#handir

[astarothstarion]

“An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming.”

[theserpentsadvocate]

Five Women Who Never Loved Brandir Son of Handir

Uhhh... so I've been sitting on this one forever, I don't know why. Enjoy my original author's note:

Five things fic, because I wanted to. This is the third five things fic I’ve started, but the first one I’ve finished. (Besides, the Handir one has sort of mushroomed into this weird 5+2 format and I don’t know if it even qualifies anymore.) So, until I finish Five Things That Never Happened To Nienor Daughter Of Hurin and Five Ways Handir Son Of Haldir Could Have Survived The Nirnaeth Arnoediad (And What Would Have Happened If He Hadn’t), have Five Women Who Never Loved Brandir Son Of Handir. Unapologetic shippy fluff, OCs, and odd pairings ahead. Well, odd pairing.

1.

Niniel

It’s spring when she comes to him and takes his hand and at first he doesn’t think anything of it because that’s what she does.

Then there’s a movement of her thumb against the back of his hand and when he looks up she blushes, though her eyes don’t skitter away, and he’s never seen her blush before, and everything changes.

There’s a nervousness in the way she bites softly at one side of her lip, and Niniel isn’t nervous – she gets along well enough normally, but she doesn’t have that sense of embarrassment other people do. She doesn’t fidget. She doesn’t blush.

But her face is flushed, and he wants to raise a hand and brush it against her cheek. He doesn’t.

Her smile is hesitant, and he’s never seen that before either. There are a lot of things he’s never seen.

“I think,” she says, and the smile still edges around the corners of her lips, “that maybe you love me.”

“Maybe,” he says blankly, and although his lips feel numb his voice comes hoarse from his throat.

“I think,” she says, “that maybe I love you.”

Maybe? he means to say, but there’s no sound. The smile dances back and forth across her face, barely there but clear enough.

“I don’t know a lot about love.” It’s half apology. “I can’t remember ever loving anyone.”

And maybe she doesn’t know enough, not to choose. He doesn’t think it really, wouldn’t think it if she’d chosen elsewhere, but he’s used to cutting back, turning away, making endless small sacrifices because that’s what he does, that’s what’s necessary, because his happiness is always second. That’s what it is to be chieftain, to be healer, to be –

To choose happiness is selfish, surely. It’s always felt that way.

“That’s all right,” he says, voice rough as if he’s swallowed a roomful of smoke. “We’ll learn together.”

2.

Moriel

Brandir knows Hariel a little, though she and her family live outside of the Ephel. She’s a trapper and her son’s a woodsman who knows his game so they come to trade. Her daughter’s never come.

“We brought her,” Moriel’s brother says, blunt but apologetic. “I would have come ahead to tell you but Onda wanted me with her. I’m better for calming her down.”

“They’re not fits of emotion,” the girl says clearly. It surprises Brandir; she’s kept her eyes down this whole time, shy or nervous. He can see now she’s a bit older than he thought, maybe only a few years shy of his own age of twenty-five. The shyness, combined with her delicate looks, had thrown him off by six or eight years.

“Getting upset never gets you breathing better,” Aradir points out.

That doesn’t help much. “Hariel mentioned you didn’t travel because of this ailment,” Brandir says, voice friendly and neutral.

“The dust makes the fits come on,” she tells him straightforwardly. “The dogs can’t come inside the house anymore or it happens. I can’t run at all. Sometimes if I get very upset,” she allows, although she quite pointedly doesn’t look at her brother.

She doesn’t look at Brandir either, eyes fixed on her lap, though her voice is far too firm to put it down to shyness. He’s had people avoid his gaze before, but never avoid looking at him entirely. Is it so disturbing –

No. He has a patient.

“Flowers in spring?” he asks.

“Eh, sometimes,” she says. “It used to be fine. I didn’t start sneezing like Aradir. But now it seems like I move and I start wheezing.”

“It wasn’t always like this,” her brother says, more matter-of-fact than worried. “But she started getting ‘em when she was near ten year, they just weren’t so bad then.”

“Sometimes I think I’m going to die,” Moriel says. “The air just won’t go in. It’s worrisome.”

If she’d looked at him even once since they’d come through his door, he would like her for that. It’s worrisome.

“I can examine you,” he tells her. “But I think I know already. I can’t cure it, but I can give you medicine for when it happens. You’ll have to put it in boiling water and breathe in the smoke.”

“Good thing there’s always water on the boil,” Aradir comments. Brandir pushes up from his chair, trying not to notice that Moriel turns her head away while he arranges his crutch.

“I’ll fetch you some,” he says. “But I’ll have to prepare more.”

He left the door open as he puts together a packet and after a few moments hears Moriel whisper harshly to her brother, “That’s the chieftain’s son?” He swallows hard.

“What about him?”

There’s a soft thwack. “You never warned me he was handsome.”

Brandir almost drops his entire bundle of dried herbs on the floor. He swallows hard and fixes the crumpled leaves properly inside the cloth packet and then makes himself walk back through the door before he loses his nerve. It feels a little like the world’s turned sideways.

He’s never been handsome before.

“You’d better keep these with you,” he says. His voice is too brisk, but he forces himself to look at her. “About half what’s in the packet in a pot of hot water, to ease your breathing. I can make up something that will make the attacks less likely, but they’ll still happen.”

“But we don’t really know for certain if this works yet,” Moriel says diffidently. She meets his eyes, briefly, and then her gaze skitters around the room before she focusses somewhere just above his left shoulder. Her entire manner seems very different. “On me, I mean. I probably shouldn’t risk an attack somewhere with no hot water anyway, until I’m a bit better.”

“That’s probably wise.” His voice sounds even, which is a marvel considering all he can really think about is that Moriel herself is very pretty and surely she’s had practice speaking to all sorts of men?

“Then I guess I shouldn’t leave just yet.” She forces her eyes back to his and smiles a little awkwardly, but her voice is more confident. “I suppose I’ll have to stay a while.”

“Ah,” Brandir says articulately.

Moriel’s brother grumbles something under his breath, and she kicks him.

3.

Lalaith

The dog doesn’t really look like a dog, but it’s clearly an animal of some kind. That doesn’t feel like much of an achievement, when his father’s birds are so detailed that you can identify the species even when they’re not the same size as real ones, but it’s… something.

Nienor plops down beside him, all carefree eight years of her. “What’s that?”

“It’s just a… thing,” Brandir says, setting it down.

“Lemme see.” She picks it up.

“It’s supposed to be a dog. It’s not very good…”

“I like it,” Nienor says decisively, putting it down again. “You should give it to my sister. She has all kinds of animals Labadal made her, but she doesn’t have a dog. Only wild animals.” She frowns. “Maybe there’s a wolf.”

“I’m sure your sister would be nice enough to accept it,” Brandir says, cringing at the thought of his rough effort next to that of a lifelong carpenter, “but it’s really not good. My father does much better.”

“I bet she’d like it,” Nienor says. “She likes you.”

“I know.” Urwen likes everyone. And everyone likes her, but she isn’t conceited about it.

“Don’t you like her?”

Brandir frowns. “Of course I like her. She’s very nice.”

“Then why haven’t you given her flowers or something? Girls like flowers from boys they like.” She frowns back at him in consideration. “You’re kind of a boy. You’re younger than Turin. Maybe you’re too old to give her flowers. You should give her a necklace or something. Or the dog.” She brightened. “Can you make a necklace out of wood? Or a bracelet? Do you think you’ll get married? Naneth wasn’t that much older than Lalaith when she got married. If you get married, can I be – ?”

Finally Brandir manages to drag his internal organs back into his chest from wherever they’ve disappeared to and stop her by waving his hands in the air in front of her face. It’s not very polite, but he’s having difficulty with words.

“That is not what I meant,” he says finally, as calmly as he can manage. “I like your sister. And I like you, and I like your father, and I like…” He hesitates. Morwen always makes him feel deficient, like he’s broken, not just damaged.

“Oh.” Nienor stares at the ground. “She’ll be sad.”

Brandir wants to argue with her – clearly she misunderstood her sister the same way she misunderstood him – but he can’t think what he should say first.

“Maybe you could like her?” Nienor suggests hopefully. “She’s really pretty, you know. And nice. And she knows lots of funny stories –”

“Why don’t you keep the dog?” Brandir says loudly. “Go on, I don’t mind.”

Nienor looks hurt – she hates being talked down to – but she takes the thing sullenly and sulks off, pouting, without saying anything else. Brandir slides down off his hillock and leans back against it, rubbing his hands over his face. Urwen is pretty and nice, and he likes her stories. And he really, really doesn’t want her to feel sorry for him, which she would if she heard about this conversation.

“I guess…”

He jerks upright. Lalaith is standing there, smiling a little sadly. “I guess things are different in Brethil.”

“A little,” Brandir says, feeling his heart shrivel up inside his chest. “Were you looking for Nienor?”

“She ran off towards the house,” she says. “I guess Mother doesn’t need me to fetch her anymore.”

“She said you had a whole bunch of little animals,” he offers lamely.

Urwen nods. “From Sador.”

Sador. Not Labadal.

“I guess… when Haladin girls want to be sweethearts with a boy, they just…” She makes a vague motion signifying action.

“I… yes, I think so…” He wouldn’t really know how it goes. He ought to stand up, while she’s standing, but his walking stick is too far to reach and he doesn’t want her to see the kind of hobbling he’s reduced to when he doesn’t have it.

“Turin told me about… um, I think it was Bariel…?”

“They don’t usually punch anyone in the face!” Brandir exclaims, humiliation momentarily forgotten. “That’s very unusual!”

Urwen smiles. “I don’t want to punch you in the face,” she says.

“I don’t want to punch anyone in the face,” he responds without thinking. Her expression shifts a bit, but she smiles again with effort.

“Right. I just thought maybe it was… Nienor was embarrassing you, but… well, I guess I was being silly. I’ll just…” She turns to leave.

“Wait, wait,” Brandir says, reaching out for her arm. It’s too far up and he gets a handful of the skirt of her pretty yellow dress instead. It’s soft. She’s a little bit like the dress, and that sounds stupid even in his head. “I can’t… um, I can’t…” He can feel himself going red. “Get up.” Just when he was thinking he hadn’t been humiliated after all. He can’t look at her.

“Oh…” She turns and fetches his crutch for him. His face is still burning when she hands it to him but instead of making some excuse and hurrying away she sits down next to him. After a little while he gets up the courage to look at her again. She smiles.

“I do still like flowers better than wooden bracelets,” she says.

4.

Daerwen

His first duty, after burying his father, had been to bear his condolences to the families of the other fallen warriors. There had been a great many.

It shamed him to think that he couldn’t remember most of those meetings clearly, but it was true. Even those who had been angry, insulting, reaching out for someone to blame and striking close to the places that would truly cause pain – ‘And where we you, safe at home?’ ‘How could you understand, you’re no warrior!’ ‘Do you think to purchase my support, thus?’ – blurred together enough that they, and their suffering, were no individual, distinct entities in his mind.

He should have done better by them than that.

“You probably don’t remember me,” the woman by the fireside said. She smiled, but sadly.

“I do,” Brandir told her. “Daerwen.” He refrained from listing her husband’s name, although they both knew that must be how he thought of her. He’d meant to hold the bereaved in his mind as people, to remember their sorrow, their anger or guilt or acceptance – instead, he’d only managed to catalogue them by their dead. Daerwen’s husband had been Harlas, a spearman, and he’d bled out during the retreat, but all he remembered of her was that she hadn’t screamed or thrown him out of her house.

“You are kin to Aradis, I think,” he said to break the silence. They could have been merely friends, of course, but there was a strong resemblance in Daerwen to Aradis’s grandson.

“She was married to a cousin of my father’s,” Daerwen said, faultlessly polite. There was something in her quiet manner that put him in mind of his mother, so he imagined there was steel underneath. “Though not a close one.”

That meant that Aradis’s dead daughter was Daerwen’s kinswoman and agemate. If she’d ever had children with Harlas, they likely would have played with Mireth’s orphaned son.

“How unfortunate,” he said, meeting her eyes steadily so she would know him sincere. “I am afraid such losses are common.”

“Certainly.” She peered into the soup-pot, and, apparently satisfied, rose and came to sit nearer him. “I stifle, the way no one ever mentions it. But I suppose it is different for you.”

He looked at her cautiously. The last time he’d been in this house, Aradis had tried to throw him out, but ended by weeping so hard he’d had to hold her bodily from the floor. She seemed to hold no animosity or embarrassment, only worry over her grandson’s injury, but he could never be quite sure of his reception in such places.

“Having no time to grieve, I mean,” Daerwen said. She gave him that smile again, sad and half-yearning but not melancholic.

“And yet I did anyway,” Brandir said, “somehow. It was greatly against my judgement but I fear I could not do otherwise.”

Her smile spread a little, deepening, and lost some of its bittersweet quality. He only got a brief glance before she turned her face towards her lap. “It must have lost its hold on you, if you can say such things.”

“I –” It was necessary he be able to speak without tears or the suggestion they might be coming. “I still miss my father very much, and very frequently. But certainly I am no longer prevented from… going onwards in my life.” Was she unable to do so? At least she wished to, which was a good sign.

“I wonder if… you could put it that way to Aradis? Going onwards. It sounds much… friendlier than the words she uses when I mention hovering less over her grandson.” Her jaw clenched. “Or that I would like to marry again.”

“I think,” he told her seriously, “that you are admirable. And I shall do my best, although I cannot meddle if she has no wish for my help.”

“Of course not,” Daerwen told him. “And I want to thank you. Just hearing someone say it’s not wrong to want to move past him… it’s a comfort. I knew that –” She stopped.

“If you need help – not just interference, but advice or conversation – I am not so far away.” He’d made the offer many times in the last year, although it wasn’t frequently accepted. “You are always welcome, as long as you can find me.”

“Thank you.” There was a pause. He could hear Aradis descending the steps in the other room. Daerwen smiled a little. “I knew that you were the right choice.”

5.

Nienor

The envoy leaves in two days.

It shouldn’t matter quite so much – things have been as productive as they can be, when Dor-lomin’s new leader has somewhat unreasonable expectations – but it does.

Brandir silently and emphatically calls himself a fool.

“Why the stormclouds?”

He laughs despite himself, although he’s startled Nienor managed to approach without his knowing. “The storm clouds?”

She shrugs, leaning against the side of his house. “Aerin used to say that when I was small. I fought with my mother… well, often. ‘Stormclouds’ was kinder than ‘royal sulk’, I suppose.”

“Are you accusing me of sulking?” He takes care to smile, both to dispel the impression and to avoid giving offense.

“No. I only wondered.”

“’An acorn for your thoughts’, we say here.” He gestures to the step. “You’re welcome to sit.”

Instead, she straddles end of the log he’s sitting on. Brandir turns to face her. She’s wearing a split skirt, and he can see she has leggings beneath it.

“An acorn for your thoughts.”

He shrugs. “Just wool-gathering.”

“They seem like unhappy sheep.”

That makes him smile. “Just heavy ones.”

Nienor frowns. “Wouldn’t that be a good thing? More wool? Or warmer?”

“I have a great number of responsibilities,” he offers, half-amused and half-exasperated.

“I suppose.” She sounds thoughtful. “When I first came, I thought you were a strange man by way of a leader.”

Brandir keeps his voice carefully neutral. He’s not sure what to think. “Did you?”

“I haven’t known many,” she acknowledges. “Just my brother, I suppose, and Brodda.” The thunderhead that crosses her face at that name is formidable. “But people still talk about my father. And there’s the Elf-king, I suppose.”

“The king of Doriath.”

“He as well.” He should have known she’d meant Fingon. The People of Hador were married to the Noldor. “Living, dead, good, bad… they all loved war, or their own authority, or both.”

Cautiously, Brandir ventures, “I never heard that Hurin son of Galdor loved either.”

“Didn’t you?” She sounds surprised. “No one ever speaks of him but the words ‘mighty warrior’ follow.”

“I grant you that,” he says, “easily! But a man may fight like the whirlwind and still bear no love for war. My father always spoke of his kinsman as a young man more in love with a jest and a song than with battle.”

She startles. “I suppose I knew they would have known each other – but I never think of it.” There’s silence for a moment. “When we first met, I thought you weak,” she says slowly. “Now, I think of going back to being surrounded by men who think strength is a sword-arm or the ability to command by force and I cannot think well of it.”

“I have always heard your brother a good man,” he says, although that isn’t entirely true. He’s heard nothing of Turin son of Hurin’s character – only his fighting prowess.

“He is,” Nienor says, almost sadly. “And he is an able leader, although I cannot say if he is a good one.”

That she makes a difference between the two strikes him forcibly, and both her discernment and the hint of praise hiding in the shadow of her words cause his heart to beat distractingly.

“But he’s what he was made,” she says simply. “I don’t know what kind of life it was, hunting orcs through the woods – but I sat in the Easterlings’ hall, and I have no love left for masterful men.”

The sadness of that – a reunion that is but a continuance of the separation – moves Brandir profoundly. He reaches for her hand, to offer what comfort he can, but as their fingers touch she raises her gaze to his, and it takes all his will not to freeze and thus betray himself.

“I have performed my duty to my brother well here, I think,” she says, forcing a ghost of a smile. “I will bear it out and bring back word – and then, I think, it will be done. And then perhaps – ” she glances so quickly at his hand over hers that he almost doesn’t see it, “then perhaps I may return.”

A/N: I wrote parts 1-4 Way Too Long Ago, and then finally finished it, I don’t know, two years back and immediately forgot that I’d finished it. So… Here it is now? Requisite notes:

1. Turin doesn’t exist. He never existed. The story still happened the same way up to this point because, well, it did. Or, Niniel blew him off because he was being really horrible to her friend. Or, he’s off living in a cave somewhere. Or similar. Whatever you like to imagine. :)

2. Handir is still alive and in charge here, obviously. He won’t die for about five more years per canon. Moriel has asthma (as you may have guessed). I described her in my notes once as being a ‘delicate princess with the soul of a drill sergeant’ which essentially means that not only will she fight you, but if you argue back you will look like an asshole. I like to think that when Turin arrives in Brethil she’s also pregnant, and Dorlas’s attempt to use him to unseat Brandir completely dies under the strength of Heavily Pregnant Woman Having An Asthma Attack Because Of You.

3. Some happy (or happier) AU or other where Brethil/Dor-lomin kids are fostered back and forth. Brandir’s staying with Hurin’s family. He and Lalaith are both sixteen. (I put in a backwards-math hint with Nienor’s age and then remembered that not everyone in the entire world has gone and memorized their age differences.)

4. Obviously the shippy part comes later. (Whoops, I guess it’s not all fluff.) But there’s a nice grounding of respect and friendliness and understanding and with a relationship that grows slowly out of that and out of shared grief and especially when accompanied by a dead spouse and requisite baggage (on one side) and political responsibility – and baggage! – (on the other) is going to, well, grow slowly, so the point that I don’t think a snippet from anywhere but much later would even look that much like a romantic relationship, even after it was one. Anyway. I may come back and poke this idea later and I may not.

5. Turin retook Dor-lomin, obviously. Nienor is the head of his envoy to Brethil. (His ‘unreasonable expectations’ are military support that would leave the Haladin with very precarious defenses; Brandir is sending supplies to rebuild and offers of trading instead.) A line I wanted to use but in the end couldn’t fit in: “Aerin, my mother… they all lived in Dor-lomin before the Easterlings came. They call it home, but for me, there’s nothing there but bad memories.”

[dfwbwfbbwfbwf]

The Faithful's Wife

The songs and stories tell of Bór, the loyal Easterling whose name is a testament of his steadfastness, and his three sons, Borlad, Borlach, and Borthand. Their deaths are grieved in mournful songs from Imladris to Valinor by the Eldar who had been spared by their sacrifice.

Batu learned of her husband's and sons' deaths from a mortally wounded messenger. Her clan had prepared for this eventuality, and in an hour, they were on the move south.

They traveled through Thargelion, past the Gelion, and around Nan Elmoth - the forest unnerved their horses. Doriath provided them no shelter, forcing them through Nan Dungortheb. The spiders slew a quarter of her people, including five of her seven daughters and all her grandchildren save Borlach's infant son.

Batu led them on.

They reached Brethil wounded and starved. Batu begged succor for her people from the Haladin chieftain, Handir. His heart bled with compassion for them, and he gave them lands south of the Ravines of Taeglin. The plains suited their lifestyle well, and they thrived for a time.

(Then Túrin came, but that's another story.)

------

Thought experiment from this post of mine, and I couldn't just let horrible things happen to them. :(

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Favourite Female Tolkien Character Poll - Round 1, Match 8

Beldis & Beleth

These two are cousins! They’re also both Beren’s cousins. Beldis was 6 years older than Beleth, so they probably knew each other.

During the Dagor Bragollach, Beldis would have been in her mid-40s and Beleth in her late 30s.

Beldis married Handir of Brethil (the son of Haldir and Glóredhel) and was the mother of Brandir. She likely came to Brethil when some of the women of the House of Bëor escaped there from Dorthonion after the Dagor Bragollach. If not for male primogeniture she’d have been the head of the House of Bëor.

Beleth was the aunt of Morwen and Rían, and the elder sister of Baragund and Belegund. She lost her father Bregolas in the Dagor Bragollach, and both her brothers when Sauron destroyed the last of Barahir’s band of guerillas in Dorthonion. She may have escaped from Dorthonion to Brethil along with other women of the House of Bëor, and might have continued to Dor-lómin with Morwen and Rían.

(Literally all we have about either of these two is their names on a family tree; I’m contextualizing with canon events and speculating a bit.)

[the-vengeful-rose]

congrats, you've made it.

You've reached the pinnacle of suburban existence.

————————————————————————

Error...

Please pay: 1638362583.99 Handirs for the next section of "Life"

If no: you will be disconnected

If yes: 1638362583.99 Handirs will be deducted from your bank account and the next section of "Life" will be unlocked and playable.

They say “fake it till you make it.” The problem with that though is that you’ve been faking it all week, and now all you have to show for it is a new car, a new job, new friends, a newfound sense of purpose, and…. Ah.

[lazziya61]

Hep kendini çektin naza, Yok bahara yahut yaza, Biktim gayri yaza yaza, Gelsen de bir gelmesen de...

Bir candir bu bir andir bu, Giden gelmez bir handir bu, Dag tas degil insandir bu, Gelsen de bir gelmesen de...

Görecegim bir bos kafes,

Ceset kalmis çıkmış nefes,

Nerde o can nerde o ses, Gelsen de bir gelmesen de...

[arofili]

three houses of the edain ➴ house of haleth ➴ headcanon disclaimer

          Haldir was the son of Halmir, and the fifth Chieftain of the Haladin. When he was twenty-two years of age, a great feast was held between his people and the House of Hador where both he and his younger sister Hareth wed the children of Lord Hador. Hareth married Hador’s heir Galdor, and Haldir took to wife Hador’s daughter Glóredhel, a golden-haired woman with the beauty of an elf.           Glóredhel passed her golden hair to Haldir’s son Handir, who grew into a man of noble heart and great prowess in battle. Handir followed his father into the Fifth Battle, marching under the banner of High King Fingon, and when Haldir was slain covering an attempted retreat across the Anfauglith, Handir took command of the surviving Haladin and led them in a flight from the battlefield. Upon learning of her husband’s death, Glóredhel’s heart broke and she died of grief.           The wife of Handir was Beldis, daughter of Bregil of the House of Bëor and Arachon of the Noldor. Though her father and brother were slain amid the Sudden Flame, Beldis and her aging mother had fled to Brethil with Emeldir the Man-hearted, and though she was many years older than Handir she was yet fair and youthful thanks to her elven blood. Handir admired Beldis for her kindness and quiet strength and knew from his youth that he wanted to marry her; Beldis, who had assumed her heritage would complicate any chance she had at love, was quickly won over by his eager attempts at courting.           Beldis bore Handir one son, whom she named Brandir after her fallen brother. Brandir was a wayward and inquisitive child, prone to wandering off into the woods and driving his parents mad with worry. On one such misadventure, Brandir fell into the River Taeglin and badly broke his leg; he would have been swept downriver to his death had not Beldis discovered him and leapt into the waters to save him. Though Beldis managed to get her son to shore, she herself succumbed to the deadly waters of the Taeglin, leaving Brandir shivering and alone on its banks for hours. When at last Handir tracked him down, it was too late for proper healing to set in, and Brandir was left lame and motherless thereafter.           Due to his injury and his gentle mood, Brandir was never a man of war and instead took delight in all things that grew in the earth, becoming a healer so he might aid those who suffered similar mishaps to himself. But when his father was slain by orcs in the north of Brethil, Brandir became the Chieftain of the Haladin despite never wishing for such a responsibility. His cousin Hardang attempted to usurp his leadership, claiming he was unfit to rule, but seeing that his people needed his wisdom more than Hardang’s brashness, Brandir took charge despite his earlier hesitation.  In order to protect his people, Brandir sought silence and secrecy, closing the borders of Brethil and retreating from the remaining realms of Beleriand.           But despite his efforts, the Haladin would not remain isolated from the Shadow. When Nargothrond fell, the woodmen of Brethil attempted to rescue the elven prisoners of the retreating orcs, but failed to save Princess Finduilas, whom they buried in the mound of Haudh-en-Elleth. In the spring of the next year, the marchwardens encountered a strange man carrying a black sword who fell into a swoon upon discovering the death of Finduilas. He was carried to Amon Obel upon a bier and taken to the Chieftain, but when Brandir saw him a shadow darkened his heart.           Still, Brandir resolved to heal the stranger, and tended to him until he woke and cast off his darkness. Alone of the Haladin, Brandir learned that this was Túrin son of Húrin, his kinsman and a man under the Curse of Morgoth. Túrin determined to renounce his past, taking the name Turambar to symbolize his new life, but soon he began to ignore Brandir’s orders to remain in stealth and led the woodmen of Brethil in hunting orcs.           On one such hunt, Turambar discovered a feverish young woman lying upon the Haudh-en-Elleth and carried her to Brandir for healing. Turambar gave her the name Níniel, but it was Brandir who cared for her, and soon both men had fallen in love with her. Níniel’s heart was given to Turambar, and when he asked for her hand, Brandir urged her to postpone her decision and revealed the truth of Túrin’s lineage. Níniel did consider Brandir’s words, for he was a dear friend to her if not her beloved, but in the end she did marry Turambar at Midsummer the following year, and soon was expecting his child.           Turambar grew ever bolder until Brandir had lost the respect of his people. When Turambar’s deeds of valour drew the attention of Glaurung, Turambar asked for volunteers to accompany him on a quest to slay the dragon, and only Dorlas stepped forth. Seeing the others hold back, Dorlas scorned them and demanded to know if none would take the place of Brandir the Lame so that the House of Haleth would not be put to shame. Though his kinsman Hunthor took up the task and upbraided Dorlas for his cruelty, Brandir, who had long been unheeded, was now subjected to the derision of his people and became bitter at heart.           Not long after her husband’s departure, Níniel declared that she must follow her husband and ignored Brandir’s counsel to wait for their return. In despair, Brandir renounced his lordship and his people, but resolved to hobble after the woman he loved. He did not catch up to her until it was too late and the malice of Glaurung had revealed that she was in truth Niënor daughter of Húrin and the brother of her husband. Choked on horror and dread, Niënor Níniel ran to the waters of Cabed-en-Aras and cast herself into the Teiglin as Brandir called after her in vain, watching another woman he loved be devoured by the river.           Utterly defeated, Brandir limped away and soon encountered Dorlas, who had quailed from the fight and fled. Blaming his cowardice in part for Níniel’s demise, Brandir struck Dorlas down and continued on to give the awful tidings to those who had once been his people. But as he told the dreadful story, Túrin Turambar appeared though he was thought to have perished, and in his wrath at Brandir’s “lies,” Túrin slandered his name and slew him.           Yet soon after Mablung the Hunter arrived confirming Brandir’s words, for he had been tracking Niënor and had arrived too late. Túrin, now full of guilt and remorse, fled from the scene and killed himself upon his black sword in penance for the blood of Beleg, killed by accident, and Brandir, killed unjustly.

[goldenvoicedminstrel]

You guys I just found out that the colles on Saturn’s Titan are named after Tolkien characters and I just - 

I’m glad they didn’t forget Faramir and it’s cool they even included Nimloth but what kind of nerd flex was it for someone to come up with Handir?? 

[dfwbwfbbwfbwf]

Jirt: This is Finwë and his sons, Curufinwë, Nolofinwë, and Arafinwë. Curufinwë has seven sons - Nelyafinwë, Cánafinwë, Turcafinwë, Morifinwë, Curufinwë 2, Telufinwë, and Pityafinwë. Curufinwë 2 has a son, Curufinwë 3.

Oh, we also have Celebrimbor, Celebrindal, Celegorm, Celeborn, and Celebrían.

Don't forget Elwë/Elu, Eluréd, Elurín, Elwing, Elrond, Elros, Elladan, Elrohir, Elessar, and Eldarion.

There's also Haldad, Haldar, Haleth, Haldan, Haldir, Halmir, Handir, Hareth, Húrin, Huor, and Hiril.

That's not even mentioning Balan/Bëor, Belen, Beldir, Belemir, Beren, Barahir, Baran, Baranor, Bereg, Boron, Belegor, Boromir, Beril, Bregor, Bregil, Brandir, Bregolas, Beleth, Baragund, and Belegund.

Can't forget Aragorn, Arathorn, Aramel, Arassuil, Arahad, Aravorn, Aragost, Araglas, Aravir, Aranuir, Arahael, Aranath, Arvedui, Araphant, Araval, Araveleg, Arvegil, Argeleb, and Araphor.

And those names REPEAT.

Any Writing Professor: Do not name any two characters with the same letter, it will confuse your audience.

George RR Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki: This is Radagon, who married Rennala, mother of Ranni who likes to pose as Renna, enemy of Rykard and Radahn. He is really Marika, Maliketh's Goddess, mother to Morgott (AKA Margit) Mohg, Malenia mother of Millicent, Miquella, possibly Melina and now Messmer, and she had them after she raised Godwyn and Godefroy with Godfrey, from whom Godrick is descended.

[alicebeckstrom]

Soon afterwards Handir Lord of Brethil was slain, for the Orcs invaded his land, and Handir gave them battle; but the Men of Brethil were worsted, and driven back into their woods. ~ The Silmarillion, Chapter 21 (The Men of Brethil by cemungudh, deviantART)

[fandomblr]

Ableism in The Children of Húrin

I just recently talked about racism in Tolkien’s legendarium, and now I want to talk about ableism. Most of Tolkien’s characters are (presumably) able-bodied with the exception of Beren and Maedhros (who are both hand amputees), but another disabled character that I don’t think gets talked about enough is Brandir from the tale of The Children of Húrin. Here’s my textual evidence from HoME—The Shaping of Middle-Earth:

Brandir is clearly described as “lame of foot” since he was wounded by an orc as a child, which leads me to assume that he had some sort of mobility impairment in his feet like I do (I wear a foot orthotic). Clearly Brandir isn’t able-bodied in the sense that Túrin and other men are, since he yielded the rule of the woodfolk to him precisely to his disability. This all contributes to the idea that disabled people are incapable of becoming leaders, that we can’t hold positions of power, etc. But probably the most ableist part of this is when Tolkien says that he was “of less might than many.” Since Tolkien doesn’t list any other reasons for Brandir being of less might other than him being disabled this leaves me with the impression that he was “less of might” precisely because of his foot impairment, which is clearly ableist.

Now, like I said, Tolkien has had other characters that can be interpreted as disabled (Maedhros and Beren) and while they can be seen as positive representation, this still doesn’t really erase the fact that Brandir was portrayed ultimately as weak, as incapable of leading, and as unworthy of a woman’s (Nienor’s) love, plus he ends up dead which is rarely a good ending to have for a disabled character anyways. These are all harmful stereotypes that lots of people believe about disabled people, and these still clearly impact us today as disabled people.

And yes, Tolkien lived in a different time in which disability was viewed differently (he lived through World War II in which Nazis were literally trying to sterilize us because we were seen as ‘not contributing to society’) but at the end of the day Brandir’s story is pretty ableist. However, what’s interesting is that if Nienor had fallen in love with Brandir instead of Túrin, then neither she nor Túrin would have committed suicide, and it’s plausible that then Húrin may not have given Thingol the cursed gold and nauglamir out of spite, which contributed to the ruin of Doriath and ultimately in the second and third kinslayings involving the nauglamir with the silmaril. So even though this story is ableist, maybe Tolkien here was trying to convey a hidden meaning against this ableism, that there’s more to appearances and that if Nienor had chosen Brandir, an uncursed man (unlike Túrin who is arguably the most cursed character in Tolkien’s legendarium) that simply happens to be disabled, then the history of middle earth may have been just a little less bloody. Just some food for thought.

Again, I highly encourage other disabled folks to speak on this and see what their interpretations are! I’m always down to discuss social justice topics and how they relate to Tolkien’s work.

[unicarpet-blog]

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[theserpentsadvocate]

I have been nursing the idea for this and then the half-finished fic and then the full thing along for so long that I completely forgot I finished it on multiple occasions, but it's time to post it, so... here's my incredbly depressing and slightly experimental Brandir/Nienor fic based on that soulmate AU idea where you have the last thing your soulmate says to you on your arm instead of the first.

Things do not turn out better than canon.

[shinraelectricpowercom]

ok. LONG POST UNDER THE CUT. i have endeavored to create a list of Every Named Character In The Quenta Silmarillion. PLEASE tell me if you think i’m missing someone, that’s why i’m posting it.

included characters: Eru, Valar, Maiar, creatures that I think are probably Maiar (like Oromë’s horse), Elves, Men, Peredhil, Dwarves, Dragons and other Creatures of Morgoth with Personal Names (given that Glaurung seems sentient, and it felt wrong to include Huan but not Carcharoth, for example)

excluded characters: anyone not in the text of the Quenta Silmarillion proper (eg Andreth), anyone referred to only by a title (eg the Lord of Nogrod), any creature of Morgoth referred to only by its type (eg the werewolf that Finrod fought)

sorted mostly by order of appearance in text, with the caveat that most humans are listed in their own section and sorted by houses because that makes it easier to keep track of them

Melkor Tulkas Yavanna Aulë Varda Manwë Nessa Oromë Nienna Ilúvatar Ulmo Salmar Ossë Uinen Nahar (horse) Mandos Sauron

Ingwë Finwë Elwë Olwë Lenwë Denethor Melian Círdan

Fëanor Fingolfin Finarfin Míriel Indis Eärwen

Maedhros Maglor Celegorm Caranthir Curufin Amrod Amras

Fingon Turgon Aredhel

Finrod Orodreth Angrod Aegnor Galadriel

Rúmil Nerdanel Mahtan Elemmírë of the Vanyar

Ungoliant

Elenwë Eöl Maeglin

Daeron Arien Tilion Gothmog Thorondor

Mablung Celeborn Glaurung

Idril Amarië Gil-galad Beleg

Beren Luthien

Edrahil Huan Celebrimbor Draugluin Thuringwethil Carcharoth

Gwindor Gelmir Guilinion Guilin

Telchar - mortal Azaghâl - mortal Ecthelion Glorfindel

Saeros Mîm - mortal Khîm - mortal Ibun - mortal Finduilas Gelmir Arminas

Dior Nimloth Eluréd Elurín Elwing

Tuor Annael Aranwë Voronwë Eärendil Elrond Elros Falathar Erellont Aerandir Eönwë Ancalagon the Black

MEN Bëor Baran Bereg Boron Boromir Bregor Bregolas Barahir Baragund Belegund Morwen Rían Emeldir Lalaith Nienor Aerin

Brodda Lorgan

Radhruin Dairuin Dagnir Ragnor Gildor Gorlim Arthad Urthel Hathaldir Eilinel

Marach Malach aka Aradan Imlach Magor Amlach Hathol Hador Galdor Gloredhel Gundor Húrin Huor Túrin

Haldad Haleth Haldar Haldan Halmir Hareth Haldir Handir Dorlas Brandir Hunthor Glirhuin

Bór Borlad Borlach Borthand

Ulfang Ulfast Ulwarth Uldor

[hazelcephalopod]

So that Handir, a researcher and hermit member of the Grim Verity, mentioned some ancient texts supposedly from Vasselheim which a now deceased member stole from there. The ancient text indicated that-

A) Ruidus didn’t exist during the Founding -when the gods found Exandria and made the various people of it. Catha did.

B) At the beginning there were two other gods in the pantheon who have since been “forgotten” and are no longer part of the pantheon.

C) Ruidus appeared around the time those forgotten gods disappeared.

D) Those last two events occurred sometime close to the Founding, near the beginning of the world.

E) Based on this there is a strong hypothesis that the two events are connected and speculation that the two gods could have become or been trapped in Ruidus. But that latter half (unless I have misremembered something) is speculation, little else is known of the moon and less about the forgotten gods.

This text is said to be one of the oldest records from the Founding time period, it’s supposed to be from Vasselheim, specifically the Temple Vaults beneath the Temple of Erathis -the Lawbearer- in the Quadroads. There is confirmation that Ruidus existed by the end of the end of the Age of Arcanum, and does not appear to be a new feature (based on Exu: Calamity and peoples behavior towards Ruidus). We also know that there is a red storm on Ruidus which seems to be a constant feature of the moon (from the telescope the BH looked few several episodes ago).

What exactly forgotten means could hold more or less weight depending on what precisely does that mean, for instance-

• was knowledge of them wiped from existence? A: certainly not completely enough that this text couldn’t exist.

• were their names obliterated, in a magical sense so they *can not* be known? A) unknown Handir implies the text may name them but his knowledge on them is somewhat limited.

• could they have since been “remembered” in some way? Possibly without most people realizing that? A) unknown.

Other information to consider-

Neither Handir nor the BH have seen this text, so all information is based on what Handir has heard about it, and he doesn’t know or remember all the specifics. As a member of the Grim Verity, Handir is involved with historical research which could be considered blasphemous. Such research is what led the group to steal the text and develop such an interest in Ruidus which is the subject of much speculation. Many members of the Grim Verity have also recently been killed, at least some by “the Gray Assassins” and Handir believes Vasselheim is the assassins origin and source of their orders. Currently the text is in Yios with unknown members of the Grim Verity.

So, could we actually know the deities mentioned? Maybe, that really depends on exactly how forgotten they are and if they could have been remembered since they disappeared or not.

Note I’ll be calling the two forgotten deities in the text the lost gods going forward.

But this isn’t an academic paper webbed site! This is Tumblr! So… For fun here’s several deities I’ve considered or seen mentioned and likelihood they are trapped in Ruidus somehow (again that is speculation not fact) or or one of the “lost gods”-

1) Vecna: the god of secrets, recently ascended. Massive asshole. Likelihood he’s in that moon: 2/10. Banished from Exandria. He could not be one of the lost gods, as he only became a god recently -unless he somehow replaced one of those gods which… could be worth consideration.

2) [REDACTED], the old god of death. Was replaced by the Matron of Ravens during the Age of Arcanum and their name was obliterated from existence, but they are known to have existed. Their name was obliterated so thoroughly that even other gods have forgotten it. What exactly happened to them is unclear, but Ruidus still very much existed by this point. Likelihood they’re in that moon- 3/10. Certainly not one of the lost gods because they existed long after the Founding until the end of the AoA.

3) The Observer, from Nirdal-Poc. Is a god -though a lesser one probably- worshiped in the hidden city of Nirdal-Poc. Don’t have a lot to say about this one, they certainly exist. Dariax probably spoke to them? Seems chill. Likelihood they are in that moon- 1/10 (Dariax talked to them maybe, also nah); likelihood they were in Ruidus: 2/10 (maybe they escaped?). Likelihood they are one of the lost gods: 3/10.

4) The Chained Oblivion. So, the big bad. The meanest guy around feared by Prime Deities, Betrayers, and most people alike. Plague of the Underdark, master of madness. Etc. Seems obvious that it would be connected to the weird psychic moon, but! The history there is a bit more complicated (I’m not going fully into that here maybe later). Likelihood it’s in that moon- 5/10. We know it was sealed away at least twice, it was released during the Calamity and then sealed back away wounding The Knowing Mistress in the process. Likelihood it’s one of the lost gods- 5/10 (being generous), the entity is often considered alien, an Elder Evil, and possibly older than the gods. When they arrived isn’t clear so hard to say if they could be one of the forgotten deities but possible. If so they have since been remembered and can affect the world.

5) The Luxon, deity worshipped in the Kryn Dynasty who is believed to be older than the gods, and to have found the world before them. It also appears to have dissembled itself on a quest for self discovery before the arrival of the pantheon. However, they’re veiled in a lot of mystery and religious lore, while it’s beacons power to reincarnate souls, so they remember their previous lives in adolescence, is unquestionable. The origins of the beacons is somewhat questionable, and The Luxon themself remains quite mysterious. Likelihood they’re in that moon- 6/10 (I’d say it’s more complicated than that if true based on the existence of the beacons but the beacons could be not quite what the Kryn think they are too). I could speculate endlessly. Likelihood they are one of the lost gods- 7/10. Because, if it’s a deity we know of than they are most likely to be one imo.

6) unknown! By which I mean, entities we have never heard about before. I could say 10/10 for both and leave it there for the joke. But, in all honestly I’m torn on the one hand, entirely new entities is an opportunity to world build and open up things and explore new ideas. On the other hand, the world already has a lot and bringing back old ideas in a new way is also very cool and very fun. So honestly I think it could go either way. Maybe new gods will be introduced, maybe we will learn more about ones that are already known. Who knows?!

[ceescedasticity]

A toast to Beldis (daughter of the House of Bëor), Handir (Chieftain of the Haladin), and their son Brandir (yet another doomed Sane Man in the Narn i Hin Hurin) for giving us quite a lot of canon-compatible wiggle room when it comes to age at marriage, acceptable age gaps, and fertility longevity among the Edain of Beleriand.