the lack of knowledge, but if you work with them, then it would be successful. 

- The third age would probably be safest out of the previous two. The elves would offer you safety in their homes, and help you find a way back home. I think even a first-year would be safe in their care. You would be safe and allowed to learn a thing or two. Finding a way back to your world might take some time, but by then you would have learned new magic, made friends, and returned home. 

- And if you met that one wandering wizard, then there is a chance you enjoyed a few adventures. 

- Overall, the age of the trees and the third age would probably be the safest time for a Hogwarts student to appear in the world of Arda. 

[edennill]

Consider:

The Faithful of Númenor having clandestine "schools" of their own, their children gathering in their houses to be taught the forbidden elvish tongues, and more importantly, unexpunged history and religion (although I do feel slightly hesitant to use the latter word in relation to the Legendarium). Definitely most prominent in Andustar and later among those deported from it, often, these lessons masquerade as trade schools, so that whenever the king's soldiers are at the door, one can quickly hide the books, bring out embroidery hoops and spread cloth over the parchment.

Illicit theatre performances! Ask me about my headcanon that Númenor invented theatre one day, but the gist of it is that culturally, it's pretty important, but at some point a very stringent censorship becomes the norm, and many erstwhile classics are forbidden (not to mention any new plays with a Faithful message). Cue the practice of semi-professionnal troupes secretly performing in people's courtyards with very little in terms of scenography/costumes, but with a strong emphasis on good acting. Theatre is not considered a low occupation in Númenor, so even certain relatives of the Lords of Andunie take part in those shows.

[theelfmaiden]

🐣 Did you know? that, by tradition, not visiting families (and thus not participating in mrskut) on Easter Monday can be considered a great offence to the family?

And if you come late, even a minute late after noon, expect a very cold shower from a vengeful lass. 🐣

Happy Easter (Monday)!!!

Tagging @noldorinpainter cuz 🤲💖 ngl it's us 🤣🤣🤣!!!

Refs/color palettes: 🇨🇿, 🇹🇷

[armenelols]

Idril hearing Ulmo's warning and heading it. Idril building a secret path out of Gondolin, an escape route for the survivors. Idril making sure there would be survivors.

Eärendil, searching for Valinor when so many others have failed, the ban be damned. Eärendil reaching Valinor. Giving up the silmaril — it's just a piece of rock, after all, no matter how pretty it is. When banned from Arda, still managing to show up in time to slay fucking Ancalagon. In some versions, killing Ungoliant. Ungoliant. Guiding the lost as a star of hope.

Elros, whose life had been a mess and who still grabbed it firmly with both hands and didn't let go. Didn't waver. Elros, who knew nothing but war, leading his people to peace; Elros following his father's star and doing his goddamn best to be a good king. Building a realm, preserving lost cultures, starting new ones. The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and Elros made sure to be that to his people.

Elrond, who keeps losing everything, but never loses kindness. Elrond, who is an unbreakable rock in the middle of a wild current, who will always be there, in good times and in bad. Elrond, standing by Gil-galad's side during his reign; Elrond, helping the refugees of Eregion, and every weary traveller who wanders to his home, Elrond making his home a place of rest and healing. Elrond, of whom everyone knows his doors are open, and he is a well of knowledge, and he will share it to make the world a better place.

What I am saying is, getting shit done runs in the family.

[tanoraqui]

[spins the Silm Headcanons Nobody Else Shares (Yet) wheel]

Though Elrond was, inevitably, involved in the politics of building Lindon, he was not only NOT Gil-Galad’s official herald yet at the start of the Second Age, but he was only tangentially involved with the new government. Instead, Elrond spent the first few centuries of the Second Age as an adventuring anthropologist/archeologist.

He traveled around Lindon, and inland and up and down the shore, talking to all variety of refugees and recording the histories and cultures of their people, from ancient myths to recent war stories to how this group of Men (or Elves or Dwarves) cooks their porridge vs how that one does. He dug and sometimes dove into ruins of forts rent by Light and Shadow, often with foul lingering malaise, to retrieve papers and goods warped by flame, sea, and worse.

Because Elrond’s childhood was filled with many refrains of loss, and one was,

“This is how we baked nutcakes in Menegroth!” his mother explained, hands sticky with chestnuts and honey. Under her breath, not meaning her even stickier sons to hear, she added, “I think.”

“Oh yes, there were…” Eärendil’s fingers twitched as he counted in his head. “…eleven different major fountains in Gondolin! One for each Great House, though all were managed by Lord Ecthelion—oh, no, but then that must be ten…?”

“Now, in a proper course of musical education, I would be starting you on basic dancing songs today. But Filúriel is the only one of us left who knows how to dance a good gavotte—”

“Filúriel died three years ago. Orcs on the way back from Sirion.” Maedhros didn’t look up from the daggers he was sharpening. Only his words gave any indication that he was even aware of the lesson taking place across the room.

“—But there is no one left who knows how to dance a good Tirion Gavotte.” Maglor never missed a beat. “So instead I will start you on basic Songs for striking fear into the hearts of your enemies. Have you both done your warm-up exercises today?”

[smash cut to 200 years later]

Elrond: Are you telling me. That there is a chance. That a portion of the Great Library of Thargelion, greatest collection in Beleriand of books and art brought physically from Aman, is still intact?

Random improbably still alive Nargothrond-Fëanorian #6: If the cases were water-proof as well as orc-proof and fire-proof…if they were orc-proof and fire-proof at all…especially dragonfire-proof…or dragon-ice-proof… If they stayed hidden, if we even shut them all properly in the first place, as we evacuated just ahead of the— my lord, where are you going?!

Elrond, sprinting past them down the corridor: Deep-sea diving!

(In the late Third Age, the Library of Rivendell is widely regarded as Arda’s single greatest repository of historical records of life in Middle Earth. This is incorrect—the single greatest such repository is an ever-growing library on Tol Eressëa, to which Elrond spent 3000 years sending copies of everything from Hobbit almanacs to Dwarvish epic poems to account books from three Elvish kingdoms to an Age’s worth of Dúnedain Ranger journals. Anyone Sailing with extra cargo space has been cajoled into taking at least a few tomes. People and places may be lost to time, but part of why he chose an Elvish life is so that they will not be forgotten.)

[shitsndgiggs]

Hii, I love your work and that you write for Arda because there is not much about him. So i would like to request a fic about him maybe with a Slavic reader (because I am Slavic, from Slovakia), just them experiencing their different cultures, maybe her meeting his parents and them being worried because their culture is so different, thank you and have a great day🫶🏻💗

A/N: it’s kinda short. Not my best work, but I still hope that you like it.

LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS - ARDA GÜLER

In which meeting Arda’s parents was not as bad as Y/N had imagined

Arda Güler x slavic! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

I had always been proud of my heritage, with its rich traditions and deep-rooted customs.

When I met Arda, I knew our relationship would be a journey of discovery.

We came from different worlds, but our love was strong, despite out different cultures.

Arda and I had been dating for almost a year, and things were getting serious. We had spent countless hours sharing stories about our childhoods, favorite foods, and family traditions.

Now, it was time to take the next step: meeting his parents in Turkey.

As our plane descended into Esenboğa airport, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. Arda held my hand, sensing my unease.

"Don’t worry, miláčik," he said, using the Slovak term he had picked up. "They will love you."

"I hope so," I replied, squeezing his hand. "I just want to make a good impression."

We arrived at his parents' home, a beautiful house filled with the warmth and aroma of Turkish cuisine.

His mother, Serap, and father, Umit, greeted us with open arms. Their hospitality was heartwarming.

"Welcome to our home," Serap said in Turkish, which Arda quickly translated for me. "We are happy to finally meet you."

"Thank you so much for having me," I replied, smiling. "I'm excited to be here."

As we sat down for dinner, the table was covered with an array of delicious turkish dishes. I recognized some from the meals Arda had cooked for me.

We started with small appetizers, and the conversation flowed smoothly at first.

"How was your flight?" Umit asked through Arda, who was acting as our translator.

"It was good, thank you," I replied, feeling more at ease with every passing moment. "I’ve always wanted to visit Turkey, and it’s even more special to do it with Arda."

Serap smiled. "We’ve heard a lot about you," she said. "Arda speaks very highly of you."

As the evening progressed, we talked about many things—Arda’s career, my job, and our shared love for travel.

At one point, Serap turned to me, her eyes warm and curious.

"Tell us about your family," she said gently. "Arda mentioned you have a close-knit family."

I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "Yes, we are very close. My parents have always been supportive of me, and I have two younger siblings who I adore. My brother is in kindergarten, and my sister is finishing high school."

Umit nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Family is very important. It’s good to hear that you have such a strong bond."

Arda squeezed my hand under the table, giving me a reassuring smile. "She talks about her family all the time. They sound wonderful."

I felt a warmth spread through me at his words. "They are," I said softly. "I’m lucky to have them."

The next few days were a whirlwind of experiences. Arda took me to explore Ankara, showing me the stunning Atatürk Mausoleum, the bustling Kızılay Square, and the serene Gençlik Park.

We even attended a music concert, which was unlike anything I had ever seen.

One evening, as we were having tea on the terrace, Arda and I talked about our relationship and the future.

"Do you think our cultural differences will be a problem?" I asked, voicing a concern that had been on my mind.

Arda looked thoughtful. "I think any relationship has its challenges," he said. "But as long as we communicate and respect each other’s backgrounds, we can make it work. My parents love you already, and I know your family will welcome me too."

I smiled, feeling reassured. "You’re right. We’ll take it one step at a time."

[eri-pl]

Liking the Silm while being Polish feels strange.

Or at least maybe because I'm old and I had to read many books in school and I have this mental image of Poland (not poiltically! but in terms of literature, poetry, some philosophical vibe) as this fuzzy hybrid between "Soviet Russia" and "normal world", and Russia is, in relation to the legendarium, very particular. They are the Easterlings, we are the Easterlings, we are the orcs or not much better.

And there's that whole thing with Russia being the center of what I would call "subversive Tolkien fandom", things like hardcore Dark Lord fans, things like The Last Ringbearer and as I recently learned "The Black Book of Arda is a thing" and I keep wondering: is this because of the "you are the Easterlings" feeling that Tolkien gives people, or is it because something bigger in the cultural vibes (Bułhakov!!!) or is it both. Or some other cause that is the root cause of all those above (communism, maybe? In this case, again, we hera in Poland are also touched by the Shadow ;) )

And I have this dizzy, disorienting feeling where I can see both, it just depends on what you map to what.

At the end of the day I like Tolkien and respect his intent (mostly), because I feel like he tried to respect people and did not intent to paint East europeans as evil, it just sort of happenned, but if you asked him, he would protest on that reading.

(And I do like most of what he was trying to do. This too.)

But yea, my geographic location and set of lectures in high school is part of how I explain to myself why I do like Morgoth despite him being quite objectively unlikeable. Probably falsely. Still, it is interesting.

Also I am still a little mad for making the Easterlings the bad guys. And for a few other things. But it's ok. Also at least we have Bór. Also we'll see.

Anyway it feels strange sometimes.

[straynoahide]

tolkien meta: the melodic structure of the ainulindale, arda's endgame, and the doom of men

so basically this is about what one can learn and connect to the rest of the legendarium's lore from the ainulindale, and also peer into tolkien's psyche as a side effect i guess. expect excessive theology or more fun imo philosophy of divinity and lengthy tangents about melkor, the nature of evil and theodicy

a small disclaimer - this touches thorny topics in philosophy like the problem of evil, the nature of redemption/salvation, death...

this isn't about my beliefs but presenting and reflecting on tolkien's own within the history of ideas. i acknowledge anyone who reads this also has their own, and can agree or disagree with tolkien. my views may seep in unintentionally but i try to go deeper than that.

pd: I write Eru/One/God indistinctively on purpose. it's for rhetorical emphasis, not so much out of (cultural) christianity.

part I - introduction (in this post) part II - the themes/structure, discussion part III - discussion (cont): themes of arda and life part IV - discussion (cont 2): theme of the children part V - discussion (cont 3): aftermath/second music

Introduction (i rec reading even if you're versed in the lore)

for those who are not so familiar with parts of the legendarium but still interested in a deep dive, the ainulindalë ("song of the ainur") is the creation myth of tolkien's world.

i rec just reading it if you haven't even if it's after reading this. it's quite beautiful and unique and it's brought admiration even from ppl who study that kind of thing professionally about real cultures. i'm not given to flattery but idk just check it out.

so anyway, the ainur, spirits born from the One creator's mind directly, sang under (or despite) His direction and the melody (both harmony and discord) that resulted, is the history of the world.

by the world we have two concepts here, the entire universe (eä) and the planet (arda) 'earth', of which middle-earth is a later-stage continent. the music itself was a creative process that the ainur partook in before knowing the full implication of their singing.

God showed the ainur the vision of what their music had created and when they saw the world they wanted to live it, to dwell on it and experience it.

God granted this but said they had to remain in it until the full music, the full story had played out.

this includes everything that happens in the Silmarillion, the LOTR movies and sequels/prequels, the TROP series, games, etc, and in some stages of Tolkien's opus, our own world (WWI, WWII, etc).

the Discord refers to the rebellious effect of Melkor on the music as much as his part of the music - the dissonance born from his part's coexistence with the rest of the melody that is in harmony, and takes a 'life of its own'.

this is not unimportant, but i'm not going to discuss it at any point. i will point out here that it has been argued -controversially- by some people to be relevant in compatibilizing or explaining otherwise difficult-to-reconcile lore points that deal with "non-Melkorian evil". this is about things like Ungoliant or the nameless things 'whose mention darken the light of day', whose in-world origins are unclear.

on a broader note, this represents two very different intuitions about evil and divinity (Tolkienian v Lovecraftian, we could say). these are difficult to compatibilize and more than Tolkien's psyche, represent ancient tensions within monotheistic religions themselves, i think. so within Tolkien's world, which has an Abrahamic/monotheistic god, you still find traces of Lovecraftian horror.

all that follows is about Tolkienian evil (meta) i.e. Melkorian evil (in-world), that is uncontroversially and explicitly under the governance of the One, although non-Melkorian evil is a fascinating subject.