#beleriand politics

[edennill]

1st age Beleriand dashboard Simulator

🌫️ mithrim-noldo following

Yeah, Thingol kind of flew off the handle with banning Quenya and all that, but why on Arda are people now justifying the Kinslaying in response?? have some nuance and also, that's just plain horrible.

✨ btw-this-is-hopeless following

hope it's fine to copy your tags, mithrim, because they're great:

#I mean I know this is probably because they've taken part in the kinslaying themselves #but #can't you just admit you did wrong and move on? #in so far as it is possible because of course forgetting would be disrespectful and unwise #because the consequences are with us still #but it should be way more comfortable than being on your defences all the time #always ready to rationalize or deny #with a conscience you cannot silence

✴️ eightpointedstar83

I am tired of typing this out again and again but Alqualondë could have been averted had the teleri been less self-centred and readier to cooperate. Thingol is just another example of this attitude. But of course, please deny that the third clan is what it is and pin the blame on the people who saved everyone's skins.

We have done nothing wrong and yet our own people are turning on us. One day you will rue this.

Long live the house of Fëanor!

💝 heart-in-a-box

This is just the sort of behaviour OP was talking about.🤦‍♀️

🌫️ mithrim-noldo following

Admittedly, this seems to be a fanatical Fëanorian and more committed than the average apologist of his/her own actions - but yes.

#current events #thingol's quenya ban #my post

11,062 notes

🧝🏼‍♂️maglorfeanorion following

finished another canto of the noldolante today

🌖 hunters-moon

you have a tumblr account??!

🧝🏼‍♂️ maglorfeanorion following

do I know you?

🌖 hunters-moon

yes :)

🧝🏼‍♂️ maglorfeanorion following

wait - yeah, I do...

which of the twins are you?

🌖 hunters-moon

how did you know😮???

👨🏻‍🦰red-haired-twin

he looked through your blog, nitwit :)

🧝🏼‍♂️maglorfeanorion following

I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find you two out of all possible people on here...

so - which is which?

36 notes

🌸 a-flower-in-the-snow following

himring winters are horrible and I hate my parents for bringing me to middle-earth

#rant #children of exilse #i meant #children of exiles #coe

4 notes

🏞️ the-wide-earth-unexplored following

Y'all weren't joking when y'all said the Sirion is impressive...

(more photos under cut)

read more

#photography #nature photography #nature #sirion #falls of sirion

213 notes

🖼️ wonder-the-earth

is it still a secret city when everyone is talking about it?

👰🏼‍♀️ celebrin following

that's a good question

21 notes

👤 incessant-leaves following

It makes me sick to see all those positive nostalgic posts about the Mereth Aderthad. How pretty the pools of Ivrin were or weren't doesn't change the fact that THE NOLDOR WERE HIDING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE KINSLAYING THE WHOLE TIME. Yeah "everyone was kind" back then. You were feasting together with people whose cousins you had killed and have the audacity to complain they don't like you as much anymore. I don't care if you're a Sinda or a Noldo who "didn't take part in it" - if you say anything positive about it I'm blocking you.

#mereth aderthad #the truth about ivrin

159, 307 notes

💎 lord-maedhros-is-the-true-king

Things they don't want you to know about Fëanaro:

read more

157 notes

🏹 huntingprincess following

with all due respect, gondolin is the most boring place in the world.

🌼 golden-flower

it's not. but you're entitled to your opinion.

🌌 daughterofdoriath following

if only all debates on here were as civil...

👤 incessant-leaves

OP is a kinslayer apologist. Didn't you check that out before you started praising them?

🌌 daughterofdoriath following

*throws hands up*

I was admiring that one exchange.

(and this was actually more about @golden-flower's response than about OP)

*sighs*

#this site...

2009 notes

image used for Sirion: link

[thelordofgifs]

For the fic prompt explore some third age mannish politics?

Aahhh this is kind of scary BUT about time I tried it I suppose!

-

The King was dying.

The murmurs ran through the streets of Osgiliath, pooling in the taverns and the markets, growing dark and foul in the hidden corners of discontent. Rómendacil II was two hundred and forty years old, but he had always been a man of great vigour, both bodily and spiritually. There had been some who had hoped he would pass three centuries.

"Do none of them ever read?" Lossiel asked irritably. "This is why Númenor fell. All those ancient kings more obsessed with their own mortality than with the actual business of ruling."

"Keep your voice down," Eldacar implored.

His sister tossed her head. "It is true, is it not? For all their preoccupation with being true-blooded Men of Westernesse, they seem to have learned remarkably little from the Downfall."

"Your scholarship is unparalleled, as always, lady," came a deep voice from behind them. Their father's cousin, Urumacil, made a small, ironic bow.

"Princess," Lossiel corrected pertly. "The correct title for the King's daughter is 'princess'."

"Lossiel," Eldacar muttered. Their father was not yet the King, after all.

But Urumacil merely smiled. "Of course, lady," he said. "If you will excuse us. I wish for a word with your brother."

"It will have to be a very quick word, Lord Urumacil," said Eldacar. "My father will have need of me soon."

"A loyal son indeed," said Urumacil, as Lossiel slipped away to the other side of the busy receiving-room with a last pointed glare. "Your father will be very lucky to have you as his heir."

Eldacar managed a sharp-toothed smile. In his sister's absence he must produce his own well-sharpened claws. "My father values my counsel dearer than gold," he agreed. "But I am not to be only his son, you know; to be Crown Prince is to be loved as a son by all of Gondor. To give my life in the service of my country."

"An admirable ambition," said Urumacil, smiling too, "as long as you are quite certain which country you call your own."

Eldacar had left Rhovanion when he was five years old. Would this never end?

"I daresay," he said mildly, "when the crown of Gondor rests on my head, it will be difficult to forget."

Urumacil bowed again. "Let us not wish for your dear father's passing on this, the very day of his ascension!" he said. "You are, after all, a loyal son."

"Quite," Eldacar said. He was growing bored with the conversation, and also restless. Would his grandfather summon him before the end – his grandfather, who loved his son and heir deeply and had never truly warmed to the wife and children he had brought home to Rhovanion? If he did, would he make some fretful remark about whether or not Eldacar would outlive his father?

"A loyal son," Urumacil repeated, sounding amused. "You are not well acquainted with my own dear Castamir, are you?"

"Not really," said Eldacar, "although I am told he is making quite the name for himself in Pelargir."

"Indeed he is," said Urumacil. "In fifty years or so I have high hopes that he will ascend even to becoming Captain of the Ships."

"Fifty years!" said Eldacar. "Surely, if he is as talented as you say, he might manage it sooner than that."

Urumacil smiled. "Why hurry? We have plenty of time." He looked Eldacar in the eye. "Or, I suppose, most of us do."

[deadqueernoldor]

Nghhh chewing on finweans and realizing how self-sacraficial is so deeply instilled in that family, and that that particular trait is prevalent in each generation.

Finwe knew he couldnt win against Morgoth, but he could try and protect his grandchildren. He fought regardless.

Fingolfin knew he couldnt twin against Morgoth in 1-on-1. He fought regardless.

Finrod knew he would die on his quest for Beren, and still fought the wolf to save his friend. He did.

Celebrimbor knew he could protect others by dying, protecting the knowledge about the rings. He did.

It stands to reason that Elladan, Elrohir or Arwen, would have come upon a similar fate.

[yellow-faerie]

In The Sacrifices of a Queen, is Morgoth more active or taking a different strategy? Or does he have a similar attitude around the kinslayings/Feanorian oath, and trust that the elves would do his job for him?

Hmmm this is a very good question - honestly I think he might have been more scared of the Fëanorians than of the Doriathrim, and so when he saw that Maedhros' forces were gathering after Melian's girdle fell, he decided that that would be the best time to strike (since Nimloth and Dior would be distracted by the sons of Fëanor)

Basically he didn't want to end up fighting the Fëanorians for the Silmaril since they had been becoming more fey and wild, and had become the most serious threat to his growing providence in the last few decades over the other peoples of Beleriand, so he was trying to get in there first (and almost succeeded, if not for Nimloth and Dior's quick thinking)

[sesamenom]

he has the energy of a former diplomat who was since shuffled under the rug for a massive scandal (treason against the valar)

[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.

[general-illyrin]

A Collection of Maps Exhibiting the Changing Political Landscape in Beleriand

Note: These maps are not meant to show every single single political shift, but are generally broader strokes, and usually show approximate distribution rather than exact.  In addition, there could be inaccuracies as I was skimming The Silmarillion to look for pertinent parts.  I apologize if there are any, and if you see some, please let me know; I will update the descriptions to include them.

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri, Noldor, and Petty-dwarves soon after the Elves crossed into Beleriand.  The Vanyar were not mentioned int he part of the text I read, but presumably they are with the Noldor.

The Petty-dwarves are included here because according to The History off Middle-earth, the Petty-dwarves settled in Beleriand, specifically Dorthonion, before the Elves crossed the mountains and entered it.  Tarn Aeliun is circled with a smaller circle because in Mîm's Klage, Mîm is said to have lived there.  (However, Mîm's Klage is generally not considered canon from what I am aware, and it does present a contradiction in the form of how long dwarves can live if one accepts it as canon in its entirety.  That said, I do not think it unlikely that Petty-dwarves lived near it, as it was a freshwater lake in an area they are known to have inhabited.  But that is conjecture.). In addition, we have no knowledge of whether the Petty-dwarves had at this time yet settled in Amon Rûdh and Nargothrond; they are marked purely to show where the Petty-dwarves might have been at this point.

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri, Vanyar, Noldor, and Petty-dwarves as the Vanyar and Noldor were led by Oromë to the lands around the Sirion.  The Teleri had at this point crossed into East Beleriand, and many were searching for Thingol when the Noldor and Vanyar moved onto the island Ulmo moved into the Bay of Balar.  (In this map, I represented that by marking the Isle of Balar.). The dotted blue line indicates that it is possible the Teleri ventured into Doriath at this time, in search for Thingol, though that is not stated.

See the previous map for notes on the Petty-dwarves.

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri and Petty-dwarves after the Vanyar and Noldor left Beleriand for Aman.  "But when they learned that Ingwë and Finwë and their peoples were gone, then many of the Teleri pressed on to the shores of Beleriand, and dwelt thereafter near the Mouths of Sirion, in longing for their friends that had departed..." - The Silmarillion  The dotted lines represent a possible expansion of the Teleri, as they began moving into Falas and collecting under Círdan.  But again, this is conjecture.  Since the text says. that "many of the Teleri pressed on to the shores", implying that at least some remained in the areas they were previously inhabiting (as is later confirmed by the text stating that Elves still searched in those areas for Thingol), marked by the note on the map.

See previous maps for notes on the Petty-dwarves.

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri and Petty-dwarves after the rest of the Teleri left Beleriand for Aman.  At this point, the Teleri who remained seemed mostly to divide into those that followed Círdan as their lord and settled in Falas, and those friends of Thingol who remained in the Hither Lands, searching for him.  They possibly lived outside of Doriath, and from what I remember, it is not known for sure whether they searched there (though I think I remember it mentioning that those searching for him searched in forests, which would likely include Doriath, especially since that was the place he was originally traveling to).  However, I marked that area as it is a place that their people become centralized at after Thingol returns.  In addition, the note on Teleri still living near the mouth of the Sirion and beginning to scatter throughout Beleriand is purely conjecture, anticipating the occurrences in the next map.

See previous maps for notes on the Petty-dwarves.

There is an inaccuracy on this map; the people labeled 'Iathrim' would more accurately be labeled 'Eglath', as that was what they called themselves.  

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri, Lauquendi, Petty-dwarves, and Greater Dwarves after Thingol's re-emergence and taking up the crown over all Teleri.  At this point, almost the entirety of Beleriand is said to be Thingol's realm, represented by the blue dashed lines.  Within this are, many elves wander, but they are centralized under Círdan in Falas and under Thingol in Doriath.  The Laiquendi also come up form the south and settle in Ossiriand.

In addition, the Greater Dwarves enter Beleriand, emerging from their cities in the mountains and discover the Elves have been hunting their kindred.  By this time, the Petty-dwarves have been hunted almost to extinction.  Thus, they likely no longer remained in Dorthonion, though that is conjecture.  (I did not reflect this conjecture in the map.)  I am unsure when the hunting of the petty-dwarves would have begun, but since they only have a Sindarin name, it is possible that they were only discovered sometime after the Noldor and Vanyar left for Aman.  

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri, Lauquendi, Petty-dwarves, Greater Dwarves, Orcs, and Ungoliant after the Darkening of Valinor and Morgoth's flight to Middle-earth.  At this point, Ungoliant has taken up residence in the Ered Gorgoroth.  The dashed lines filling the space between them and the edge of Doriath represent the extent of her and her offspring's possible range; since that road was know to be dangerous and taken only at great need, it implies that they reached that far.

The red arrows represent the orc's invasion of Beleriand after Morgoth's return.

And the Petty-dwarves' uncertain status in Dorthonion (see previous map's note for details) is represented by the purple question mark. 

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri, Lauquendi, Petty-dwarves, Greater Dwarves, Orcs, and Ungoliant after Thingol and the Laiquendi defeated the orcs in East Beleriand.  At this point, Cirdan and his people are driven to the rim of the sea (possibly referring to Brithombar and Eglarest?).  Thingol retreats to Doriath, and the Gridle of Melian is created.

The dotted purple line around Amon Rûdh represents the uncertain status of the Petty-dwarves there.  It was there home at one point, but the only time we see Petty-dwarves living there is when Mîm and his sons living there.  (If I am remembering correctly, after being kicked out of Nargthrond, according to The History of Middle-earth.)

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri, Lauquendi, Petty-dwarves, Greater Dwarves, Orcs, and Ungoliant after the arrival of the Noldor and their defeating the orcs in East Beleriand.  This is before the dividing of the lands among the Noldor, so I chose not to represent them on this map. For notes on other people groups, see previous maps.

This map shows the general distribution of the Teleri, Lauquendi, Noldor, and Ungoliant after the dividing of the land among the Noldor.  The red area shows the land under control of the sons of Feanor: Specific territories for each son are outlined with dashed lines and labelled; dashed lines extending beyond the territory shows areas they are mentioned wandering/being in, but are not specifically said to have been their realms.  The orange area shows the land under control of the sons of Finarfin: Sspecific territories for each son are labelled.  The dark blue area shows the land under control of Fingolfin and his sons: Specific territories for each person are outlined with dashed lines and labelled; dashed lines extending beyond the territory shows areas they are mentioned wandering/being in, but are not specifically said to have been their realms.

The green area shows Thingol's territory, and the sea green/lighter blue shows Círdan's territory.  And the black wording shows the area the Dark Elves are said to wander in.

Finally, purple represents the area under control of Ungoliant and her offspring.  (Note: I forgot to include the dashed lines extending to the border of Doriath in this one.)

In addition, I did not include either of the Dwarves, though the Greater Dwarves are still in the same place.  And at this point, the Petty-dwarves are almost extinct, with only Mîm and his two sons living in (presumably) Amon Rúdh.

Anyway, I hope this is helpful to someone!

[sweetteaanddragons]

Lauriel

When Lauriel is growing up, she knows her older sister is a better singer than her. This is not because she's heard her sister singing all that much; her sister is fully grown and moved halfway across Aman before Lauriel is even thought of. But it is a thing people tell her of, a little awkwardly, a little gently, whenever she mentions her ambition to be a bard. Her sister is a better singer than her, and her sister is a potter. Ergo . . .

Lauriel takes up the flute. Her sister did not play the flute as a child and her rare letters don't mention it now; her sister cannot be better than her at the flute.

Her mother tells her flatly that this does not mean her sister wouldn't have been better at it, had she ever tried.

"It takes a lot of dedication to your craft to be a bard," her father says, a little more gently. "It's a very competitive field."

Left unsaid, but very much heard, is that Lauriel, of course, is far too flighty to have that sort of dedication.

It is not the first time they have had this conversation.

It is the last, because Lauriel vows to all the Valar that she won't set foot on the farm again until she's the greatest bard the Noldor have ever seen.

It does not take her long at the university in Alqualonde to learn that she is almost certainly never going to be so much as one of the best ten bards the Noldor have ever seen. This does not, however, stop people from still enjoying her music - or, for that matter, from enjoying her dancing, her conversation, her skill at the competitions that are all the rage at parties, and so she never lacks invitations to just about any event in town.

She's friends with everyone, and she hasn't written a single letter back to the farm, and she tells herself she doesn't care that none have come from there for her.

She doesn't talk to any of her friends about that.

She does talk to the woman with the tense, tight shoulders at the current party, swooping in to rescue her from the circle of jabbing fools around her; she's not sure why the other woman needs rescuing from the discussion of the night's musical entertainment, but it doesn't matter; she doesn't need to understand to recruit her to make up the numbers at Lauriel's table for cards.

Aranel is laughing when Prince Makalaure, of all people, comes by their table, which is how Lauriel learns that the woman she rescued is Prince Makalaure's wife.

He sees her flute in its case beside her and asks to hear her play.

He compliments her when she's done. Invites her to another party the next week.

Lauriel, of course, says yes.

She's never political. She's never really bothered about any of it.

But she starts to fall into his circle; their music is so passionate, so innovative, and she likes the way they circle around each other. They're dedicated to each other in a way the endless sea of her other friends aren't.

So when she hears someone being rude about his father, of course she speaks up; for all she knows Prince Feanaro is crazy, but that doesn't give anyone the right to be cruel about it.

She gets offered a job at the university in Tirion, and she thinks Makalaure recommended her for it; she finds out later he praised her skill with people as well as her music when asked for his opinion on the posting.

She finds other people start assuming she's political, even though she still doesn't much care whether they're allowed to sail back to Beleriand or not. She does care, though, about people being rude to her friends, and apparently that is political now, so political she is.

One of her friends is shocked that she's gone this long without hearing Prince Feanaro speak, so even though she still doesn't really care, she laughs and lets them drag her along to his next one.

She gets it now.

Why half of Tirion follows him and why half of Tirion thinks he's crazy.

She still doesn't really care. Even after the Incident - well, that was wrong, of course, but she doesn't see why people have to be rude to Makalaure and Aranel about it.

When the darkness comes, she goes with Feanaro's camp, of course. Almost all of Makalaure's circle does.

Partially because at least Prince Feanaro has a plan. Partially because everyone else is doing it.

Mostly because she hears Makalaure swear the Oath, and -

And her oath is not so burdensome a thing. She cannot go back to the farm; she has accepted she will never be able to go back to the farm. But she could still see her parents if they would come to her, if they would meet her elsewhere, if either she or they would ever just send a letter.

She feels it, though. Always, she feels it.

She wishes she had told him. She hadn't, ever; she hadn't known how to look at the actual greatest bard the Noldor have ever produced and admit to her adolescent ambition. But if she had swallowed her pride and told him - if he'd been warned -

She follows him.

(It is four ages later that she tells him at last; when he asks her, as they prepare to sail with Elrond, what she thinks of at last returning home.

"Oh, home's not really a place," she says in surprise. Home has been people for the past four ages of the world, and she has no intention of leaving those people now. "I suppose I'll have to wait and see if my parents choose to visit; I can't go to them unless they've moved."

This catches his attention. "Whyever not?"

"Well," she says, studiously not looking at him. "I swore an oath.")

(It is midnight when Elrond finds a furious Maglor correcting a beleaguered Lauriel's pitch in the garden.

"Are you planning on making our plea to the Valar for your brothers in the form of a concert?" he asks in bemusement. There is precedent, he supposes, with Luthien, but he would have thought Lauriel would have had more patience with the fevered practice if it were the case.

"It is no true teacher who cannot guide a student to surpassing himself," Maglor says grimly. "And it is no true prince who does not return loyalty. Lauriel will be the greatest bard the Noldor have ever produced."

"I don't want to be," she says in some desperation. "I really don't. I don't care if I can't go back to the farm."

"You should have the option," Maglor says firmly. "Now try again.")

[shrikeseams]

#re the tags I don't think it's irrelevant actually#it does a lot of drawing hard lines between cultures that were and generally do mingle seamlessly#it's hard to culturally distinguish sindar and noldor#you can tell them apart cause of the eyes and a couple of other signs#but overall they are people that mingle easily and the oldor were already taking up sindarin as a language#what this *does* however it to draw a harsher line that borders on ethnic strife#reason being#speaking quenya is a perfectly neutral act it doesn't actually make you a kinslayer#but linking by royal decree the language TO the kinslaying means that the noldor are forced to either abide be it or#essentially say ''yeah sure I'm a kinslayer who cares''#that's the message that is being given to sindarin neighbours friends or even spouses#it can't be understated the level of cultural violence that is achieved here#either one disregards their mixed community and their allies by speaking quenya#or one disregards a significant part of their own culture (language)#and that isn't JUST symbolic or JUST demonstrative#(though it is both)#it also weakens the cultural bond between the people who respond to fingolfin&co and the people who respond to doriath#it's an absolutely active strike back on the social and political level -@skyeventide

Actually in relation to that last post, there’s been a lot of discussion about the point of the Quenya ban, and while I think a very good argument has been made that it’s symbolic–that Thingol had to do something to reprimand the Noldor both for their actions and for lying, but could not afford to actually cut them off as potential allies against Morgoth–I think it’s also possible the Quenya ban was demonstrative. When Maedhros sort of laughingly comments on the potential hollowness of Thingol’s claim to being “King of Beleriand,” he focuses I believe on hard power–on the fact that Thingol cannot (or will not) militarily take action against the Noldor. Which makes sense, given the Noldor attitude towards Middle-earth in general (they came here to fight a war) and Maedhros’ position as lord of Himring, which is essentially a glorified military fort. But what Thingol displays when he bans Quenya is a pretty powerful show of soft power and the true reach of his influence. No, he won’t take up arms against the Noldor for their past kinslaying–but at his word, look how many Sindar not only stop speaking Quenya, but refuse to deal with Elves who do. I do believe the Quenya ban was in part symbolic. But I think it also shows the Noldor just how respected Thingol is in Beleriand and that if they mean to really oppose him, they’re going to be facing down more Elves than just the permanent residents of Doriath. If the Sindar of Beleriand, at this point, are forced to make a choice of sides, Thingol shows with a single decree how many of them would choose him.

[melestasflight]

I’m a Russingon girlie at heart and will never miss an opportunity to read into the romanticism of Maedhros’ rescue from Thangorodrim: ancient friends/lovers coming back together, Fingon finding compassion despite betrayal, all that good tear-jerker stuff.

But what makes Fingon’s heroism massive to me has nothing to do with the personal and everything to do with the politics at Mithrim. The fact that had he not gone to Thangorodrim, the Noldor in Beleriand would find themselves at literal war against each other.

This little passage from the Silm really deserves a lot more attention:

No love was there in the hearts of those that followed Fingolfin for the House of Fëanor, for the agony of those that endured the crossing of the Ice had been great, and Fingolfin held the sons the accomplices of their father. Then there was peril of strife between the hosts

Years later, when Fingon decides to look for Maedhros, the conflict between the hosts comes back as a primary reason behind his decision:

Then Fingon the valiant, son of Fingolfin, resolved to heal the feud that divided the Noldor, before their Enemy should be ready for war

This makes me conclude that the three years between Fingolfin’s arrival at Mitrhim (FA 2) to Fingon’s rescue mission (FA 5) must have been a continuous civil crisis. The hosts are in close proximity, a single lake dividing them, Fingolfin on one side, Maglor on the other, and for three years they cannot find a compromise. This crisis must have gotten pretty bad for someone to decide that braving Thangorodrim might be worth it.

And to me, this is Fingon's greatest contribution he ever made, not his battles, not his chasing of dragons, but preventing civil war among his people.

Of all the children of Finwë he is justly most renowned...

Yes, indeed, he is. Because without Fingon’s deed, there would be no victories for the Noldor, no Long Peace, no meeting of the Edain and Eldar. They would have fought each other endlessly until one group obliterated the other, or alternatively, Morgoth used this division (as the book seems to imply) to destroy them all swiftly. 

Fingon effectively accomplishes what Fingolfin and Fëanor never managed: peace, at least for a good while. Maedhros of course contributes in return by giving up the crown. He meets Fingon halfway, and they stay true to this alliance until Fingon’s death. They cross an impossible bridge no matter how you read their relationship. 

I’ll never tire of it. Ever.

[edennill]

Re: my First Age Dashboard Simulators (Part one, part two, part three)... thinking of general characteristics Beleriand social media would have as compared to irl:

A lot more debate on the morality of "separating art from the artist" given that the second most famous musician they have is a mass murderer.

Way fewer posts informing people about atrocities and war crimes. The orcs engage in those aplenty but no one needs convincing morgoth is bad (possibly any new arrivals, but only them). After all, Tolkien's orcs have become what we compare real life armies that commit atrocities to (see: the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict)

Copious use of a Destiel meme analogue between the Bragollach and the end of the Age when all the disasters are happening in quick succession.

Vicious politics, but since when is that not a thing irl?

Probably a lot of ??? attitudes towards men and dwarves (and dark elves). Was gonna say racist but that's not the right word to be honest. Speciesist? But the differences are often more metaphysical than physical.

Anon hate, yes, but likely with fewer messages of the "kill yourself" variety; I think elves hold life more sacred than we do.

Deep running divides into Doriathblr, Edainblr, Dwarfblr, Gondolinblr etc.

A lot of debate on whether Quenya should be banned on the internet.

I'm assuming orcs don't have internet access because otherwise it becomes a hellscape I don't want to think about.

The most wholesome thing on orc-internet would be videos with the very mean kind of slapstick comedy/practical jokes (the "Hur, hur, he stepped on a nail" type). Apart from that it's mostly a mix of darknet, anon hate and - nomen omen - trolling.

[buttered-milky]

Russingon being an incestuous couple is so fucking interesting to me for what it represents narratively. (Yes, I know they are not canonically a couple. No, I do not care, because I do believe the coding is on purpose. Even if it’s accidental, it’s still there.)

If you don’t have a lot of experience with incest in other fiction (for example: the staple gothic horror), incest usually represents deviance. That’s just what it says on the tin: diverting from norms. Usually in a bad way. Deviance can be narratively treated as bad or wrong, and there is plenty of deviance from our meta societal norms with these two, but I digress. I don’t want to talk about that today.

I want to talk about subversion, and the deviance that is sometimes good, actually, and the message that sometimes you must break norms to do good.

[PS guys if you read all this and want to add your thoughts please do! This is kind of half-baked and I’d love to see more opinions because I’ve not seen anyone talk about this much.]

They are so fucking fascinating, because they are deviant! They are! Their entire relationship is baffling politically because of the Finwëan house feuds. More importantly, they have individual deviances that this relationship is telling you to pick up on.

.

Maedhros is a Kinslayer. Maedhros is also arguably the most heroic one of his siblings.

.

No, we can’t burn the ships. How the fuck are we gonna get Fingon over here?

No, I have to go parley with Morgoth.

I have to abdicate the crown because I’m becoming something I don’t want to be.

No, I have to put myself in front of everyone else. I have to hold Himring so the rest of Beleriand doesn’t get nuked.

I have to summon everyone for the Nirnaeth.

.

And then after Fingon dies in the Nirnaeth, Maedhros (as we all know) goes fully off the rails—which is to say, he becomes fully Fëanorian. He goes back to the norm for his family.

There are more Kinslayings. He tries once to save two twin children, and that’s it. He gives up. There is no more hope. Maglor is responsible for taking in the next set. Maglor also wants to beg the Valar for forgiveness, and maybe Maedhros would’ve seen the sense in that once, but instead he becomes the second coming of his father and dies burning, clutching onto his Oath.

The deviance from Fëanorian standards was the only thing keeping him from becoming a monster for all that time.

.

Fingon is also (very likely) a Kinslayer. He’s also the family extrovert and hope incarnate.

Unlike Aredhel and Turgon, he does not seclude himself for his own protection. He does the opposite.

.

No, we can’t just stay here in Aman. We need to protect the other half of our people??

No, we actually have to get Maedhros. Fine, I’ll do it myself then. I’ll reach out to the gods while I’m at it, since none of you will.

Of course we’re going to join every battle. Of course we’re going to help hold down Beleriand.

If I have to face evil alone I suppose I will, then.

.

And he dies when he’s alone against those Balrogs. Fingon is also like his father in many ways—but in some ways he is not. He is brighter, sometimes. He is hope incarnate in the worst of places.

.

I’m far from the first person to acknowledge that what Maedhros and Fingon have going on is a very strong message to never give up hope. But like—not just that. What kills me is that, you know, the hope and the heroism and the goodness is the deviance.

They like each other while most of the Noldor are off getting doomed or fighting with their relatives. You get to those little bits where it mentions Maedhros and Fingon still keeping up their friendship and you kind of have to think “damn, at least some people still genuinely love each other in the midst of all this horror.” It’s sweet. And yet it’s deviant.

And that’s weird, right? Usually deviance is bad. But I think here it’s more neutral. Just presented as: this is not the common option, not the norm. It’s not the common option, but it leads to one of the kinder relationships in the Silm.

The Silm wants you, the reader, to take away that you should have hope and goodness, even when everything around you is hell. Even when it is the hard option. When it becomes hardest to hold up light and help others, that is when it’s needed most.

It will be scary sometimes to be hopeful, and that’s okay. It will be scary to extend yourself. It will be scary to trust and to defend others. That’s okay. Do it fucking scared and keep doing it.

[ymfingsteadilyon]

There is no power in Ea that could make him admit it even to himself (especially to himself), but deep down he's pretty messed up over the whole "less impressive carbon copy of his father" thing. On the other hand, once he starts seeing signs that Celebrimbor will probably also overshadow him as a craftsman one day, his reaction is one of genuine and undiluted delight.

Hey fellow people who presumably enjoy curufin. Can you reblog with some curufin hcs? I think we truly need more Curufin Attention (either positive or negative but if you hate him why are you even here) in this fandom and I will be the change the world desperately needs. Cheers

[shinraelectricpowercom]

So I was looking at a Tolkien Gateway timeline for the Dagor Bragollach (as you do) and there's an event listed from the Grey Annals in HoME 11, which is Celegorm and Curufin coming to Orodreth's rescue during the fall of Tol Sirion. And I was like "what", because that seems weirdly far north for them to be if they were trying to get to Nargothrond. But then I was like "what" because it's super weird for them to have been trying to get to Nargothrond at all, because it's halfway across Beleriand from where they started and hardly even a friendly city to them (Finrod not being among their avowed enemies but frankly seeming to incline closer to Thingol than the house of Feanor in his political leanings)

Anyways, so the Grey Annals entry (with names adjusted for pubSilm compatibility) is:

§153 [Sauron's] hosts broke through and besieged the fortress of [Finrod], Minas-tirith upon Tol Sirion ... and Orodreth the brother of [Finrod] who held it was driven out. There he would have been slain, but Celegorm and Curufin came up with their riders ... and stemmed the tide for a while; and thus Orodreth escaped and came to Nargothrond. Thither also at last before the might of Sauron fled Celegorm and Curufin ... and they were harboured in Nargothrond gratefully

So I propose: Celegorm and Curufin were trying to make it to Barad Eithel by way of the Pass of Sirion (a much nearer and more friendly location for them to seek shelter at; and, having representatives at the High King's fortress would also have been useful for consolidating power in the wake of the Dagor Bragollach, if they were so inclined). But Sauron's forces prevented them from making it past Tol Sirion and turned them to retreat, at which point they probably joined up with Orodreth's also-retreating forces for mutual protection, and since they had just saved Orodreth, he offered them refuge in Nargothrond as repayment for that rescue.

All of which makes their betrayal of Finrod & Orodreth later kicking them out that much messier.

[in-the-glow-of-a-silmaril]

Even if the sons of feanor had been handed a silmaril freely at any point in Beleriand it would not have helped them. Hey. Are you listening. The silmarils were hallowed. Ever since the first kinslaying they would have rejected the feanorians. Luthien could have walked right up and dumped it on their heads and it would not have saved them. Earendil doing what he did walked a very thin tightrope to an outcome where Morgoth is defeated. But either way, whether or not they knew it, the silmarils were lost to the feanorians almost the entire time they sought them.

"If Dior did this, if Elwing did that," it doesn't matter!!! Not even taking their perspectives and situations and political landscapes into account at all, it didn't matter!!! The silmarils COULD NOT be held by the sons of feanor. They were on an impossible quest and did not know it... only at the end could they see their own mistakes, and then there is little to be done. Self destruction of one kind or another.... they are in the narrative. They cannot escape it.

[erendur]

Crack Silm relationships I'd like to read about

It would completely ruin the story and Jirt’s intents, structure, motifs and characters, but at least I could read the Silm without going “No, not the ruin of Beleriand again ! Ah, no, please, not the third Kinslaying, I can’t !”.

Maedhros and Lúthien.

He has trauma, looks much the worse for wear after his captivity, and would definitely piss off her dad as a choice of boyfriend (rebel teenage Lúthien energy). She is the most beautiful (self-explanatory), a unique type of Elf-Maia being (Noldor like novelty and are curious), spends a lot of time singing which I guess would foster a sense of comforting familiarity in one wounded not just in body but also in mind ?

Anyway, they could have a great Wounded Beast who Swore a Stupid Oath and Committed Some Crimes and Eldricht Beauty I Can Fix Him dynamic.

They both hang out in forests enough that they could easily meet. She would take him of a stealth mission to steal the Silmarils. He would borrow his brother’s knives (one knife per Silmaril), and they would be successful. Huan could give a hand out of family solidarity. Morgoth would be to stunned/ashamed/doesn’t really like to move his ass from his throne anyway so nothing much would happen immediately. They would still be at war and Morgoth would make more monsters and bid his time.

Lúthien could wear the three Silmarils on a crown. Maedhros would be very happy and proud. She is canonically the prettiest Elf ever and he is “well formed” so they could have the prettiest babies. And actually, and I’m very aware that is not at all how genetics work, but they would have Lúthien’s canonical descendants as their babies. That’s 7 of them, which sounds like an adequate number of sprogs for a Fëanorian (no need to change the family sigil !).

Eärendil and Elwing would be the elder, a twin brother and sister. At some point in their teens (Elvish teens, they’re in their thirties), they decide to take a Silmaril from their mother’s jewellery box and to go on their own little stealth mission to save the world, after having spend too much time with their Uncle Fingon. Since Elwing is very eldrichty and can change into birds, and Eärendil can (check note) make boats, the missions is of course a total success. Guided by the light of the Silmaril, they eventually land on the shores of Valinor where they immediately start singing a moving song about the plight of Middle Earth. Eärendil accompanies the song by playing Fingon’s harp (he knows how stealth missions work and of course took Fingon’s silver great harp along with his mother’s jewellery), Elwing leads a chorus of seabirds at key moments.

The Valar are of course moved (have we mentioned how pretty they both look ???), they send an army to Middle-Earth, Eärendil and Elwing are given the right to spend their life travelling between Middle-Earth and Valinor by the Valar as a reward. Eärendil choses to do the trips in the sky on his boat (because he can), his mum’s Silmaril on his forehead, the shadow of Fingon's harp clearly visible against the light of the Silmaril. The Fëanorians are totally cool with it, since he is himself a Fëanorian.

Elwing eventually settles in Tol Eressëa where she becomes Queen of the returned Elves, and therefore beats her Aunt Galadriel to the post by about an age at being the first reigning female ruler among the Elves.

Dior would be kept well away from making any sort of political decision. Given his clearly incredible fighting talents though, he would either end up being Celegorms’ favourite nephew and heir, or, my favourite version, he would take over the cavalry and the Gap from Maglor, who would be able to finally go chill somewhere and write some music.

Elured and Elurin would eventually inherit Doriath, just because. Or they would go and live a wild life of hunting and hanging out in the forest with their uncles Ambarussa. They’re still twins.

Elros and Elrond are obviously still twins as well. They are born very shortly after Elured and Elurin, and since that’s a lot of eldricht peredhil twins to have under just one roof (just the weather is wild, people are begging Mae to do something about it), they are given to foster to another family member as per Victorian family traditions. This family member is, of course, Maglor, who doesn’t really get to chill for very long after all. Since he’s no longer in charge of the cavalry or a super-hard-to-defend position, he raises the twins.

Elros of course is now an Elf-Maia peredhel, and doesn’t have to die. He still founds Númenor and becomes their king, because someone with the gift of prescience finally used it for something useful and figured out that these guys could really do with a wise, immortal ruler, who wouldn’t, you know, suddenly decide to go and invade Valinor once he finds the burden of mortality too hard to bear. Elendil is his son. Isildur his grandson. He is kept well away from rings.

Elrond is pretty much the same, but with less people around him having died/disappeared/been killed. But he’s too awesome to be different. He’s still the same “kind as summer” dude. He becomes his father’s heir, because he’s just too awesome. Everybody thinks it’s a great choice, because he is too awesome. He’s bestie with his cousin Gil-Galad, the High King. 

That turned out to be a longer post than intended so I’ll post the rest later.

Crack Silm Relationships I'd like to read about II

Crack Silm Relationships I'd like to read about III

Crack Silm Relationships I'd like to read about IV