#aul used to be so good

[vamporphyric]

so with advice from the dead,

and a halo over my head!

[galstelperion]

Galadriel has the light of the two trees ensnared in her hair:

“...and her hair was held a marvel unmatched. It was golden like the hair of her father and of her foremother Indis, but richer and more radiant, for its gold was touched by some memory of the starlike silver of her mother, and the Eldar said that the light of the Two Trees had been snared in her tresses.”

— Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn"

And her eyes bore a sheen of starlight of which the Calaquendi who beheld the light of Valinor for many years held:

I find the prevailing theory that Sauron covets her light in the same way Morgoth coveted the Silmarils very interesting. That he would see in her a faded memory he had not even thought to reach for, the memory of being Aule’s disciple, the memory of being Mairon the admirable, not Sauron the abhorred.

But the light he desires most, that he would burn the entire world for, rejects him, burns him, just as the Silmarils burned Morgoth…

But Morgoth persisted in capturing the silmarils light and for a time wore the three glittering stones on his crown:

“For they were set in the Iron Crown, and treasured in Angband above all wealth; and Balrogs were about them, and countless swords, and strong bars, and unassailable walls, and the dark majesty of Morgoth.”

— The Silmarillion, Chapter 19: Of Beren And Luthien

— art by neexsethe

Now I wonder if this connection they are making to her hair and to the light Galadriel holds, how he longs for it so deeply it even brings that smile back to his eyes…

There are many who might say this conversation he had with Mirdania is purely manipulative in nature and I would agree to an extent. He certainly went into to that conversation with the intention of turning her worries about what she’d seen away from suspecting him…

At the same time, I also don’t think this touch was calculated and intentional. This scene felt very well done because it showed us, for the first time in many episodes, perhaps a hint to Sauron’s truest desires again. Galadriel’s light and hope and goodness being at the very of that.

Mirdania will die off in an episode or two. This scene was clearly meant to fully establish and really remind the audience of what Sauron wants most…

I can’t help but think this scene will somehow be reflected in his persistence to capture Galadriel, and if, like Morgoth before him, he will have the chance to keep that light bound with him, even for a small time?

[eri-pl]

\* except "it is something people care about and it can be used to gain power over them" in some way or another. But not for its own sake or pleasure or something like that.

[the-elusive-soleil]

Some random headcanons I have for a Silm modern AU:

Feanor is the son of Finwe's ex-wife Miriel (they split more or less amicably due to the more kids/no more kids thing). There are more resources to help deal with this than in canon Valinor, so while Feanor isn't happy about the Indis and half-siblings situation, he's able to get to a place of mostly getting along with them.

Finwe made his money in investments--Aule Industries, Elentari Electric Co., Sulimo Aerospace...you get the picture.

Feanor could have gone to work for Aule Industries, but instead he struck out on his own as an inventor, and holds patents for several now-common items.

He's married to the famous sculptor Nerdanel. They've had their disagreements, but they're in couples therapy and working on sticking together.

Fingolfin is a state-level politician. He and Feanor mostly sort of get along provided everyone avoids certain topics.

Maedhros works for Fingolfin as a political fixer, which he is very very good at. Feanor has mostly made his peace with this.

Maglor went through a classical musical education, but eventually his hobby band Noldolante took off to the point that he went full-time with it. He's the lead vocalist and songwriter. Currently thinking their sound would be something like heavy metal but with the instruments and volume of acoustic folk.

Their musical rivals are the folk duo Nightingale Shadow, the brother-sister pair Daeron and Luthien Gray.

Celegorm got a job through his grandfather's friend Orome Aldaron at Aldaron LLC, an outdoor gear company resembling Cabela's, as a spokesperson/sponsored rep type of thing. He has a huge dog and tells a different story every time someone asks where he got him, and keeps trying to ask out Luthien from Nightingale Shadow (which drives Maglor nuts).

Caranthir is a stocks trader and financial advisor, which has made him wealthy enough on his own to rival Finwe. At some point, he announces his engagement (despite no one in the family knowing he was dating) to a small business owner named Haleth who takes none of his guff.

Curufin works with his father as a fellow inventor. He married an epidemiologist several years back, and they have a small son, Tyelpe, who is already being brought to an unbelievable number of "take your child to work" days. Everyone's bracing for the mad science to reach critical mass once Tyelpe's old enough to wield a screwdriver.

Amrod and Amras are still in high school and haven't confirmed a path in life yet, although they do quite a bit of Celegorm's social media stuff with him.

Fingon used to work with his father and Maedhros, but eventually decided that politics wasn't for him, and now runs a nonprofit to aid disaster victims. He and Maedhros frequently tease each other about how exhausted their respective careers are making them.

Turgon works in some capacity for the city government, which he claims is the level of politics where things actually get done.

Aredhel also works for Aldaron LLC as a spokesperson; sometimes she and Celegorm will collaborate on posts.

At some point, she starts a relationship with a guy named Eol, but leaves him when he turns out to be a controlling jerk. Post-breakup, she finds out she's pregnant, and ends up keeping the baby because Eol doesn't want her to do so and make him pay child support. She turns out a better mom than anyone expects.

Finarfin is some kind of lawyer working in conflict resolution and mediation. He is very good at it; he ought to be, given all the practice he's had.

Finrod owns an ethically sourced jewelry company. His brother Orodreth works for him.

Aegnor and Angrod are college students; Angrod is undeclared, but Aegnor is studying anthropology.

Artanis is in high school and the most politically minded teenager ever. She's in student government and on the debate team and Model UN, you name it. The family used to joke that someday she was going to rule a small country. They still say it, but it's become less and less of a joke over the years.

[buffyfan145]

Fellowship of Fans have released their take on The One Ring Net's article last week about those major "Rings of Power" season 2 leaks. Was curious if they would and glad they did as it's interesting to hear what FOF has heard too. They actually confirmed some of these they have also heard and they've also debunked a few too, but there are a few they don't know about so could be possible as the show did keep a few things secret for s1. Again we won't know if any of these are true, including what FOF has said, till s2 finally airs later this year. But will say they also included more about Charlie Vickers' screen time in s2 and it's good news as I know some of us were worried about it, and they're suggesting something we wanted to happen actually is. I'll break down their take between what they've also heard and what they've debunked and/or haven't heard at all.

ETA April 2024: A lot of these spoilers have been confirmed as false now including some that were leaked on purpose from Amazon to catch the leakers.

Confirmed:

The first major thing is it is possible Amazon got the ok from the Tolkien estate to use some of "The Silmarillion" to explain Sauron's backstory. This likely is mostly the use of names like Mairon, Mirthrander for Gandalf, Melkor/Morgoth, and show the Valar and Maiar.

There are flashbacks telling Sauron/Mairon's story but they haven't heard anything about what this leak said with the details. Possible the Valar and Maiar are shown on-screen in the opening, similar to Galadriel's opening in s1.

Sauron is in every episode.

Charlie Vickers filmed almost all the flashbacks and FOF seems to suggest that the Halbrand form is the human-like form of Mairon. Like above we might see what Mairon actually looked like fully as Maiar and Charlie is playing him. There likely is a flashback to his time with Adar, as Adar know Gavi Singh Chera's version, that Charlie won't be in but sounds like Gavi is mostly being used only as the Annatar version.

The 3rd actor playing Sauron very well could be Calam Lynch. They have also heard that Sauron will pretend to be Celeborn when he goes back to Eregion too, as well as shifting into Annatar when needed, but will pretend to be Galadriel's husband. They haven't posted this scoop though yet as they were waiting to get more confirmation but it is possible this is correct.

Is possible The Stranger being Gandalf/Mithrander will be revealed in the flashbacks with Charlie's Mairon/Sauron.

Sauron does use his connection to Aule to convince the dwarves to his side.

Tom Bombadil and Goldberry likely will appear.

The One Ring likely is getting made in the finale and Galadriel might make a huge choice for the cliffhanger for s3.

Debunked:

There are no bottle episodes.

Shadowfax will not appear.

Amelia Kenworthy is not playing Celebrian and there is no evil Celebrian, but Amelia's unnamed character is a villain.

That thing about the same actors playing Morgoth and Ungoliant playing Tom Bombadil and Goldberry is false, and they are not the same characters.

While the Valar and Maiar might be shown in the s2 premiere it's not what this leak described.

Things they haven't heard at all:

That Sauron has a son. That was the first time they ever heard this and they think it's false. However they aren't ruling out anything as again s1 did have leaks come out this exact same way and like they said TORT has the right to post these if they want. Will point out too TORT has doubled down on all these leaks, including this one about Sauron's son and that Adar killed him. I posted my other posts how this makes sense and I kind of do want this to happen, so if it doesn't I might write a fic about it as it weirdly works. LOL

So again we'll know for sure once season 2 airs which of these leaks/scoops were true. But again I'm really happy that it seems like Charlie is playing Mairon after all as so many of us thought he should.

[starlight-incarnate]

Ainur as Aesthetics: 

Melkor  —  eye-rolls, either sleep for the week or sleep is for the weak, great music taste, extremely passionate, smarter than you'd think, abandoned cities, alcohol, doesn't care about opinions, midnight hours, black coffee, hates humanity, cold hands, barely-there eyeliner, sharp smiles, lace-up boots, doesn't like to be told what to do, anger so blinding that you forget where and who you are, staring at the mirror until your features start to disappear, bad decisions, their words can hit you like a gunshot, the chilling sensation of metal on your skin, sharp claws ready to slash anyone they encounter, shattered antique mirrors, long dark scarves, dark and tousled hair, swallowing hard, a little broken.

Manwë  —  pale white snow, red cheeks, dried flowers that used to be the colour of the sun, quiet half-smiles, sunlight coming through an open window in the morning, hair tucked behind ears, gives the most thoughtful gifts, always neat, sparkly jewellery, beautiful poetry, comforting hugs, light footsteps, kisses on cheeks, a laugh like wind chimes, thunderstorms that you feel in your chest, intelligent eyes, collector of small objects, windswept hair, loves their friends with almost an unhealthy amount of loyalty, the colour of the sky at dusk, a crisp autumn breeze, soft hair, gold-flecked souls, the one who is there for you even when you think you don't need them, singing under their breath, smiles as the rain falls down and laughs as their hair lifts in the breeze.

Varda  —  cracked spines of leather-bound classics, sharing pieces of your soul with the world, starting revolutions with simple words, rosewater, cherry blossom petals floating through the wind, making promises, midnight conversations, writing into abysmal nothingness, stargazing, knowing smiles, doesn't open up easily, soft skin, crystals, a night where the clouds hide the moon, stories swirling in your mind, cursive letters, piercing eyes, whispers filled with secrets, studying things that do not exist, bright flashes of light outside your window, silk bedsheets, mysterious, handwritten notes, stays up so late it's early, plays quiet music for ambiance, fingertips stained with ink.

Ulmo  —  bodies full of stories, a will that ebbs and flows, lazy smiles, no real devotion to anything but existence itself, wordless lullabies, glassy blue eyes, moves with grace and rhythm, late night swims, blue tie dyed sheets, flowing outfits, the rough ocean at night, tall waves and bitter winds, salty hair, long limbs, kind of sad and tired but you've never see them cry, goes with the flow, quiet voice but loud meaning, walks with purpose, always looks their best, very kind and giving, seashells, loud laughter, perfect posture, habit of overthinking, bare feet, ice-cold lemonade, laying on the ground to soak up the sun, sand in the air, intricate designs, high ceilings, dim lights, bitten nails.

Aule  — confident, likes to perform, acts cool but is secretly emotional underneath, bold/dark colours, loves challenges, gets mad and forgives just as quickly, wouldn't change for anyone, laughing so loudly that strangers stare at you, running around like crazy person with your lover, compliments a stranger's crazy hair colour and feeling so good when they smile, unhealthy amounts of candy, fiery red sunsets, getting back up after being knocked down, they know that their friends are right behind them wherever they go, the burn in your lungs after chasing something you'll never be able to catch, always does their own thing.

Yavanna  —  warm days, soft smiles, making sure everyone is happy, walking barefoot, falling asleep in the sun, wishes everyone would be kinder, mugs of too-sweet tea, the person who screams don't kill the spider, adores animals, covered in freckles, one can never quite tell exactly what their eye colour is, pointing to the stars as they peek out from behind the clouds, large yawns early in the morning, a question left unanswered, honey, one hand catching another, tea that is swallowed for its warmth and not the taste, faded patterns on well-loved t-shirts, dew beading on flower petals, the imprints tight socks leave behind, wanderlust's yearning pull.

Orome  —  long hair, loves nature and animals, mist, sharp features, dirt under their fingernails, very down to earth, always willing to help, the strong friend, always has new, interesting facts to tell, tough as all hell, doesn't love easily but always loves deeply, walking barefoot everywhere, wildflowers threaded into messy braids, laying in the afternoon sun, big adventures, crisp air, deeply opinionated, climbing the tallest trees around, muddy feet, toothy smiles, accepting of everyone, follows their own path, stargazing off mountain cliffs, running through tall grass, folklore stories of fairies and dragons, a child at heart.

Nienna  —  honeyed and sulky dark summers, pomegranates, thunderstorms, magnolias, unkept promises, cinematic and shadowy, existing in a trance of melancholy, feels passionately though feigns detachment, slightly off-putting, their presence is announced but even if it wasn't you'd still know they were there, constantly underestimated, desperately afraid of silence, red-rimmed eyes, always appears serene, broken handwriting, short hair, foxes, dead leaves, large coats and scarves, numb fingers, old stone walls, steaming black tea, tears, gazing at a past lover down the hall, the smell before rain, old songs, nostalgia.

Námo  —  set features, eyes the color of dead souls, candles melting wax atop a piano, tragic smiles, an inexplicable sense of sharpness, hot tears, decaying cores, irreversible tornadoes, infectious whispers, heart is always pounding, doesn't like to be seen, nightmares, dark circles under their eyes that they can't hide, doesn't know their limits, slightly self-destructive, the silent one, bitter coffee, quiet observation, black eyeshadow, knows a bit of everything, no-nonsense, cold fingers and colder gazes, being misunderstood, sitting alone in a hard wood chair late at night, dead roses, losing a loved one too soon, moss covering broken gravestones, shattered glass, the taste of melancholy. 

Irmo  —  glows when they talk, dewy eyes, radiates with a blessing from the sun, gentle hands, dandelions, white clouds, the shy warmth of the first days of spring, afternoon naps, soft pillows, carefree laughter, fields of reeds, basking in the moonlight, flower crowns, sunbathing in creeks, gloriously alive, hours among the leaves, kind soul, often lost in their own thoughts, nights spent watching the river, dancing in a circle, holding hands, soft clothes, sun kissed skin, always listening to music, either works too hard or not at all, warm smiles, dancing in the rain, catching fireflies, wanting to do everything and nothing all at once, innocent hope, paper stars in glass jars, bittersweet goodbyes, looking for beauty in everything, water-coloured skies. 

Estë  —  dried orange garlands, snow on green tiled roofs, a bit in love, quills dipped in metallic ink, daydreaming, angelic singing, very fond of cuddling, homemade bread, constantly buying gifts for people, talkative, will hold your hand whenever and wherever, friends with almost everyone, convinced that sleeping at 10pm is late, strawberry ice cream, calming eyes, telling old stories, rosy cheeks, wanting the best for everyone, sunrises, loves nature, passionate about dreams, self-made flower crowns, will stay up late to comfort you, unexpected hugs from the back, not afraid to tell people they love them, humble.

Vairë  —  silver knitting needles, velvet skies filled with twinkling stars, red embroidery thread, hot black tea with spoonfuls of sugar, ballet shoes, hearts carved in birch bark, denim jackets, distant bells, foxgloves, rain moving over hills, cheek caresses, a bedroom left alone, walking in the mud and rain at dusk, resisting change, dead ends, unspoken feelings, finally coming home, looking up at the stars in hope of something more, simultaneously brimming with hope and lifeless, wiling the hours away, staring at the ceiling, wanting to write but not knowing the words, hiding from the world, afraid of the future, a sense of dread.

Vána  —  soft features, the smell of lavender, long walks in the sunshine, singing in a choir, sincere laughter, pastel colours, reading poetry aloud, baking cookies and sharing it with friends, kind gestures, painting on random objects, flower print clothes, lacy socks, handwritten love letters, forgiving people, graceful movements, writing poetry, roses, standing up for those who can't defend themselves, walks through nature, positivity, white lace, long hair, very graceful, always there for you, nostalgia of a time that you never knew, undeniably beautiful, the sweet breeze of a spring morning, slowing drifting off while laying on a green meadow, calm and collected, the best friend you could ask for.

Tulkas  —  loud laughter, hammocks, doesn't know when to stop, can't sleep, jacket with so many fixed holes it has been reduced to patchwork, flashing smiles, living on the edge, free spirit that will rip you to shreds if you dare to try and tame it, bloody knuckles, the moments of silence after a loud screaming match, riding into the sunset, dogs barking in the distance, the smell of fire on the air, running from person to person, unbridled chaos, aimless wandering, on the verge of greatness, call of the void, empty avenues, walking between worlds, wanting to hold the planets, melancholy nights, seeing things that aren't really there, wishing for more, overgrown unkempt gardens, bright colours against dark greens, tripping up on vines and logs, scraped knees.

Nessa  —  can go from laughing to serious fast if necessary, little bits of dark humour, staying up late, they do the little eyebrow thing when they get insulted, doodles, everybody else thinks they have friends but they don’t, red lipstick, lively, can be implosive, forgotten, mood swings like crazy, but very calm when they are happy, regrets decisions they made in the past, affectionately called a little brat, out until late in the afternoon of the next day, does not let anyone kill their vibe, seeing their escape in a person, the echo of your own steps on a tile floor, the sensation of being the only one left, a way that seems to have no end.

Eönwë  —  intimidating, has a soft side but only a few people see it, loves the forest, natural beauty, combat boots, deep thinker, false formality, a chord of music that breaks the silence, clouds rolling in, doesn't get angry but instead just fucking glares at you until you crumble, loves thunderstorms, mind like caverns, hands like stone, to hold or to hurt, heavy irises, earthquake tempers, unrequited love, soft voice, they know you whether you know them or not, lingering touches, people watching, the smell of old books and rain, faint music in the distance, won't let others break their friend's hearts, clearing their throat as a type of warning, moral righteousness, faith in humanity, towering buildings.

Mairon  —  sarcastic comments with a smile, glares that could kill, speaking in such a pretentious way that no one even understands you, obsession over studies, being a good person but getting corrupted, setting fire to the city, eyes like flames, heeled boots, soft aching hands buried in messy hair, ancient ruins, cups of tea gone cold, flawless eyeliner, impulsive decisions, false pretences, sickly sweet smiles, daunting realisations, masquerade masks, too stubborn to admit their regrets, waking up from a nightmare, hands cold to the bone, chest pains, the sharp cold of winter, rotting apples, dark circles under the eyes from not sleeping for days, hands stripped from over-washing.

So! Still trying to work out my masterlist and first few posts I have pre-written. In the meantime, please enjoy this messy aesthetic thingy.

[asianbutnotjapanese]

✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

For: @feast-of-horns

Day 5: New alliances | New companions

Warings: none

Summary: Melkor reaps what he sows

✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

"I do not understand how chasing someone is fun"

"Fun is not the right word queen Miriel thrill is what you must use"

Melkor's facial expression gave a malicious look Miriel could see a glimpse of longing in his eyes.

"Doing whatever you want to do with your prey is thrilling-....I am sure your face being flattened on the mud by Tulkas was a thrill too"

Mandos' whisper reached the ears of Miriel and Melkor.

Melkor eyed him with distaste and turned his face away from him.

"He was not following the rules"

Melkor gently pulled on the chains that bound him.

"You should not be the one talking about not following the rules"

Miriel, who saw Namo and Melkor quarrelling before never got tired of it, you learn new things when you witness angry people biting eachother.

"I want to participate in this hunt"

Miriel had to interrupt before their quarrel grew bigger and Mandos's maiar sent Melkor to one of the corners of the hall "to preserve what remains of his dignity" as one maia said before.

“The dead do not play with the living, Therinde”

The chains that were choking Melkor loosened as Mandos looked away from him to Miriel.

“But I did “play” with the living before and you allowed it”

“Curufinwe will be weaken-"

"My Feanaro is strong”

Taking a few steps closer to the throne Miriel interrupted him before he could finish.

“He will live until I say otherwise and you know this so you better not forget about it”

Her words sparked astonishment in Melkor's heart.

“Maybe you should let her out for this time Namo, I'm sure Miriel will be a good girl and won't wander away from the forest”

Melkor's eyes shone brighter than aule’s fire.

"And you can use part of me this time"

He raised his hand a thin thread emerged from his palm.

“This way neither Varie nor Manwe will suspect anything and you should remember they can feel when there is something wrong"

Miriel gave Melkor a dark look but didn't say anything.

"If you try anything, I will make sure your miserable existence becomes even more unbearable”

Namo warned Melkor.

Melkor's face contorted into a disparaging smile, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"You wound me, lord of the dead"

He bowed his head in mock submission.

"You have my word,”

"And who will you hunt down your majesty?"

Melkor turned his face to Miriel who already started sewing her divided spirit together with Melkor's soul

"My sister-wife"

✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

[silmarillion-dnd]

Elvers:

Masterlist

Eldar:

Vanyar:

About: The Vanyar are the smallest host of Eldar, and were all blessed by Manwe who gave them gifts of poetry and song. All Vanyar have + 2 when using their voice, for singing or convincing others and advantage on Intelligence. They prefer to fight with spears and have white banners in battle. They are residents of Oiolossë and Valimar. They speak Sindarin (common) and Quenya (the Vanyar dialect). If they were born in Valinor they glow in the dark meaning enemies might spot them.

Description: The Vanyar all have golden hair.

Noldor:

About: The Noldor is the second host of the Eldar. Noldor means those who know, showing their thirst for knowledge. They are known for being the most skillful of the Eldar hosts and were loved by Aule, whom they learned from. Their most known skills include developing their language, building castles and towns, gem cutting, and smithing. They are also infamously known as being the proudest of the Elvers. They have advantage in Intelligence and Wisdom. As a Noldor you can be devoted to any of the Valar except Namo. They favor swords and shields above other weapons. They are residents of Tirion, Formenos, Nevrast, Hithlum, Gondolin, Nargothrond, Dorhonion, All East Beleriand, and Lindon (all over Beleriand these are just the most known of). They speak Sindarin (common) and Quenya. If they were born in Valinor they glow in the dark meaning enemies might spot them.

Description: The Noldor are known for their black (dark) and a few times red hair, and grey eyes. They are about 7 feet tall.

Teleri:

About: The Teleri is the third and largest host of the Eldar who moved to Valinor. They are known for their fair voices, which they were once named after. They have advantage in Intelligence and Charisma. They are residents of Alqualondë, Isle of Balar, Ossiriand, Doriath, Tol Eressëa, and Mithlond. They speak Sindarin (common), Quenya, Telerin, and Nandorin. If they were born in Valinor they glow in the dark meaning enemies might spot them.

Description: They are known for their mostly silver, and at times dark, hair, and some were said to have skin so pale it was described as white.

Falmari (Sub-Race of the Teleri): The Falmari were the Teleri who took the Great Journey into Beleriand and reached Valinor, and are known for their ships. They are residents of Alqualondë and Tol Eressëa. They speak Sindarin (common), Quenya, and Telerin.

Sindar (Sub-Race of the Teleri): The Sindar, also known as the grey Elvers are good singers, woodsmen, and shipbuilders. Their hair is usually dark. They are residents in Doriath, the Falas, and Nan Elmoth (all over Beleriand these are just the most known of). They speak Sindarin (common).

Nandor (Sub-Race of the Teleri): The Nandor is the Teleri who turned aside from the Great Journey to the Misty Mountains, they are described as having white skin, and dark or brown hair, and are great lovers of nature and animals in the dark and deep forests, and are a very secretive folk. They are called green Elvers. They are farmers out from their name Nandor which means farmer. They are residents of Lothlórien, as the first people there, Greenwood the Great (although that´s first mentioned in the second age, they where the first residents there so they probably where there in the first age too), Belfalas, Ithilien, might have been the first there, and Ethir Anduin, as the first people there. They speak Sindarin (common), Silvan Elvish, and Nandorin (their own language). If you play as a Nandor you automatically have an Elven Cloak (a cloak that can blend into any form of environment and gives you +3 on stealth).

Silvan (Sub-Race of the Nando): Silvan, also known as wood Elvers, are rivals to Dwarves, and descending of the Nandor who choose to live in the Vales of Anduin. They are residents of Lothlórien, Ithilien, Edhellond, Greenwood the Great, and Belfalas. They speak Sindarin (common) and Silvan Elvish (their own langue). If you play as a Silvan you automatically have an Elven Cloak (a cloak that can blend into any form of environment and gives you +3 on stealth).

Avari (Moriquendi): 

About: The Avari, or unwilling according to the Vanyar and Noldor, where the Elvers who refused to take the great journey. Some of them are said to know dark magic (following the letters and drafts it´s either song or rune magic (you can choose only one if playing an Avari)) and others where said to be corrupted by Morgoth or having turned savage in the wild, and their biggest rivals are said to be the Eldar. What is known about them is that they lived in tribes with unique and private cultures and rituals, some big others small, consisting of usually family, although only six tribes are mentioned; Kindi, Cuind, Hwenti, Windan, Kinn-lai, Penni. They are residents of Eriador, Rhûn, Taur-Im-Duinath, and the Vales of Anduin. They speak Sindarin (common) and various Avarin languages (their own languages).

Description: Nothing is said about how they look.

Pros: They have advantage in Dexterity, Constitution,  history, and arcane rolls. They have darkvision and can´t get sick, they are also immune to the spell sickness unless it´s a powerful Ainur who cast it.Cons: A lot of other races can be hostile against them, they are also hostile to each other, and a lot of the time won't want to make alliances. Elvers are also all stubborn, and usually convinced they are the only ones who are right. All Elvers take a quarter more damage in psychic attacks than other races.

[hirazuki]

Sauron 🔥🔥

Haha, oh dear XD I hope an essay is what you were looking for!

I feel like most of my opinions on Sauron are unpopular in varying degrees with one part of the fandom or another lol, but let's go with one that, until very recently, I legit thought was pretty universally accepted as canon-established fact (but is, apparently, unpopular):

Sauron's relationship with Melkor -- regardless of how one prefers to interpret the exact nature of that relationship in the course of their fandom-ing -- is not abusive! :D

There is much about Sauron that we don't know, especially his early days, but one of the very few things Tolkien is explicit on is that Sauron's service to Melkor was due to awe and respect, and was the culmination and product of what remained of his "good" nature as a Maia; and not out of fear.

It was the apparent will and power of Melkor to effect his designs quickly and masterfully that had first attracted Sauron to him. (Morgoth's Ring, p. 396)

Sauron did not seek his own supremacy, but worked and schemed for another, desiring the triumph of Melkor, whom in the beginning he had adored. (Morgoth's Ring, p. 420)

I'm too tired right now to look up every instance across, like, four different books, but the words that keep being repeated with regards to how Sauron views Melkor are admiration, desire, adoration, etc. and linking it to his lingering goodness.

I suppose you can read the "in the beginning he had adored" part as Sauron losing his love for Melkor due to Melkor's treatment of him, but, really, there is absolutely no evidence towards that. Given the passage the line is in and that Tolkien is discussing the motives of his villains, I read it more as Sauron's adoration fading from its initial intensity due to his distance from Melkor after the First Age and due to his increasing focus on himself and the ordering of Middle Earth in the Second Age; and once the one ring comes into play, Sauron's mind is pretty much consumed by that obsession.

On the other hand, the only times I can think of where the opposite is implied are: 1. Luthien threatening him that he'll tremble in scorn before Melkor (Silmarillion, p. 206); and "for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong." (Silmarillion, p. 342). Both of which can be considered to be outside perspectives -- Luthien, obviously, knows nothing about their relationship, and assuming that Melkor's cruelty would be inflicted upon his servant for failure is reasonable from her POV; and that second line is in a passage that carries an overall tone of "some hold so-and-so to be true," so not as seemingly omniscient as other parts of the Silm come across as. Also "bonds" is fairly vague; I don't think it's a stretch to consider that as either simply something that exists between any Vala and their Maiar -- they are beholden in some way to their service -- or even just the bonds of loyalty and adoration that Sauron developed towards Melkor.

Obviously, I don't think their relationship was all sunshine and sparkles; no relationship of any kind is. And it's true that the more favored you are, the farther you have to fall personal experience ✌️ I do think this is a fear that Sauron legitimately could have had -- one can conceive all sorts of reasons, from seeing how Melkor treats his other servants to residual feelings Sauron experienced in his days with Aule, but that goes way into headcanon territory and I'm trying to stay away from that here -- hence why Luthien playing on it was so effective. But -- and I haven't read every text available; yet! -- nowhere that I have seen so far does the text ever use words like fear, loathing, etc. the way it does when describing how, say, Orcs feel towards Melkor, to describe Sauron's relationship with him. Those words were available to Tolkien; if he had wanted to use them, he would have!

I've also seen people cite Sauron's absence after the incident at Tol-in-Guarhoth as evidence that he is terrified of Melkor and Melkor was abusive to him, hence he avoided him. Sure; you can take his absence in the text literally, and consider him MIA until he resurfaces in Eonwe's camp at the end of the War of Wrath. That's a valid interpretation, and you can choose to ascribe that absence to Sauron's fear of Melkor. But, again, there is no instance in which Melkor so much as punishes him, and also there's this bit:

In all the deeds of Melkor the Morgoth upon Arda, in his vast works and in the deceits of his cunning, Sauron had a part, and was only less evil than his master in that for long he served another and not himself. (Silmarillion, p. 24) [emphasis mine]

So, yes, Sauron isn't mentioned by name in any events subsequent to Huan tearing his throat out; but also, you can absolutely interpret him as having gone back and continued under Melkor until the end of the War since the text clearly states that he had a hand in every single deed. That is also a valid interpretation! Tolkien's omission on the matter can be taken either way.

And since I've been absurdly long-winded already (here's a cookie if you're still with me! 🍪), let's just make this even longer and look at the other side of the relationship :D

Angband was a fortress and armory that was created "to resist any assault that might come from Aman" (i.e., first and arguably most important line of defense) and it was left to Sauron to command. (Silmarillion, p. 44)

Melkor thought that the coming of Men to Beleriand was significant enough an occurrence to warrant his personal attention on the field, "leaving to Sauron the command of the War." (Silmarillion, p. 164)

Sauron was "the greatest and most trusted" of Melkor's servants. (Silmarillion, p. 341)

Concerning the making of Orcs, "The details of the accomplishment of this wickedness were, however, left mainly to the subtleties of Sauron." (Morgoth's Ring, p. 420)

Sauron repaired Angband in secret "for the help of his Master when he returned." (Morgoth's Ring, p. 421)

Also, Sauron's only thought upon beholding Luthien -- and the text makes special note that the fame of Luthien's unparalleled beauty and song had long been known to him -- is to capture her to give to Melkor (Silmarillion, p. 205). Leaving aside the details of why Melkor would want her (I can't remember if this is mostly-canon or if it's my own headcanon-extrapolated-from-canon, and I'm too lazy to look it up), what's important here is that he is literally the only character who is not taken with her or doesn't act upon some kind of desire towards her. No thoughts, head empty, only Melkor.

As we all know -- and struggle with and/or revel in, depending on the day -- there are a great many inconsistencies and differing versions of almost everything among Tolkien's writings; which only serves to highlight the exceptions! This -- the little we know of Sauron's relationship with Melkor -- is one of the exceptions, where literally everything I've come across suggests a relationship that is surprising in its... benevolence? almost, especially given how each party tends to treat others. It's rare for a villainous superior/trusted second-in-command relationship to not incorporate some type of plotting, backstabbing, seeking to overthrow, etc., or some kind of lashing out on the part of the more powerful party towards their subordinate. And especially set in Tolkien's world, which is very much a mythology constructed of opposing forces such as Good and Evil, it's unexpected! A complete oddity, contrary to what stories such as this would lead us to expect -- and all the more compelling for it! And, for the life of me, I can't understand why anyone would insist it is toxic and abusive instead -- such a take is terribly reductive and does huge disservice to the crafting of both characters involved.

To be clear, idc what people do in their fanfics, fanart, etc. It's your enjoyment, your headcanons, it's free real estate, go wild! No one can stop you! My issue is that I've recently seen an increasing amount of insistence that reading it as abusive is the canon interpretation and, no? And I do have to wonder how much a certain final episode of a certain show has to do with that, because "a great, clenched fist had released its grasp on my neck" is just. nowhere near how Tolkien characterizes this relationship and I mourn the fact that, given the far-reaching, multi-million dollar production that it is, this will be the "official" read of this relationship for a great deal of the general public.

(And, if you've made it to the end, here: 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪 all the cookies!)

[thelien-art]

HOUSE OF FINWE

Headcannons for Maglor, Caranthir, Amrod&Amras, Fingolfin, Gil-Galad, Turgon, Eärendil Elros&Elrond, Aredhel, Eöl, Maeglin, Finafin, Finrod, Angrod, Aegnor, Galadriel, Celebrían, Elladan&Elrohir below

Maglor:

Maglor manipulates his way through Valinor and kept doing it in Beleriand both in songs and way of words and knowing when to keep away. He also tears his eyes out in a moment of insanity after he hears about Celebrimbor's death which he founds out at the end of the second age when Elrond finds him (he wasn´t close enough to stop him) to take him home, right before Gil-Galad´s death.

Caranthir:

Caranthir is autistic and loves working with textiles of any kind and he will go on for hours without end about it, he also knows the laws a bit too well to find loopholes. taxfraud (I also headcannon him as being Erector's dad but didn´t add it here)

Amrod & Amras:

Amraod was on the ships when Feanor burned them and he lost most of his left face, his body was heavily scarred and the worst was on the left side, he also lost two fingers and when Maedhros comes back from Angband he keeps making fun of it telling him they could borrow each other's hands, he did lose his ability to speak but Caranthir designed sign langue for him and Amras translated to others. Amrod was always more of a scholar and enjoyed beauty quite a lot, he would sometimes join Amras and Celegorm on hunts. Amras was the more outspoken of the twins and usually spoke for Amrod outside of court and after the burning of the ships he became Amrod voice as Amrod followed him no matter what and even insisted on sharing a bed (Amras didn´t mind they´ve always shared a bedroom and when they were smaller bed)

Fingolfin:

I like to think he's all for jewels but only when he has something to do, when he's home or something like that he wears the simplest and most comfortable available, but when he has somewhere to be or do, he goes crazy on the jewels, also he´s an introvert.

Gil-Galad:

He used to straighten his hair for a long time when he first came to power and only really stopped in the few years before his death because of Elrond.

Turgon:

Turgon is autistic. I mean look at his action and think about it, also loves architecture.

Eärendil:

I don´t think Eärendil and Elwing ever really loved each other, they were good childhood friends but when they got married it was more of a chore. It was only later, long into the third age, that they began having romantic feelings for each other. Later when he has sailed with the Silmaril for a lot of years he turns blind and his forehead is always heavily burnt and sometimes there´s blood in his hair

Elros & Elrond:

Elros and Elrond got their eyes from Turgon and the reason they´re so light is 1. the Silmaril 2. the Maia part, also keeps Elros away from scissors it took Elrond years to convince him to grow 1/4 of his hair long after Maedhros gave him permission to wear his hair whoever he wants (later when he becomes king, he makes a habit of covering his hair).

Aredhel:

She wears white because her mom usually wears either light colors or white. She and Eöl love each other very much they just understand the world in two different ways which sometimes makes them quarrel.

Eöl:

I headcannon Eöl as a Maia of Aule who joined Melkor but left. His hair is purple and so is Maeglin´s, although he kept dyeing Maeglin´s hair to hide the real color for everyone. Maeglin never really relies it's unnatural color and just thinks some Avarins hair has that color and Aredhel just believes it turned purple because of Melian, she and Thingol know Eöl is a Maia, she also joins for tea sometimes. The tattoo symbol on Eöl´s forehead is picked up from dwarves (it stands for protection) nobody ever realizes Eöl is a Maia except when Fingon joins Aredhel to try and find him when they have been reborn. Aredhel says they should check the halls of Aule as he´s a smith and when they arrive Fingon finds a Maia if he has seen an Avarin named Eöl, Eöl (the Maia Fingon asked) doesn't have the time to explain before Aredhel crashes him in a hug. Also, he´s dyeing his hair to make it look like northern light which he really likes (Melkor made it and gave a jar with it to Eöl who now has it in his office or something)

Maeglin:

Maeglin always saw himself as part of Eöl´s house and never really Fingolfin´s, although he does end up staying with his grandad until they find his dad, Eöl didn´t know he was back as Maeglin decided to stay a long time in Mandos and Namo ended up telling Eöl to stop coming and that Maeglin wasn't ever coming out (BIG MISUNDERSTANDING HAPPENS)

Finarfin:

Finarfin has bangs because he has a little scar on his forehead from an accident when he was smaller. He always wanted kingship which was the main reason for him staying behind.

Finrod:

He will go to sleep in his jewels. He also wishes for kingship like his dad, although he might be a bit better at hiding it and making people do as he wants (he´s a snake and I love him)

Angrod:

No, I didn´t add his wife because I didn´t know how to make space for her. His always there to listen or help his brother (Aegnor).

Aegnor:

He´s always had depressive tendencies but when they arrived at Beleriand it kicked hard and the fact that Angrod has a wife while Finrod kept telling him to stay away from Andreth didn´t help.

Galadriel:

Galadriel wants power and she will do anything to get her way. Tolkien makes it known that she´s prideful and "too wild" for the Valar´s liking many times. Although she might be even better than Finrod hiding her lust for power as she´s less reckless.

Celebrían:

Celebrían colors her hair in honor of her father's culture.

Elladan Elrohir:

Elladan has a tattoo of a blue branch on his right chin and Elrohir on his left.

-

I'm gonna this again and when I do it's gonna look way more professional than that sketch on sketch thing I made there

I just found out tumblr has a tag limit... (it´s 30)

[rei-caldombra]

Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic Anime Episodes 4-9 Review - Rose is a 10/10.

Back for another post about Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic anime, covering episodes 4-9. I’m still loving this show and wanna talk about it more without waiting until the end. Spoiler warning. I edited the image used for the thumbnail, feel free to use it fellow Rose simps. 

The greatness in episode 8 and 9 is the main reason I am writing a new post now and will be the bulk of the post, but I’ll talk a bit about the earlier episodes. Watching the three main characters slowly grow and come into their own has been nice to watch. I still enjoy seeing them have slightly different outlooks while still connecting on the basis of the crazy situation they were thrust in. They all needed different amounts of time and experiences to process things and make up their mind. Hopefully we will get some more great stuff from seeing them be together again for the big battle. We got some solid new characters

I didn’t mention how I feel about the OP in the first post, I think it’s really great. The music really gets you hyped. The art is great, everyone looks awesome and has very detailed and expressive looks. I don’t have too much to say about the ED, it’s fine but nothing notable to me. It does remind you of the life Suzu had before coming here, which at least gives some relevant purpose to the visuals. 

A minor gripe is that as of now I really don’t see the purpose of the future vision that Usato was shown. I don’t really feel like it changed his way of thinking or his actions. I did not feel like he was especially cocky or not taking the situation seriously, and he already had Rose instilling in him (and us as the viewer) that war is terrible and that he will be responsible for keeping people alive. Maybe there will be more to it later but I do not think this did anything for me as of now. It may have just had the purpose to drive up tension but I do not think forcing it with something dramatic like this was needed. 

Now onto the highlight of the middle section of the anime, episodes 8 and 9 which cover Rose’s backstory. Hearing my favorite voice actress Konomi Kohara in episode 8 was a welcome surprise. Her voice for Aul is probably the hardest to recognize out of anything I've heard from her as the tone is very different. I immediately thought about it upon hearing her talk but was not certain until her crying when she got punched convinced me. I’d know her yelling and crying noises anywhere. Kohara excels at bringing cute, cheerful energy that immediately makes you endear for the character. 

I think the time we got with Rose’s original squad was well done. It gave us enough time to let us feel the bond, but not so long that we felt we were wasting time with characters we knew would be dying. Aul is the only one who gets proper focus, but for the purpose of the unit focus on all of them was not needed. We also did get a nice moment that helped us feel that the other members were all people with names and lives. The scene where Rose talks to the parents of Josh hits hard and got me genuinely emotional. It's great for the world to have the events of that fight have an impact on more than just Rose. Hearing such a positive spin on the death of a soldier really hit hard. I hope most parents of fallen soldiers can reach the point of healthy acceptance that these two did. This scene both helps Rose and for the point of this blurb, reminds us that even though the other members like Josh did not get focus, they have some more substance than just extra soldiers. 

A criticism I have seen levied was that it took too long to get the war content that it’s been building up to. It did take quite a while to get some proper action, but the action delivers. It is by no means at the top level of anime action that we have gotten in recent times, but it is good. The art is pretty great while being fun and engaging, with one of the best moments of the show being her chucking trees. There was solid pacing too, with the action not being stopped for too long by exposition. I enjoyed this fight and hope the upcoming fights are up to its caliber at least. 

I really appreciate the show bringing up how losing her eye in the battle made a big difference in the moment. A pet peeve of mine is how often shows degrade the impact and weight of a character losing an eye. Most of the time they just keep fighting the same as normal or acclimate way too fast. I love her mentioning specifically that her depth perception is off because of losing her eye. In a proper battle that would make a massive difference. And while losing an eye only takes away about 30% of your vision, that could also mean the difference between life and death when you have arrows and magical blasts aimed at you. Characters barely changing from losing an eye sabotages dramatic weight and breaks my immersion in combat. I appreciate that this show gave her losing her eye the gravity it deserves in the moment even if it was just a bit of dialogue. Just the proper acknowledgement of the issues losing an eye brings means a lot to me. 

The battle ending with the demon commander being saved is also an interesting one. They’re clearly setting up here that the demons are not meant to just be evil adversaries. It also shows the strength of Rose’s character by not having her fall into a blind rage and completely flipping as a character. Even after seeing her friends be killed, she still saw the meaning in her adversary wanting to save someone dying on the battlefield. This hits Rose at the core of who she is. Both humans and demons have people they care about and want to save. Up to this point I honestly didn’t have anything to say about the demons as they seemed like your standard demonic adversaries, but this makes me feel positive that we will get solid substance from them.

I think Rose’s fall into depression and recovery is well done. I like how we got a variety of her thoughts rather than jumping straight to a strong reaction. She did contemplate suicide, but she is engaging in self-punishment and doesn’t believe she has the right to die. But what should she do with this life? She thought about going on a demon murder rampage and getting revenge, but she already recognized that is not the right thing to do. She spent over a month stuck in her depression rather than going back so we can infer she considered quitting altogether. Another great aspect of Rose’s emotional side of things is how she gave herself the pep talk based on her memories, rather than getting a stereotypical pep talk from someone else. It’s important to show how support from others is important for emotional processing, but getting over every emotional hump doesn’t come from someone telling you how great you are, and sometimes you do need to work through things yourself internally. The king and other knight checking up on her likely helped but this is clearly not written the same as a pep talk. Sometimes people can work through things on their own with enough time to process. And this isn’t from negative behavior like her not accepting help or having a bloated ego. The problem was all internal and there is no way anyone else could have properly related to her as no one else has the capabilities she does. I love that it took a long time for her to reach this. It’s important to note how long it takes to cope with your emotions. And to return to the pep talk point, sometimes those pep talks that make a person’s emotional state do a complete 180 make it seem like overcoming bad emotions is easy. I really like her growth comes from her thinking about their lives rather than about their deaths. It’s obvious that after a horrific event like she experienced, she would hyperfixate on their deaths. She already had the answer as Aul was dying, that she should not hate herself and to continue being the strong and kind person she is. 

She was also told by Josh's parents that she should not be ashamed of herself and what she has done. But the severity of the moment muted the positive impact of those words. When she is able to think about what came before that terrible event, she realizes the proper way to think. By remembering what her squad said while they were alive, she was able to put her own life into perspective and find a goal. Knowing everything that happens, it feels like a logical conclusion for Rose to focus entirely on saving lives. As a character within the archetype of the tough brutal teacher, Rose feels far above the rest as a dynamic and fleshed out character who does not exist just to be hated. She does the usual drill sergeant type of thing while having proper motivation and emotional reasoning behind it. She’s not brutal just so the main character has to struggle, she is brutal because of her backstory that stands entirely on its own. Rose really is a fantastic character by all metrics and she alone makes this show worth the watch. 

This show continues to have great characters and excellent execution. We did have to wait a little too long for some great action with overall slow pacing, but it was still enjoyable, and I see some value in the slow buildup. The buildup was very successful for Rose’s side of things, so I feel confident that the buildup will have been worth it for Usato’s side as well. Hopefully this anime will continue on strong through to its conclusion. Thanks for reading!

[eri-pl]

If you were a Maia — results

So, who would you want to work for?

First: it turns out that I haven't explained the doublepoll idea clearly. About 50 people (estimate) picked one Vala from each poll instead of picking a Vala from one and voting "the other poll" on the other, as was my intention.

Second: nobody wants to be a Maia of tulkas or Nessa, despite the free alcohol.

Third: Most polls about anything positive (but not about looks) are dominated by Ulmo, Nienna, Aule and Namo. Ulmo does a lot of things, Nienna is the one who taught Gandalf, Aule made the Dwarves and sort of taught Feanor… but I wonder what made Namo so popular. Best fanart? (Not counting mot-a-Vala guy) best lines? (of all the Valar)

I should make a "why do you like Namo" poll.

Compared to other polls:

The Big 4 (Ulmo, Nienna, aule and Namo, who pop up on most of the polls) are most liked and roughly most wanted as employer.

Irmo, Vaire and Varda are more preferred as employers than liked. I guess many of us do textile crafts; and stars and dreams are generally fascinating to work with. In contrast, Orome is well liked but not seen as a good job opportunity (I guess all the monsterhunting isn't that fun). More of you would work for Melkor than for Orome.

No correlation between good looks and being a good employer.

Votes:

Nienna: 18 votes.

Ulmo: 17 votes.

Aule: 14 votes.

Irmo (Lorien): 14 votes.

Namo (Mandos): 14 votes.

Vaire: 13 votes.

Yavanna: 12 votes.

Varda: 11 votes.

Este: 7 votes.

Melkor: 6 votes.

Manwe: 4 votes. (less than his brother)

Orome: 3 votes.

Vana: 1 votes.

I would start my own political party: 10 votes.

I can't imagine being a Maia: 2 votes.

[rosetheocto]

🐙 Super Cool Intro Post 🐙

Hello!! You can call me Rose! I’m a giant nerd over a lot of things that only like 10 people know about! I’m also a self taught artist! (that barely posts art)

Dunno where exactly on the Aro/Ace spectrum I’m at, but it’s definitely somewhere!

I have Autism, ADHD, OCD, and probably some other kinds of anxiety disorders with a bit of other mental health issues mixed in!

She/Her, I’m a minor!

Feel free to send me asks about anything!! I’m more than happy to have an excuse to yell about my interests, headcanons, and AUs!

Watch me and a group of nerds play Miitopia!

‼️ Please immediately tell me when I do something wrong!! I have good intentions, but I’m also not the smartest person out there! I tend to be unaware and forgetful at times, so I may not realize right away when I say/do/support something really stupid!! ‼️

Interests, DNI’s, and Some Other Things under the cut :]

Some Stuff I Like!! :0

Failboat (more specifically, Failboat’s Miitopia series, commonly shortened to “Failtopia”)

Splatoon

ChipDoesThis (I’m actually a moderator on his livestreams!) + The Chip Cinematic Universe (a Fanfic Thing made by me and other members of Chip’s unofficial discord!)

Eeveelution Squad (Webcomic by EV-Zero)

Among Us + Among Us Logic (I don’t support GT/Newscape nowadays, but AUL always has a special place in my heart)

Spooky Month

The Henry Stickmin Collection

My Little Pony (both FIM/G4 and ANG/G5)

Pokémon (but almost exclusively Gen 6/Kalos, love those lil dudes)

That’s far from all of them, but those are some of the main ones rn! (i have a ton of interests)

Obligatory DNI List

Basic criteria (homophobic, transphobic, aphobic, ableist, racist, MAP/pedo, antisemitic/islamophobic/anything similar, pretty much just “don’t talk to me if you suck”)

Supporting any kind of genocide or mass murder/imprisonment of a group of innocent people. (this should be obvious. Not gonna get too political but we can all agree stuff like that is very messed up right?)

Support ships with pedophilia, incest, and other things of that nature. (i just simply don’t like that kind of content, and i do think can affect reality.)

NSFW accounts (i am a minor, self explanatory)

NFT supporters + Most AI Art/Writing/Voice Acting supporters (really depends on context for me, but a lot of the time it just takes away from actual creators)

Treating real people like fictional characters (giving real people “headcanons”, shipping real people, etc. especially when they have said in the past that they are uncomfortable with it)

Some Other Things

I use tone indicators! And I’d appreciate it if people use them with me! (If that for some reason is something you don’t like then uh, idk do what you want lol)

I’m a multishipper!! (I love shipping. I love shipping sm. Especially Failtopia ships, for some reason)

I occasionally reblog FNF and Steven Universe stuff! (I know how some people feel about those fandoms, so I’m putting this out there!)

I am critical of media I like! (I promise I genuinely love the stuff I criticize most of the time, but being a hater can be fun lmaoo)

I may sometimes reblog donation asks! (I’m not gonna flood my blog with them, but expect a few to pop up)

The Tags!!

Rose’s Super Epic and Cool Art (art tag)

Ask the Octo (ask tag)

Chip Server Shenanigans (unofficial chipdoesthis discord tag)

Chiptopia/CCUtopia + Chip Cinematic Universe (chip server’s miitopia lets play + silly au/fanfic thing tags)

(Last edited October 24th, 2024)

[lightdancer1]

My takes on Melian and Luthien:

And ultimately Arwen, though this will get a second and a longer post.

I do think that there is a legitimate grounds in a modern audience reading Melian enchanting Elu Thingol into a trance for 200 years as something that would seem dodgy to us, though not necessarily to the same degrees in-universe.......though even then I tend to treat Melian as essentially the good mirror to Sauron and Saruman. They are all Maiar who took forms of flesh and became rulers within the world and I see Melian as essentially a close kin to Thuringwethil and a Maia whose power relies in what TV Tropes calls 'the Sacred Darkness.' Shadows are her strength and she embodies what the Dark and Night are meant to be without Morgoth's Old Night instilling fear.

In a relative 'power' ranking there's Ilmare-Eonwe-Mairon, all in equal power in different ways, Ilmare representing the light of the Maiar and of the stars and of the sacred aspects of Maiar power, Eonwe as the equivalent of the Archangel Gabriel and the messenger and empowered with the glory.....and Mairon as ultimately the great shapeshifter and the greatest mage, which is the snare Morgoth sets and why as that power grows Mairon in the Second and Third Age is relatively rather more powerful than Morgoth and ultimately the much greater danger.

Melian is the other great mage among the Ainur and it works in a very Aule-Melkor dualism. What Sauron does from pride and arrogance she does from love, and her relationship with Thingol is in no small part an aspect of where she has a very eldritch factor befitting how I portray the Ainur. Tolkien refers to them at times taking 'forms of their own thought, visible in majesty and in dread.' Melian is the singular case of an Ainu who takes shape akin to mortals and becomes very deeply interwoven with it, though as she is not Fallen she retains rather more of her power than her Fallen kin tend to and works within spheres rather than seeking dominion over them and in working within them has a tremendous amount of power that does not fade, but remains consistent.

So why does this matter? Because while the enchantment does have its aspects that make both Eldar and other Ainur uneasy, it works within the world and within the broader plan rather than against it. Elu Thingol is not an ensorceled figure, he has both free will (as is shown by his repeatedly both failing to consult his wife and ignoring her when he does) and he's open about the reality that if it was a mirror to what happened with Eol and Aredhel that he would have left as she did. It is a gesture, ultimately, of love and I tend to see Thingol as teaching Melian as much as she does him, and her students like Galadriel.

He teaches her of emotions and things that as an Ainu made manifest she does not entirely understand, and knowing what these things are and how they work in forms of flesh is a way that things become equal (and ultimately showing Thingol in both hypocrisy and growth as for all that he teaches things in the abstract applying them to himself in his own ways does not work out so well especially when it's foresight).

Luthien in turn, as the first of the Peredhil, has a specific gift with her song that it is a small portion, uncaged, of the Music of the Ainur. It is how she can sing Morgoth into a nap, and how she can cast down Sauron's fortress, and how she sings Mandos and Eru into restoring to her Beren's soul. And it is this that accounts for my particular take on Beren and Luthien and what makes Beren a soul worthy for Luthien to accept her fate. With her glimpse of the Song she has some inkling of what fate holds and as a mirror to my take on things with Arwen she balks at it for much of her life......and she lives in a gilded cage where her mother is beloved and she is seen as much as a prettier Wilbur Whateley as someone worthier of admiration.

Beautiful, yes, in an in-universe 'too beautiful and flawless' fashion. Her singing as a small portion of creation has a haunting effect that leaves strange impressions on those who see her. Melian might have her eldritch factors but everyone knows she's a Maia and while theory and practice differ in dealing with it they also know a Maia will be weird by Eldar standards.

And in this regard she is also very lonely as while others might be smitten with her she can see that they are smitten with the idea and exposure to the actual person curdles that. Enter Beren Erchamion, who sees all the weirdness and loves her unconditionally from the first, and is willing to venture into the belly of Hell for her without being deterred by all the things that chase away others.

And so when the choice comes round at last, it is not some great burden or what she expected of it, for while she and Artanis to a point can see the future they see it as through a mirror darkly, seeing events but not always their context and seldom with ideas of what it's like to actually live the visions until they're there.

[novemberthecatadmirer]

@saurons-pr-department​ @shrikeseams​

That’s a brilliant idea now you have given me some stupid cracky thoughts

(Making a new post because length) 

(I hope these all are not offensive! Also apology for not being able to write well)

…You know it can be arranged if we be VERY shameless and crumble Canon into a ball

and treat the Aman part of the Akallabeth as not-entirely-reliable history patched up by Elendil based on limited sources

When Ar-Pharazon’s troops sailed, Noldor got warned by the Valar; of course they evacuated this time. They learned their lesson

Tirion was a LARGE city! It took time to evacuate and it took time to hide the trace

And it took time to set up all the traps

We don’t know how far exactly was Tirion from the shore? It took 1 Valinor year for Noldor to reach Alqualonde; that’s like 9 sun years but they were mostly civilians not experienced for long distance travel and they were marching in the dark.

It did not seem to take long for Earendil to reach there from the shore. However everything about Earendil reaching Valinor was so tricky, maybe the Valar intentionally made the road shorter for him and Elwing

The Valar had no intention to make the road shorter for Ar-Pharazon’s troops

Let’s say it took at least a few months?

Did Ar-Pharazon even have a Valinor map?

Maeglin jumped out of nowhere: Hi there I can show you the way to this white city filled with wonder and wealth if you let me be a lord and marry my beautiful princess cousin

Ar-Pharazon: Obviously that’s a very convincing reason to turn traitor That’s a man of culture

Maeglin took them into the mountains avoiding all the small elf settlements along the way

They did not notice they were walking in circles because Aule subtly changed the landscapes from time to time and many trees in Valinor could move on their own

Sometimes some of their soldiers just disappeared and never be seen again.

Bad for morale, but people assumed those just fled because most of them were slaves

Food poisoning further delaying their march

“I’m awfully sorry I did not know those fruits and mushrooms are poisonous to mortal men” (He knew)

Meanwhile back at shore, elves ambushed the ships they left behind

Noldor: …It feels awful to say this brings up memories

Teleri: It’s not stealing they abandoned all those pretty ships behind it’s just aggressive adoption we will treat those poor babies as our own

Sindar: You know what I definitely heard this argument before

(Meanwhile there was probably some Numenor evacuation going on)

(Tuor finally got a chance to free some slaves and fix some wrongs his descendants had done, and save those of his descendants that still wished to be saved)

(Seriously, the grandfather of your first king used to suffer as a slave then you started enslaving other people what’s wrong with Numenoreans)

After it was done Earendil sent some signals through his flying ship

“Okay we are close! Tirion is just behind that mountain. I know a good place to set up the camp.”

Ar-Pharazon made his speech to a very empty city

Under the lovely hills around Tirion there was a lovely cave complex

Earlier, House of the Mole: Yes let’s get some mining explosives to set up a trap

Sinkholes happened and trapped most of the troops

Somehow Ar-Pharazon did not fall into any of the traps which ended up with him and Maeglin wrestling at the edge of a sinkhole, trying to push each other down the edge

Maeglin: Okay this is definitely familiar at least this one does not bite

(He did not need to as king of Numenor he had a very sharp sword.)

(Elros would be VERY disappointed.)

Then a crack opened beneath them and swallowed them both

(People still argued whether it was divine intervention or the land was just being unstable after explosion. It was a little bit convenient.)

Folk of the Mole dug them out in time.

(Some of them landed quite a few kicks on Ar-Pharazon’s face in the process and ‘accidentally’ broke his arms. They argued “he’s dangerous we must disarm him first”)

Dior and others came and sang the trapped troops to sleep

Eventually everything was done

“What should we do with all the political fallout? Now we have their king and most of their troops but Sauron is still there and... do we go on to war against him?”

(Some people immediately started yelling “no that’s a terrible idea don’t start the fire again”)

“What if Sauron take this opportunity to make himself king of Numenor and get his whole control over Middle Earth. I bet he has been plotting for this result all the time.”

Then the whole world started trembling and Aman got separated away and Numenor sank and Sauron drowned

“At least Sauron got drowned that’s the silver lining?”

(Some extra-mean Maiar had secret party afterwards celebrating Sauron losing his pretty face)

I think Sauron was definitely plotting something by sending Ar-Pharazon and his strongest troops and likely the most loyal generals away to invade Aman... While he himself stayed behind. 

It was like, he knew they would fail in some way and he was expecting it and actively encouraged them to believe they had a chance

I don’t think he liked Ar-Pharazon at all... (all the “getting defeated and taken as hostage” part.) I think his plan was always to make himself king of Numenor after Ar-Pharazon got dealt with in whatever way in Aman. 

He could tell Numenoreans that now the gods view them as enemy and only he could save them all. It’s not like he had no experience taking over someone’s legacy? No shame in picking low hanging fruits

Also I feel he was using Ar-Pharazon to test the water... Like, how hard could he push the buttons. And what kind of reaction he could get. It would also be nice to potentially lure some Maiar or even Valar into hurting the Children. Would be neat to make a few Ainur fall.

(Of course, always extra fun to fuck some elves up. They should not be allowed to feel safe in Aman!)

Anyway Sauron was using the move to achieve multiple goals. (He was SMART! And COMPETANT!)

The only thing he did not expect was the Valar would call for help from Eru and there was actually an response and the response was EXTREME.

Look, I don’t believe any of the Ainur even the Valar would be able to even imagine it’s possible to turn the world into a BALL...

----------

Okay, listen to more of my stupid cracky ooc headcanon

The elves and Ainur spent a while to figure out what to do with the captured mortal men

A lot of effort was spent on figuring out what type of mindset they were on

Some of them were slaves who got promised freedom for them or their family as reward for fighting in the army

Some of them joined the army out of desperation for money.

Some of them truly believed the Valar would come to kill them all if they did not fight back (learning that their island just got sunk did not help)

Some of them had aging family members and really wanted to make their family immortal

Of course there were the awful ones came here for power and pretty elves

(Tuor tried to have a TALK with Ar-Pharazon and failed.)

Even a lot of those who came for more innocent reasons had done war crimes before

Slavery and Colonization had been very thoroughly weaved into the late Numenor society

It was a MESS

Also it was not healthy for mortal men to stay in Valinor at all

Much of the “figuring things out” part happened in Tol Eressea

Later on some little islands raised by Valar further away

Anyway

It ended up with a few mortal men settlements at the edge of the sea

Multiple islands. The troops split into multiple groups that refused to live with each other. 

Lots of therapy sessions (as best as elves or Ainur could offer, which probably was not always enough)

The awful ones were banned from leaving their island 

(The former slaves now living on the neighboring islands took shift monitoring them very carefully)

(Some water Maiar patrolled the area in case someone tried to kill someone or started to burn down houses. There were a few assassination attempts.)

Some of the worst ones including Ar-Pharazon chose to be put into sleep because PRIDE

Eventually the mortals left in Aman learned to build ships

Elven ships could not pass the border of Aman

Somehow the ships built and sailed by the mortals was able to leave (It was pure chaos when it happened for the first time)

Nobody knew how it worked. But also, nobody knew how the elven ships found their way to Aman as well. 

Most of mortals eventually left on the ship back to the mortal world.

Some of them chose to stay. Including many former slaves who only had bad memories out there; it helped with healing when you were a world away from your past nightmare.

But many of their children desired to leave when they grew up.

Also half elves happened and not everyone chose immortality.

(There was a whole world out there to explore! Life is short for mortals.)

(And the world beyond the world after they took the Gift.)

So every once in a while there would be a ship departing from those islands, going to Middle Earth and never return.

Istari reached Middle Earth on one of those ships

[fantasyinallforms]

I'd love to hear about your otps.

*Asks are sent for fun, no pressure to answer within a certain amount of time or at all.*

So forever and alwasy Bagginshield for life 1000% top of my heart forever ship. I will ship them until I go to my grave and after. It's literally in my will that I have to be burried with a copy of the LOTR and Hobbit.

Other Hobbit/LOTR/Silm ships I love

Nori/Dwalin

Fili/Ori

Sam/Frodo/Rosey

Aragorn/Farimir (I refuse to be judged) also I love this ship so much but I'm not a fan of people who use it as a way to hate on the LOTR gals.

Celebrimbor/ Narvi

Aule/Yavanna

Other fandoms I love.

Good Omens - Ineffable husbands

Hasbin hotel I'm a big Huskerdust fan and for it's sister show Hell of a Boss Ozzy/Fizzy ❤️

Merlin: I'm a big Arthur/Merlin fan

And here recently I've been loving Dungeon Meshi. Chilchuck/ Senshi and Marcille/Falin are my ships for that.