#gifts from my sons

[nerdanel-the-wise-istarnie]

Curvo knew that his and Moryo's gift was small and might be missed so they left it on the statue Nerdanel had been working on most recently. His part was a locket, golden with the Feanorian star laid in the front. At the eight points were small gems of his father and all the children's birthstones, in the center was her birthstone in a larger size. Inside was a portrait, from Moryo, embroidered in exquisite detail of Nerdanel surrounded by her seven children embracing her.

 ˚ ₊ ·          ⠀                     

         ⠀                             ˗ˏˋ​ ​ ​​ ​――  𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑙 . . . ​ ​​ ​ ​❞

After she had taken time to admire her gifts so far, from the corner of her sharp steel blue eyes she spotted something hanging on the white statue she had been working on.

It was small, but exquisite.

Her hand reached out to carefully pick the necklace from the statue. From the expert craftsmanship she instantly knew this was her Atarincë. Her fingers delicately traced her family's eight pointed star, each of them holding the birthstones of those precious to her.

She was a bit taken back from seeing her own birthstone was larger in size and placed in the middle. But her heart melted at the sight of her sons' and husband's birthstones placed next to each other.

When she noticed she was able to open it, she realized it was rather a locket rather than a necklace. Nerdanel carefully opened, while she knew Atarincë was an expert, just like her Fëanáro, but she still wanted handle it with care, it was delicate and precious to her.

She gasped seeing a beautifully embroidered portrait of herself and her seven sons.

“Oh, how beautiful...”

Her Carnistir's exquisite needlework was written all over it and Nerdanel found herself tearing up at the sight of its beauty.

First the scarf, then the gloves, then hooded cloak and now this beautiful locket too.

Nerdanel still couldn't grab onto exactly what her sons were playing at, but it would a lie if she said she wasn't enjoying herself. Each gift already holding a precious place in her heart.

[sesamenom]

Gil-galad Variations, featuring all the gil galad theories i've encountered.

[anassemblageofpassions]

Supernatural: hmmm okay so we need a way to show Jack how bad Lucifer is, something really horrible to force him to confess to, something that will make him drop his father forever….hmm, what could we do, what could we do….

Sam, life ruined all for Lucifer, possessed by Lucifer, tortured by him for centuries, multiple attempts on his life by lucifer, loved by jack like a father, main character on the show for 13 seasons, literally in the room when this happens:

Dean: multiple attempts on his life by Lucifer, loved by jack like a father, main character on the show for 13 seasons, literally in the room when this happens:

Castiel: killed by Lucifer multiple times, possessed by Lucifer, loved by jack like a father, main character on the show for 9 seasons, literally in the room when this happens:

Maggie: killed by Lucifer, met jack two episodes ago and barely interacted with him, literally introduced on the show two episodes ago, not in the room when this happens:

Supernatural: yes. Maggie is the one. Maggie is the one who will make Jack see what a monster his father TRULY is. She is such an important character on this show, so important than we will kill her off permanently less than a season later. Her impact is so real.

[moeblob]

They're soulmates in every single universe and I miss them at the most random times.

[piratewithvigor]

Meet my son, Pebble Cold Steve Austin

[jasontoddenthusiastt]

The compelling thing about Jason as a character is that I never doubted that he cared about the world just because there weren’t panels of him being overly zealous about “restorative community care”

I’m not coming after anyone who wants to see that kind of stuff, but I do think seeking | that | as confirmation that Jason cares about the world is pretty narrow

[serpentface]

HOSPITALITY AND GIFT ECONOMY IN THE HIGHLANDS: A POST.

Rites of hospitality are of key importance and taken very seriously in this cultural context, especially given the frequency at which individuals will be traveling (as herders, or along intra-Highlands trade routes). These rites exist as the concept of 'Shiab's peace', a divinely mandated contract of hospitality under the watch of Shiab, goddess of the hearth and of travelers. This is invoked with a standardized verbal exchange with a member of the household- the prospective guest will greet with “I would ask Shiab’s peace of you”, the host, if accepting, will respond with “You will have Shiab’s peace here.” While not explicitly an oath, it is understood as such and ascribed the same profound significance (both social and spiritual consequences for violation).

A potential host can refuse (though usually doesn't, hosting is an honor and can be a power play), but the mere request for Shiab's peace imbues temporary spiritual protection on the asker- one’s most loathed enemy must at least be allowed to leave unharmed, even if denied guest rite. (This isn’t a get out of jail free card, a request for Shiab’s peace is a request for hospitality, not mercy, the goddess will not be protecting you if you attempt to use it in the midst of combat or etc).

Once mutually invoked, the expectations of Shiab’s peace are as follows:

The host should provide for the guest’s basic needs generously within their means, and allow them to stay for a night and provide them a place to sleep.

The guest and host much each provide their names and titles, though the guest is under no obligation to explain the reasons for their presence and cannot be asked.

The guest must accept all food offered (and gifts, though this is not specific to Shiab's peace and rather part of a wider practice in the gift-economy).

The guest must ask for nothing, and take nothing that is not offered.

The guest is under full protection of the host, and vice versa. Theft, assault, or murder committed under Shiab's peace is a grave broken oath and one should expect very severe consequences (both supernatural and mundane, should others find out).

The guest (unless offered continued hospitality) must see themselves out after sunrise the following morning. They cannot be made to leave early.

If a guest is offered continued hospitality, they should offer to participate in any needed chores (the host can accept or decline at their discretion).

The protection of Shiab's peace continues until the following sunrise after the guest leaves (ie a host cannot pursue their leaving guest to steal from them)

Shiab's peace is universal and transcends conflicts, and once invoked cannot be violated under any circumstances. Members of a rival clan or of a tribe yours is at war with, a foreigner you're suspicious of, etc, are all fully under protection (and under their full expectations as a guest).

A guest that violates their expectations can be made to leave, as they have broken the oath and are no longer protected. (in practice, many hosts will let MINOR violations slide unless the guest is like, really annoying or godawful)

The host, in practice, will usually be the wife of the household (if present), as the wife is considered the owner of a family’s home, land, and property, and has final say on how resources are used and given. The host is expected to provide the guest food and drink and a place to stay for one night, and supply any other obvious basic needs (ie: if the guest’s clothing is worn or wet, they should be given fresh clothes). These gifts should be generous within one’s means, and in practice will usually be a square meal, mead/wine/murre, multiple rounds of tea, and a breakfast the following morning. A host that does not provide expected basic needs within their means is in violation of Shiab’s peace and has broken their oath, and should expect consequences.

A guest is not literally oathbound to practice ideal social etiquette, but it's a cultural expectation (ie, the guest should finish all their food and save some bread for last to scoop up anything left in the bowl, not a hard requirement but good manners). They are fully expected to accept any and all gifts offered. A guest should neither take nor ask for anything not freely given (all basic needs should have been met by the host to begin with). It IS acceptable for a guest to imply further needs in conversation, so long as they do not directly request them: ie mentioning in conversation that their leg is hurt and they can only hope their travels do not make it worse, as it would take days of rest for it to heal (“I need to stay multiple nights, can we work that out?”), or mentioning that their pack khait has gone lame and cannot carry their supplies, they fear they will have to leave both animal and supplies behind (“Will you lend me a pack ox/khait?”). These roundabout requests are still at least expected to be Truthful in nature (and all of this is happening under the watch of a deity, there may be consequences for lying).

Hosts may give extra gifts at their discretion- these can either be charitable, or indebting. A charitable gift will be given with further verbal declaration of Shiab’s peace, which establishes it as an act of goodwill and that the guest is not in the host’s debt. An indebting gift will be given with no declaration of Shiab's peace. The guest is obligated to accept either.

Indebting gifts are a part of the wider political and economic structure of the Highlands, a separate (though linked) practice to guest hospitality. The vast majority of the economy relies on trade of goods, with an additional dimension of this gift economy. Being able to give gifts is a display of wealth and power, establishing one’s family or clan above another in a social hierarchy. The most powerful are able to give the most extravagant gifts, and will have many other clans/families considered perpetually in their debt if the gift cannot be met with one of equal or greater value. This debt is immaterial- it is not actually Expected to be paid (it’s better for the gift-giver if it ISN'T), rather it establishes/reinforces one's place in a power structure and regulates the conduct of the gift receiver (it can be evoked to call in favors or settle disputes). A debt held by a single person translates to their immediate family, while a debt held by a clan matriarch/patriarch translates to their entire clan.

Cattle raiding is both a practical means of resource acquisition and a part of this wider political schema, and often figures into the gift structure. Stealing cattle and then giving them back as a gift is a power play, it declares ‘our men are better than yours (they’ve stolen the cattle successfully) and we are wealthier than you (we don’t even need them)’, while also settling the score and dissuading retaliation. Stealing cattle and then giving MORE (or different, higher quality) cattle as a gift is a massive power play, declaring much the same things to a greater extent, dissuading retaliation, AND putting the theft victim/gift recipient into the debt of the thieves.

Power structures within tribes are passively enforced by this gift giving structure- the ruling clan of each (which in practice usually controls the best agricultural land and largest herds, and is most involved in trade) will provide gifts to all clans subservient to them (and particularly generous gifts to potential rivals), keeping them indebted and lower in the social structure. Ruling clans who lose the ability to afford to give gifts, or find themselves indebted, will often be usurped (not strictly as a result of their debt, rather that losing ability to stay on top of the gift system generally occurs in conjunction with a diminished material power/wealth).

These combined practices result in very complex, often aggravating political power structures, but reduce the frequency of open conflict between clans within a tribe (which are frequently at odds), providing other avenues for power/material acquisition and for the settling of scores. Most open conflicts occur between clans within separate tribes or entire tribes (less likely to have secure power structures enforced by gift/trade), though practices of raiding and combat-sport provide some levels of tension release via less-violent score settling.

Other dimensions of the gift economy are not directly indebting (in not establishing a power structure), and considered paid via mutual partnership. Alliances between clans of different tribes are usually established in continued gift-giving (declared explicitly as gifts of allegiance), with the implied payment being mutual material support (supplying warriors, sharing grazing land, open trade, etc), which is usually reinforced with binding oaths. Marriages also involve gifts. A bride price is fairly standard (which is a straightforward payment for property and assets the wife's mother will be passing into her son-in-law's care), and a husband who cannot supply one is considered in his mother in law's debt (and may not gain full integration into the family until this is paid). But as supplement to the bride price, members of each family will freely give gifts with no expectation of the value of their gifts being matched (declared as such by being specifically described as a gift of marriage), as a means of further allying both families and a show of goodwill.

[asexualsimonsnow]

Just reorganized my Simon Snow books, rainbow order now; I think they look nice :)

Featuring some new editions to the collection since last I posted it in full: the Italian version of Any Way The Wind Blows, Scattered Showers, and the Indigo edition of AWTWB, which I’m so thrilled to have found.

(Not featuring my paperback copy of the cover of Carry On with art of Simon and Baz, which someone is currently borrowing from me.)

[kaiju-kin]

Giskard again!!! I wasn't happy how I drew him the first time so I decided to redraw him. Full picture under the cut but I didn't quite like it enough lol

[possiblyawesometmblr]

Saw you reblog TMA art, so... ask completely unrelated to everything you're already getting: favorite characters? I like Michael (The Distortion), Sasha, and Tim a lot!

clears throat.

takes deep breath.

I LOVE THE ORIGINAL ELIAS BOUCHARD SO SO SO SO SO MUCH THAT IS MY WEIRD LITTLE STONER TRUST FUND KID AND I KNOW HE'S A BIT OF AN ENTITLED ASS BUT I WOULD KILL FOR HIM REGARDLESS

i'm also gay for melanie

[beyourselfchulanmaria]

The gifts from my son traveled Japan he brought to me. 🙏 Grateful God and beloved son at Christmas. (日本當地品牌的香水和非��精緻美味的日本抹茶巧克力／Local Japanese brand perfume and very exquisite and delicious Japanese matcha chocolate. 💞 and He said: Mom, it smelled like something he liked, so he decided to buy it for me at duety-free shop airport (KIX) Osaka. By the way I taught him how to choose "perfume", if he buys the wrong perfume for his beloved female friend in the future, he will get kicked in the butt by the girl. (I was kidding with son) 😂🤭😏 Lan~*

[nerdanel-the-wise-istarnie]

Another gift was found after, this one from Maitimo. It was dark red as the gloves and equally fur lined, but a hooded cloak that was just short enough to not drag on the ground when she walked. Golden stitching showed a family of nine foxes running about the bottom hem.

 ˚ ₊ ·          ⠀                     

         ⠀                             ˗ˏˋ​ ​ ​​ ​――  𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑙 . . . ​ ​​ ​ ​❞

Nerdanel eyes widened in surprise as she saw yet another gift. Her lithe hands picked up the soft fur lined cloak. Red as the gloves and withthe length just perfect for her.

As she turned the fine material, a golden stitching caught her steel blue eyes. She smiled as her hands ran over the family of nine foxes.

Nerdanel chuckled to her, this thoughtful gift was most certainly from her oldest; Maitimo. None of her other children would think of their nine membered family for a gift like this.

“Just what might my children be planing?” she wandered out loud. But just as the other gifts she instantly clasped the hooded cloak around herself.

She placed the hood over her head and twirled happily in the gifts presented secretly by her sons.

[royalthorned]

bellatrix/pansy

[ilonacho]

boyfriend haul from today

[sillypiratelife]

Zoro going against Mihawk out of nowhere and Luffy going against Zeff out of nowhere— I just know the old generation was doomed right then because Luffy and Zoro can have all the respect in the world or none of it and it wouldn't matter, they would tear through anything in their way even if they only had pirate baby teeth.

[mephiles-the-jester]

sonic and shadow can have one more baby as a treat,but its gonna look kinda like black doom and its name is gonna imply that hes gonna kill king arthur who is sonic,,just how it goes cant change this

do not worry tho,take this drawing of him and his siblings,,so happy