#lotr and crystals

[finchinmoria]

My Favorite ROP Characters as Crystals

I needed something fun and low-stakes to keep my mind off Real Life Things, so here are the crystals I associate with some of my favorite Rings of Power characters 💎💍💎

Adar, Celebrimbor, Annatar, Mirdania, Elrond, Galadriel, & Gil-Galad under the cut.

🖤Adar🖤 Black Tourmaline

Black Tourmaline is one of the most protective crystals. Black Tourmaline has a Mohs hardness of 7-7.5 so it is fairly resistant to scratching. Unlike Uruks, you can put Black Tourmaline in the sun, but extreme heat or temperature changes can damage it. Metaphysically along with protection it is said to purify and transmute negative energy in the auric field and in the environment. Physically, it has high iron levels so it’s also highly magnetic, which tracks because regardless of how other characters feel about it, no one can ever seem to get out of being in close proximity to this Uruk. The downside of Black Tourmaline in my experience is that it can be a little too grounding on the root chakra so if you’re in a bad place it can pull you down even further until you’re just sort of obsessed over safety and physical resources. And if there’s one guy that needs to get out of his root chakra from time to time, it’s Adar. (If you’re giving me the side eye emoji guy 😏 thinking about Adar’s root chakra, you know very well that’s not what I meant. Also, let’s be friends.) It doesn’t help that I think Nenya looks a lot like raw Blue Celestite which has a very high vibe crown chakra energy, and the little time he had with it was enough to knock some clarity into Adar. So, yeah, he needs all the high vibes he can get, but he’s still more of a root guy overall. The rough/raw form of Black Tourmaline is pretty much Adar’s aesthetic to a T, honestly his sword has the same texture on parts of it. But the crystal can also be polished and is often made into jewelry so you can carry its protective properties with you. Which for someone who apparently hasn’t changed clothes in like three thousand years, a pendant would probably be right up his alley.

[I almost picked Black Obsidian for being volcanic glass and also possessing protective qualities, but it was just a lil too shiny so the tourmaline won.]

🍯Celebrimbor🍯 Honey Calcite

All right, look, calcite is one of the most common minerals on earth and it comes in such a variety of vibrant colors (a lot of them look like candy) that they have been given an array of trade names related to food, but when it comes to Honey Calcite (also called Golden or Amber calcite) I’ll give it a pass. You look at this crystal and it just looks like honey and all the connotations that come with it: sweet, comforting, warming, joyous. Which are all the things I think about when I see Celebrimbor. Metaphysically this crystal contains properties befitting the greatest of Elven smiths: creativity, willpower, strength, confidence, resilience, clarity, and focus, among others. Physically, though, you have to be more careful with Honey Calcite than other stones. It comes in at only a 3 on the Mohs scale of hardness so it is susceptible to scratching and you shouldn’t leave it in the sun or put it in water. It can be and is carved but only when handling it properly. Raw and tumbled forms of this crystal are pretty widely available. All in all I think this describes Celebrimbor pretty well. He’s open and eager to share, grow, and learn. He is strong, focused, and driven. But his weaknesses and fears over his familial past become flimsy containers for his principles and ideals. Rather than focus on his end though, I prefer to think of the time when he built up his craft. Those years no doubt were industrious, warm, joyous, and creative in many different ways. Things we all hope to return to when times of darkness fall upon us. Things that Celebrimbor’s story gives us.

✨Annatar✨ Pyrite

I know, I know, it’s kind of low hanging fruit to attribute literal FOOL’S GOLD to Annatar, but it’s much more than that. What other crystal befitting this “Lord of Gifts” other than the pinnacle of the nature museum gift shop that is pyrite. Like, yes, the other colorful smooth tumble stones are pretty and did stuff to my brain but those dense sparkling chunks of gold were what my eight-year-old heart truly longed for and I would have considered crimes at the very least of murder to score a piece or two. And I don’t know what it is about it but as an adult pyrite continues to be one of my favorite crystals. What’s even more, I for some inexplicable reason love tumbled pyrite. Have you seen tumbled pyrite? Not like the polite smooth sort, I’m talking the feral kind with all the little craters and pockets. I saw a meme once that said whoever was the first to decide to tumble pyrite should be sent to jail forever, and it’s true but also, I love it? My tumbled piece of pyrite is probably my favorite in my collection. How? Why? I don’t know. It attracts and it repels. It manifests and it reflects bad stuff away. All my chakras sing for this stupid stone. It’s so dense, it gives me everything I want. Pyrite is only a 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness which isn’t bad, but it’s not great, either. Pyrite does tend to be brittle and breaks/powders easily. Even though the natural cubic formations are largely the most interesting and prized, that hasn’t stopped people from carving the material into any and every shape you could want (even the audacity that is tumbled) or to use it in jewelry. So, yes, Annatar is pyrite. I hope someone lobs a piece of it at his head then kisses it better.

🤍Mirdania🤍 Stilbite

The energy of this crystal is compassionate and calming. Metaphysically it is used in matters of emotions and can help with understanding dreams. Overall it has a very nourishing and peaceful energy. Physically, Stilbite rates 3.5-4 on the Mohs scale of hardness, so it is a fairly soft stone. However it is not as fragile as some other softer crystals. You can briefly get it wet or place it in the sun without damaging it. Naturally the crystal forms in clusters but it can be polished. Clusters/raw pieces, tumbles, and palm stones are popular. The peachy, gleamy color of this crystal is what made me think of Mirdania at first, but the other properties of the stone fit well, too. She is nourishing in her relationships but she is strong and driven in her forge work. She stands up in her own way when she feels like action needs to be taken. Her softness isn’t fragile, necessarily, but it can be taken advantage of. Overall I think she values trust and harmony. This stone is also associated with wisdom, truth, and enlightenment. Certainly all traits Celebrimbor would have valued in her work as one of his smiths. And not to come off like Creepy Annatar, here, but I think this stone greatly matches her gentle beauty. **Does NOT reach out to touch her hair**

💙Elrond💙 Lazulite

Lazulite isn’t a super well known crystal, but polished pieces of it are fairly easy to find and purchase. It has a darker purply blue color with speckles that look like a dreamy, cloudy night sky. Physically it has a Mohs hardness rating of 5.5-6.5 so it can be susceptible to scratching from harder materials. Brief encounters with water or sunlight will not damage it. When I first got my piece of Lazulite, I immediately associated it with Elrond, because of the likeness it has to stars and the night sky, but also in the measured wisdom this crystal exudes. Metaphysically this stone holds psychic properties most apropos for an elf known for his gift of foresight: intuition, interdimensional communication, transformation, channeling, clairvoyance, and attunement to higher realms. Elrond always struck me as a very third eye centered person, overthinking things most of the time but only because his intuition about what it right tends to be met with backlash. The ability to fight and stand up for himself while also caring deeply for others has been quite a journey for him and is where his wisdom becomes derived from in his later years. That’s the vibe I get from Lazulite. The sky may be vast, dark, and overwhelming, but you can still look to it for guidance, light, and connecting the dots. You’ll get there in the end, and if you’re mindful, you can remain as kind as summer while you do it.

💛Galadriel💛 Rutilated Quartz / Rutile

Rutilated Quartz is when needle-like inclusions of goldish to copper hues grow within quartz. For Galadriel, I most associate the type that have gold inclusions within a super Clear Quartz. These are also known as Angel Hair Quartz, and even though it’s more of a LOTR thing in which she gifts Gimli her hair, I associate all eras of Galadriel with this crystal. As one of the most powerful and fair of all elves, Rutilated Quartz also looks magical and otherworldly, and high quality pieces are nothing short of dazzling. The sharp, spiky look of some more aggressive Rutile is a great illustration of her sharp skills as a warrior, and veer away from being particularly beautiful into being downright scary. Clear Quartz is said metaphysically to be an amplifier of energy, so it gives a boost and enhancement to any other crystal you pair it with. (Glares at Sauron.) Rutilated Quartz rates 6-7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, so it is pretty durable. The list of metaphysical properties of Rutilated Quartz is vast and far too many to list, but most of the properties are action oriented and powerful. This is not a restful crystal, this is a get !@#$ done and make things happen crystal. Even if that means sometimes you stab first and think later. Overall I think this crystal perfectly encapsulates the Lady of Light in all her complexities and brightness.

💜Gil-Galad💜Amethyst

Now before you get all uppity that I didn’t choose a gold or yellow crystal… 1) I’ll get to that… and 2) you cannot say he exudes solar plexus sunshine energy. He may be adorned in gold lamé but in his soul he is tired and he is Done.

First off, the reigning royalty of the crystal world is Amethyst. There’s probably not a single crystal collector who doesn’t have at least one piece of Amethyst. Every beginner set of tumbled stones includes an Amethyst because that’s The Law. Perhaps because of this, everyone thinks Amethyst can Do It All. And let’s be honest, Amethyst also thinks it can Do It All. It cannot, but it is still constantly thrown into every imaginable situation, and, well. She does her best (gender neutral). Metaphysically Amethyst is known for everything from physical healing to spiritual and psychic properties. On the Mohs scale, Amethyst comes in at a 7. One thing to be wary of is that Amethyst will fade in the sun. However, it is safe to put in water.

When Amethyst, typically purple in color, is heated it turns into Citrine which is yellow. (Very complementary as the opposite of purple on the color wheel is yellow.) Natural Citrine that has been mined from the ground tends to be a darker, brownish yellow, while Amethyst mined then heat-treated to turn into Citrine is a brighter more lemon looking yellow. There is a lot of heat-treated Citrine on the market. It’s not a “fake” crystal, but it was treated to change the color. If you want the natural “real” Citrine, you’ll have to do a little investigating but once you know what you’re looking for, it’s fairly easy to spot the difference. There are examples of crystals where part of the stone has turned into yellow Citrine but part of the stone remains purple Amethyst and these are called Ametrine.

All of that to say, our High King has had to be put under a lot of pressure to be this golden and under all that heat he’s just an overworked, broody but beautiful little gem. Still, he carries on. Highly coveted but does anyone really appreciate who he genuinely is?! Give this elf a break, a hug, a back rub. Just don’t leave him out in the sun for too long.

Thanks for reading. Obviously this is 💖just for fun💖 If you have any suggestions or additions, let us crystal bitch it up. Pretty rocks and pretty characters go so well together and I’d love to see other takes!

[wizardarchives]

Saruman by Angus McBride

Illustration of Saruman from Lord of the Rings gazing into the Palantir. Mostly recognized now from the pondering the orb meme.

Cover for A Spy in Isengard (Middle-Earth Quest) by Terry K. Amthor (1988)

Used for the the roleplaying game supplement Angus McBride's Characters of Middle-Earth by Angus McBride and Jessica M Ney (1990).

Also used in the Middle-earth supplement Valar & Maiar: The Immortal Powers (1993)

Later reused for the Saruman card in the Middle-Earth: The Wizards TCG (1995)

[curioscurio]

[sigmalaussene]

Gay people do love glitters

art • commissions

[verkomy]

bilbo and thorin as gelflings!

you can get a print here: inprnt!   

[khorazir]

WIP Meme

I was tagged by @nuttersinc to share something from my current WIP. It’s from chapter 3 of the Payneland fic The Case of the Stolen Barrow:

“Wait for us, or better, come back down,” calls Crystal, before muttering, “What a fucking mess,” under her breath. She makes to walk on, but Charles grabs the sleeve of her jacket.

“Wait,” he hisses. “Something’s off.”

“Everything’s off here,” she returns, before drawing her jacket more tightly around herself. “For one, it’s getting colder by the minute. Do you guys feel that, too?”

“Yes, we do,” nods Edwin, intrigued by the chill creeping into his garments and making the hairs on the back on his hand stand up. He has not felt this kind of cold in more than a century, bone-chilling fear aside. The Doll House in Hell was a humid mess, always slightly too cold or too warm for comfort but never this chilly. He looks at Charles, who is frowning deeply as he zips up his Harrington jacket.

“Edwin, I can’t think up my black coat,” he says while a visible shiver runs through him.

Concentrating on materialsing his own tweed overcoat to hand it to Charles to keep him warm, Edwin realises that he can’t, either. Normally, making their clothes requires only very little energy, but now it feels like an impossibly difficult task. On his wrist, the glowing cord flickers, a sure sign that Edwin’s magic is increasingly compromised.

“Something seems to be actively blocking my powers now,” says Crystal, her teeth clattering.

“My magic, too,” says Edwin. He steps closer to Charles who even more than Crystal is shaking with cold now, his face pale and his lips tinged blue, deep dark shadows under his eyes. He looks shockingly like the frightened boy dying of internal bleeding and hypothermia whom Edwin encountered in the attic of St. Hilarion’s thirty-five years ago.

“Charles?” he enquires softly, hesitantly reaching out to rub his shaking shoulder encouraginly.

“I’m okay, mate,” rasps Charles. “Just fucking freezing. Haven’t been this cold since ... well. You know. Since I died.”

“Have you got a blanket or something in your backpack?” asks Crystal, also huddling closer for warmth, despite the two ghosts being unable to produce any she could actually feel.

“Yeah, think so,” replies Charles, visibly lightening up. He begins to rummage in his pack while Edwin calls out to the pictsies again.

This time, the only reply he gets is a hissing murmur, like wind sighing over the turf. “Yes, we are up here. We are waiting for you. Come now, come to us.”

“Those aren’t the pictsies speaking,” mutters Charles, his uncorded arm buried in the depths of his bag. “For one, they don’t say ‘yes’. They say ‘aye’.”

“Brilliantly observed, Charles,” nods Edwin. “This begs the question, however, of who is speaking.”

“Someone capable of doing some really fucked up magic,” says Crystal. Then she sighs when Charles wraps a patterned blanket round her shoulders – one Edwin knitted over the course of several years, in fact, while wearing his disguise. Snuggling into it, she huffs a thanks. “Guys, I think we should turn round and head back down. We can’t just blindly – literally – walk further into this fog. We don’t even know what we’re up against.”

“I agree,” says Charles. “This feels like that chapter of Lord of the Rings you read to me two days ago, Edwin. You know, when the hobbits travel through the Barrow-Downs and get lost in the fog, and end up in that old barrow and—” He stares at Edwin wide-eyed when apparently, he has an epiphany.

“You think that’s what we’re dealing with here? A barrow-wight or something?”

Edwin nods thoughtfully. “I have never come across any account that hints at those creatures being real, but given these strange circumstances, I would not rule it out. Good thinking, Charles. The question is, how do we proceed? We could head down, but that would not solve the actual problem.”

“Getting lost in a fucking magical mist wouldn’t, either,” growls Crystal.

“We can still nagivate by the lie of the land,” says Edwin. He takes a few cautious steps up the slope towards a darker shadow that can only be the tree-gate Fergus spoke about. It was right across their path. They cannot have missed it.

Crack!

I tag @discordantwords @raina-at and @jrow

[fairyuniverse]

[rings-of-power-realm]

[deepwaterwoman]

“In this phial,' she said, 'is caught the light of Eärendil's star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine still brighter when night is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”

I loved making these! Lord of the Rings is my happy place. I used clear quartz for the top, silk ribbon for the leaves and detailing. Inside is a piece of moonstone and distilled water to avoid any mold growth. I've got a couple if you'd like one :) Over on my KoFi

[visucene]

⟡ legolas greenleaf stimboard ⟡

🧝🏻‍♂️ 🏹 🍃 / 🧝🏻‍♂️ 🏹 🍃 / 🧝🏻‍♂️ 🏹 🍃

[gamerbearmira]

Looks like Encanto and Hobbit story is updating again!!! Got any snippets about it for us??

YEAHHHHHH I SAW IT SO COOL!1!1!1!!!!!!1!11 very excited to see more, trust <33 might rematch the hobbit and the lotr trilogies. Prossobly out of order because, as I've mentioned a bajillion times, Desolation of Smaug is my favorite. Especially the ending line, IT'S SO COOL UGHHHHH 😔 I also think Smaug is cool, I know he's evil but. He's so cool <\\33

Also very silly when Thorin and co tried to trap bro under literal GOLD like that was wild, but also so cool, and honestly if the gold cooled faster, it would've been a really awesome plan. Major slay, I wonder if Mirsbel contributes to that plan. Also random thought, you know how tired she gets of rude Thorin 😭 like I know he gets all corrupted like his father for a little bit cause of the stone (?) and she's not having it. Snaps him outta ts REAL FAST 💀💀

Anyway, no snippet but I do have these drawings. Maybe a snippet later 🤭 The first one if from one the recent chapters. I have no idea what the marks look like, so take em with a grain of salt because I looked up random elvish markings and went wild, it's honestly to my imagination 💪💪

The second is just me redrawing the nerds. Idk, I felt like somewhat updating their designs to some degree, but let's be real, they're probably going to change again because I'm indecisive asl

AND THIS. Listen, idk if anyone remembers this movie, it's from like the 80s? I specifically remember watching it at the ripe age of like 6 and I loved it tbh. It was the Dark Crystal andddd sometimes I remember it exists when I think of the lotr. The villain things, the skeksis or however you spell it honestly scared me. SO MUCH. I also vividly remember it because my mom always called me gelfling cause she said I looked like Kira.

ANYWAY THERE WAS THAT FREAKY LITTLE DOG THING??? FIZZGIG. and this thing came to be, completely unrelated.

[jazmatazzzzzz]

Recents <3

[hellpuppetswithfleshymembers]

Saw this series of pictures that would have been in a LOTR scene that didn’t make it into the movie, and of course my mind decided to rewrite “Argy Bargy”.

[arrow-jsy]

DBDA LOTR AU

My ownly explination for this is frodos downward arc and edwin going to hell. Oh and also sam and charles' shared optimism

Frodo: Edwin

Sam: Charles

Merry: crystal

Pipin: Niko

Aragorn: Jenny

Gandalf: tragic mick

Gollum: Monty

Borimir: Maxine

Undetermined charcaters: esther, night nurse, cat king

Undetermined roles: Salron, Sarumon, legolas, gimli, eowyn, and probably aton more

[bunwhich]

I'm in the penis forest. touching the foreskin. letting it sway to and fro.

[youmisguidedmartyr]

RIP Legolas Thranduilion, you would've loved Crystal Blue Raspberry vapes