#lotr resources

[tlotrgifs]

Lord of the Rings Aragorn → PSD #35-46  ↳ 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8  - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12

Works for gifs and screencaps.

Adjust to your liking if necessary.

Like if taking/downloading!

Don’t redistribute or claim as your own.

[tathrin]

Reblogging again to add @nocompromise-noregrets​‘s tags and the link to the site they mentioned:

#yes this #the twins are always described separately #it's really interesting once you start noticing it #also ansereg.com has compiled all their appearances in canon #i was delighted to discover that site was still there when i came back to the fandom! 

https://ansereg.com/

It's always weird when (some) people talk about the choice of the half-Elven as if they evolve like Pokémon upon choosing their ultimate fates.

Elros didn't become exclusively human. He chose to retain the gift of Men and to be counted among Men as far as that ultimate fate went, but he remained a half-Elf. He didn't gain a beard (even descendants as remote as Aragorn, Boromir, and Faramir can't because of Elros) or most Mannish qualities he didn't already possess and he lived half a millennium.

Elrond chose to be counted among Elves in terms of immortality, but he isn't exclusively an Elf. He's described as both Elf and Man, and as the eldest of Aragorn's people. Elrond's marriage to a full Elf produces peredhel children. Two of them are given names signifying Elf+(human)Man, names which Tolkien translated as "Elf-knight" (in Númenórean Sindarin) and "Elf-Númenórean." Elrond's sons are always distinguished from Elves in LOTR.

Arwen doesn't morph into a human woman when she swears her vows with Aragorn; she still looks like f!Elrond and ageless years afterwards, and she would be very long-lived even if you only counted her married life. She is probably the most emphatically Elvish of any peredhel, but she's still a peredhel. Elwing and Eärendil are, too. Peredhil are peredhil are peredhil.

[ianmckellen]

Legolas Headers (requested by @glorfindelfinarfin) - 6 headers (640x360) | 4 different border versions under the cut - all versions + 2 extra border options here - please like or reblog if you take one - credit isn’t required but it’s appreciated - requests are open for other headers!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Word List: Arwen

Carcanet - archaic: an ornamental necklace, chain, collar, or headband

Celestial - ethereal, otherworldly

Coalesce - to unite into a whole

Eidolon - ideal

Eyewater - archaic: tears

Fulgent - radiant

Gossamer - extremely light, delicate, or tenuous

Lambent - softly bright or radiant; marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression

Lavaliere - a pendant on a fine chain that is worn as a necklace

Lilaceous - of or resembling the color lilac

Numinous - appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense; spiritual; mysterious

Perenniality - the quality of being persistent, enduring

Pur autre vie - for another's life

Recherché - exquisite; rare

Rivière - a necklace of precious stones

Rosewater - affectedly nice or delicate

Salutiferous - producing a beneficial effect; remedial

Scintillation - rapid changes in the brightness of a celestial body

Troth - loyal or pledged faithfulness; fidelity

Venust - archaic: beautiful, graceful, elegant

More: Word Lists

[daydreaming-cephalopods]

LOTR/The Hobbit Blinkies

…honestly they’re mostly Legolas blinkies.

image IDs in alt text

source: link, link, link, link, link, link, link, link, link this decor was sourced using gifcities, and links may include unsavory political opinions or content. enter at your own risk. I do not agree with any opinions featured unless specifically stated.

[physalian]

Evil MacGuffins (Or an excuse to gush about Lord of the Rings)

It’s kind of crazy how so much of Tolkien’s worldbuilding has defined fantasy. The default for Elves and Dwarves, fantasy kingdoms, character archetypes, themes, and motifs come from Tolkien’s works.

But you know what’s rarely ever redone in modern fantasy? The One Ring. Probably because works piggybacking off the success of their predecessors rarely understand the themes of what made the original so legendary *cough* teen dystopia *cough*.

So—the One Ring.

Addressing the infamous Eagles “plot hole” once again for any stragglers who still think *gotcha* for this masterpiece: 1) The Eagles were busy. 2) The Eagles are not subtle at all and this mission required absolute stealth, because the one place the One Ring can be destroyed is in Sauron’s house, thus the closer they get to destroying it, the closer Sauron gets to just reaching out and taking it. 3) There were 9 Nazgul and Fellbeasts in the way. 4) The Eagles are basically gods, second only to the actual gods of the world. This makes them deeply inadvisable to go anywhere near the One Ring.

Why? Yes the Ring gives you some random powers like invisibility and slower aging but its purpose is temptation and political power. As you can see in the movie’s prologue, all the Rings of Power were subservient to Sauron’s master ring, the One Ring, to bend to his will… to varying degrees of success.

The power of the One Ring is proportional to the power of its wielder, giving you social and political influence over all your followers. So if you’re, say, a king of men, and you become Sauron’s minion, you’re going to lead your kingdom to ruin doing his bidding whether you realize you’re doing it or not. If you have no political or social power, like, say a hobbit? The Ring doesn’t have much use for you and you, seeing no benefit to world domination, are more resistant to its beguiling.

All this to say: The story makes it very clear that Frodo has to be the ring-bearer because he’s impervious to the Ring’s wiles. Anyone more competent, like Aragorn or Legolas, or Gandalf, are more susceptible to its power. The more power you have, the more destruction you will wreak under the Ring’s influence, and everyone bends to the Ring’s will eventually, no matter how good your intentions.

Eagles are great. Evil Eagles would be very, very bad.

Gandalf is great. Evil Gandalf looks like Saruman, and we all saw how that went.

That is a built-in plot armor I never see in modern fiction—Why?

—

One of the many messages of LOTR is not “good always triumphs” but instead “evil always loses”. The difference being here that it’s not necessarily the Power of Friendship that defeats evil, it’s evil’s selfish and self-sabotaging nature that eats itself to its own demise.

Example: Neither Frodo nor Sam strike the killing blow on Gollum. Gollum falls fighting Frodo for the Ring and can't let go of it to save himself. The Power of Friendship saves Frodo, but it doesn't destroy the Ring.

The One Ring is a MacGuffin like no other in that it’s not just a cool inanimate and useless object that only holds meaning to the characters that want it—the Ring is its own character enticing all these people to lust after it and fall on their own swords doing so.

Obviously, if you find the enemy’s magic weapon in your possession, you’re going to want to use it against them, which is exactly Boromir’s argument. Any other story and you’d have a difficult time justifying why your characters wouldn’t seize this golden opportunity. In this story, by the weapon’s very nature, trying to use it is exactly what it, and its creator, wants.

The point of the Ring, and at least my interpretation of its meaning, is this: When you’re going up against the evil and corrupt, you cannot let yourself become corrupted trying to defeat it, or else the cycle will never be broken. Or, “Hate can­not dri­ve out hate; only love can do that.”

I almost wish we had seen it seriously tempt the more powerful characters—like seeing Aragorn forced to use it in an emergency the way Frodo does several times. See what it does to him and how hard it is to resist this beguiling weapon’s siren song.

“Evil weapon is super conveniently powerful and would solve all our problems but alas, it has some nasty side effects” has been done before, frequently in anime. Usually, though, that weapon isn’t the centerpiece of the story. It’s the edgy side-character’s Hail Mary when things have gone Very Wrong.

—

Most LOTR copycats focus on the cool species and the magical lands and the magic systems and a generically evil villain who wants world domination. Yes, Sauron is, by modern standards, pretty one-note. He wants to rule the world. Why? Because he’s Evil and Prideful. There’s nothing wrong with a pure-evil villain, they can be highly entertaining without angst dragging them down.

However, Pure Evil villains work best when either they’re incredibly charismatic, like Disney Renaissance villains, or they’re just the face of the metaphor. Ozai from ATLA does not need character development, Netflix. He may be the face of the Fire Nation, but it’s his regime and this one element’s unbalanced crusade for world domination that’s the “villain”.

Sauron isn’t even a giant, corporeal eye in the book. He’s just this disembodied entity represented by the eye in visions. His influence and how it motivates legions of orcs, humans, and anyone else tempted by power, is the “villain”.

The One Ring serves as his thematic proxy. It’s not just a magic ring, it’s a cosmic mousetrap waiting to spring on anyone proud enough to think they can overcome it.

And I just never see that in modern fantasy.

—

TLDR; There is no MacGuffin quite like the One Ring and no, the Eagles aren’t a lazy or forgotten deus ex machina. When you’re coming up with your heroes and villains in fantasy and sci-fi, consider something like the Ring as this double-edged sword that has everyone gunning for it either unknowing that it’s exactly what the villain wants, or too proud to think they can fall victim to it.

[signfrog]

person: hey qre you ok? youve seemed sp out of it recently

me: yeah its just... that time of the month

person: ...but wait, arent you tran-

THE BEACON IS LIT! GONDOR CALLS FOR AID

person: ah i see what you did t-

AND ROHAN WILL ANSWER

person: are you fucking fr right n-

MUSTER THE ROHIRRIM, ASSEMBLE THE ARMY AT DUNHARROW, AS MANY AS CAN BE FOUND

*puts hand on their shoulder* you have two days.

person: wh-what happens after the two days??

me: on the third we ride for gondor. and war. *puts on rohirrim rider helmet and horsegirl beard, rides into the sunset*

[okteavia]

The Hobbit icons - Bilbo Baggins icons - 300x300 - 12 DFD (download from dash) icons of Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit - The Battle of Five Armies - The Lord of the Rings content - J.R.R. Tolkien) | Feel free to use them on any platform, but please like or reblog if you save any.

[pixiedustandbluebutterflies]

Just remembered that there was INFINITELY more love, care, and beauty put into merstede than into ANY of the underwater scenes in The Little Mermaid (2023) despite the IMMENSE budget disparity. Like there are next to zero practical effects used in TLM23 but almost 100% practical effect artistry in OFMD.

Reminds me of the difference between production quality for Jackson's Lord of the Rings films vs. Prime's Rings of Power.

Like what a difference ACTUAL LOVE for your project makes.

[camille-lachenille]

Elvish names

A list of names of our world translated in Quenya and Sindarin you can use for your fanfics, just credit me if you pick one.

I tried to stay as close as possible to the original etymology of the names but there are sometimes several meaning possible for a component and, the lexicon in both Quenya and Sindarin being relatively restricted, I often had to compromise with the closest synonym I could find or play with the figurative meanings. I always tried to keep the main idea/element of a name, and that’s why I give so many options for some translations. I also tied not to use any fan creation/neo-Sindarin to be as close as possible to the original lore but there are two instances where I hadn’t much alternative so, be sure to read the notes for Chloe and the Latin etymology of Rosamund if you want to use the languages strictly as Tolkien wrote them.

The names are all given with the feminine, the masculine and the neutral form. The first in the list (until Rosamund) are completely gender neutral in their translation and it’s up to you to decide if it sound more masculine, feminine or neutral. All the other names can be declined using various gendered suffixes or words at the end. Every element will be given in English each time but here is a list of the most common suffixes so you can play around with the names by yourself.

Quenya:

Neutral: -wë = suffix for names; quén = person, individual, being; hína = child

Feminine: -iel = feminine suffix, daughter; -ien = daughter; -wen = maiden

Masculine: -ndo = masculine suffix; -ion = son

Sindarin:

Neutral: -u = suffix for names; pen = someone, one, individual; hên = child

Feminine: -iel = feminine suffix, daughter; -il = feminine suffix; -wen = maiden, woman

Masculine: -on = masculine suffix; -ion = son

Adelaide/Alice

(Noble heather/moors) =>

Quenya: Araoricon (ara- =noble & oricon=heather)

Sindarin: Artalath (ar- =noble, talath=flat lands, plain)

Bernard

(Brave/hardy bear) =>

Quenya: Turcamorco (turca=strong, powerful in body & morco=bear), atl. spelling Turkamorco (turka instead of turca)

Sindarin: Bellgraw (bell=strong in body & graw=bear), Bellmdelin (medlin=honey-eater, bear-like)

Dorothy/ Theodora/Theodore

(Gift of God) =>

Quenya: Valanna (vala=god & anna=gift) Valanwa (anwa=gift)

Sindarin: Balanoneth (balan=god & oneth=giving), Rodononeth (rodon=god)

I think that, for this name, it would work to replace the generic “vala” by the name of a specific Vala if the parents prayed one to have a child. Ex. Ivononeth (Ivon= Yavanna in Sindarin) or Vánanna (Gift of Vána). Also works with “Eru” instead of the generic words for “god”

Elizabeth

(My God is an oath) =>

Quenya: Ainovanda (aino, god & vanda=oath/pledge), Valavanda (vala=god), Eruvanda (I'm not sure any Elf would put the name Eru, the equivalent of God with a capital g, in their child's name but it's the closest in meaning to Elizabeth)

Sindarin: Balangwaedh (balan=vala & gwaedh=oath), Rodongwaedh (rodon=vala), Erugwaedh

Louis/Louise

(Loud/famous battle/to fight) =>

Quenya: Rimpaotha (rimpa=loud & otha=war)

Sindarin: Bruidagor (brui=loud & dagor=battle), Bruidagra (dagra=battle)

I strongly doubt any sane Elven parent would call their child like that, but it sounds relatively plausible for a baby born during a time of war (maybe a baby born during the crazy First Age?).

Maud/Mathilda

(Mighty battle) =>

Quenya: Melehtaothawen (melehta=mighty & otha=war & -wen=maiden)

For this one, I used three elements to compose the name because it didn’t sound right otherwise, but it’s not entirely right according to the naming rules in Quenya.

Sindarin: Belaithdagra (belaith=mighty & dagra=battle)

Like the precedent name, I doubt it would be very common, but it might work as an epessë (chosen name/nickname) for a warrior

Myriam

(Sea drop) =>

Quenya: Limbairë (limba=drop & airë= sea), Limbairen(airen=sea)

Sindarin: Limigaear (limig=drop & gaear=sea), Limigaer (gaer=sea)

Nicholas/Nicole

(Victory of the people) =>

Quenya: Aparielië (apairë=victory & lië=people, folk), Túrelië (túrë=mastery, victory)

Sindarin: Tûrgwaith (tûr= mastery & gwaith=people)

Robert

(Bright fame) =>

Quenya: Alcarima (alcar=glory & -ima=fair)

Sindarin: Agarbain (agar=glory & bain=fair), Agargalad (galad=radiant, bright)

Rosamund

(Horse protector (Germanic) OR rose of the world (Latin)) =>

Germanic etymology:

Quenya: Roccovarilë (rocco=horse & varilë=protection)

Sindarin: Rochthand (roch=horse thand=shield)

Latin etymology:

Quenya: Eälótë (lótë=flower, blossom & eä=world) Eämerillë (merillë=rose (fan invention)), Ilúvelótë (ilúvë=world)

Sindarin: Merilamar (meril=rose & amar=world)

Albert/Alberta

(Noble illustrious/brilliant) =>

Quenya: Aralcarindo (ara-=noble & alcarin= glorious, brilliant & -ndo=masculine suffix), Aralcarinon (-on=masculine suffix)

Sindarin: Araglorion (ar-=noble & aglor=glorious, brilliant & -ion=masculine suffix, son)

Feminine form:

Q. Aralcariniel (-iel=feminine suffix)

S. Aragloril (-il=feminine suffix)

Neutral form:

Q. Aralcarinwë (-wë=neutral suffix)

S. Aragloru (-u=neutral suffix)

Alexander/Alexandra

(Protector of men/defending men) =>

Quenya: Alatyanér (alatya- =to ward off, to protect & nér=man), Sandanér (sanda=shield)

Sindarin: Beriadir (beria=to protect & dîr=man), Thandir (thand=shield)

Feminine form:

Q. Alatyanis (nís=woman), Sandanis

S. Beriawen (-wen=woman, maiden), Thandwen (this one can also be used as a title/warrior category as it literally means Shieldmaiden)

Neutral form:

Q. Alatyawë (-wë=neutral suffix), Sandawë

S. Beriau (-u=neutral suffix), Thandu

Arthur

(Bear son/king/warrior) =>

Quenya: Morcotar (morco=bear & -tar=king), Morcomehtar (mehta=warrior), Morcoion (-ion=son)

Sindarin: Grawaran (graw=bear & aran=king), Medlinaran, (medlin=honey-eater, bear-like), Grawhador (hador=warrior), Grawion (-ion=son), Medlinion

Feminine form:

Q. Morcotári (tári=queen), Morcoien (-ien=daughter)

S. Grawrían (rían=queen), Medlinrían, Grawiel (-iel=daughter), Medliniel

Neutral form:

Q. Morcoquén (quén=person, individual), Morcohína (hên=child)

S.  Grawpen (pen=one, somebody), Medlinpen, Grawhên (hên=child), Medlinhên

Charlotte/Charles

(Free woman) =>

Quenya: Fairenissë (fairë=free & nissë=woman), Fairënína (nína=woman), Fairewen (-wen=maiden), Fairënis (nís=woman)

Sindarin: Lainbess (lain=free & bess=woman), Laingwen (gwen=maiden, woman), Lainil (-il=feminine suffix)

Masculine form:

Q. Fairënér (nér=man)

S. Laindir (dîr=man), Lainon (-on=masculine suffix)

Neutral form:

Q. Fairëquén (quén=person, individual), Fairewë (-wë=neutral suffixe)

S. Lainpen (pen=one, somebody), Lainu (-u=neutral suffix)

Chloe

(Blooming, fertility, spring) =>

Quenya: Löawen (löa= time of blooming, “spring” & -wen= maiden), Lótëaiel (lótëa=blooming, flowering & -iel= feminine suffix)

Sindarin: Ethuiliel (ethuil=spring & -iel= feminine suffix) Lostadil (lostad=blooming & -il= feminine suffix)

Note that lostad is a fan invention/non-approved by Tolkien so this is not the name for you if you are trying to stick as closely as possible to the language rules.

Masculine form:

Q. Löando (-ndo=masculine suffix), Lótëando

S. Ethuilon (-on=masculine suffix)

Neutral Form:

Q. Loawë (-wë=neutral suffix), Lóteawë

S. Ethuilu (-u=neutral suffix)

Edward/Edmund

(Wealth/fortune/prosperous, guardian/protector/lord) =>

Quenya: Almacundo (alma= good fortune, weal, wealth & cundo=guardian, lord)

Sindarin: Maelighir (maelig= wealth, abundance & hîr=lord)

Feminine form:

Q. Almaheri (heri=lady)

S. Maeligrodel (rodel=lady, high lady)

Neutral form:

Q. Almaquén (quén=person, individual), Almawë (-wë= suffix for a person)

S. Maeligpen (pen=one, somebody), Maeligu (-u=neutral suffix)

Eloise

(Healthy) =>

Quenya: Alwarien (alwa=healthy & -ien= daughter, maiden)

Sindarin: Alwiel (alw=healthy & -iel=feminine suffix)

Masculine form:

Q. Alwando (-ndo=masculine suffix)

S. Alwon (-on=masculine suffix)

Neutral form:

Q. Alwawë (-wë=neutral suffix)

S. Alwu (-u=neutral suffix)

Frederic

(Peace ruler) =>

Quenya: Rainëtur (rainë=peace & -tur=ruler), Rainëtar (-tar=king)

Sindarin: Idharan (îdh=peace & aran=king, noble, lord)

Feminine form:

Q. Rainëtári (tári=queen)

S. Idhrían (rían=queen)

George/Georgina

(Farmer, lit. soil-worker) =>

Quenya: Ceminér (cemi=soil & -nér=man), Kemenér (kemen=earth), Rernér (rer-=to sow)

Sindarin: Caedir (cae=soil & dîr=man), Cevendir (ceven=earth)

Feminine form:

Q. Ceminís (nís=woman), Kemenís, Ceminissë (nissë=woman)

S. Caewen (-wen=maiden, woman), Cevenil (-il=feminine suffix)

Neutral form:

Q. Cemimólë (mólë=work, labour), Kemenmólë

S. Caedrabu (drab-= to work, to labour & -u=neutral suffix), Cevendrabu

Helen

(Sunshine) =>

Quenya: Arien (canon name for the Sun, lit. sun-maiden), Anarcalina (anar=sun & calina=bright), Ancalë (name of a Tengwar letter, litt. radiant one)

Sindarin: Anorwen (anor=sun & -wen=maiden), Anorglân (glân=bright, shining), Glawiel (glaw=sunshine & -iel=feminine suffix)

Masculine form:

Q. Anarion (lit. son of the sun; name of the youngest son of Elendil and second king of Gondor)

S. Anordir (dîr=man), Anoron (-on=masculine suffix), Glawion (-ion=son)

Neutral form:

Q. Anarwë (-wë=neutral suffix), Anarhína (hína=child)

S. Anoru (-u=neutral suffix), Anorhên (hên=child)

Lucy/Luke

(Light) =>

Quenya: Calaiel (cala=light & -iel=feminine suffix), Calaien (-ien=daughter, maiden), Calinaiel (calina= light), Calinawen (-wen=woman, maiden), Calina

Sindarin: Caladiel (calad= light & -iel=feminine suffix), Galadil (galad=light, radiance)

Masculine form:

Q. Calando (-ndo =masculine suffix), Calinando, Calaion (-ion=son), Calinaion

S. Caladon (-on=masculine suffix), Galadon, Caladion (-ion=son), Galadion

Neutral form:

Q. Calawë (-wë=neutral suffix), Calinawë

S. Caladu (-u=neutral suffix), Galadu

Mary

(Beloved) =>

Quenya: Meldawen (melda=beloved & -wen=maiden)

Sindarin: Melliel (mell=beloved & -iel=feminine suffix, daughter), Mellwen (-wen=maiden, woman)

Masculine form:

Q. Meldando (-ndo=masculine suffix)

S. Meldir (dîr=man)

Neutral form:

Q. Meldawë (-wë=neutral suffix)

S. Mellu (-u=neutral suffix)

Melissa

(Bee) =>

Quenya: Nioniel (nion=bee & -iel=feminine suffix)

Sindarin: Glitânil (glî=honey & tân=maker & -il=feminine suffix, daughter)

There is no word for bee in Sindarin so I smashed together honey and maker and it’ll do the job.

Masculine form:

Q. Niondo (-ndo=masculine suffix)

S. Glitânon (-on=masculine suffix)

Neutral form:

Q. Nionwë (-wë=neutral suffix)

S. Glitânu (-u=neutral suffix)

Sarah

(Ruler/princess) =>

Quenya: Aranel (aranel=princess)

Sindarin: Brethil(brethil= princess, litt. queen-daughter), Riel (riel=princess)

Susan

(Lily, flower) =>

Quenya: Indiliel (indil=lily, flower & -iel=feminine suffix)

Sindarin: Ellothiel (elloth=flower & -iel=feminine suffix), Lothiel (loth=flower)

Neutral form:

Q. Indilwë (-wë=neutral suffix)

S. Ellothu (-u=neutral suffix), Lothu

Ursula

(Bear) =>

Quenya: Morcowen (morco=bear & -wen=maiden)

Sindarin: Grawil (graw=bear & -il=feminine suffix) Medlinil (medlin=honey-eater, bear-like)

Masculine form:

Q. Morcondo (-ndo=masculine suffix)

S. Grawon (-on=masculine suffix)

Neutral form:

Q. Morcowë (-wë=neutral suffix)

S. Grawu (-u=neutral suffix), Medlinu

So here is the complete list. As I said at the beginning, you are welcome to pick a name or two for your fanfictions, but CREDIT ME if you do so. I spent hours and hours on this list and I won’t have my hard work stolen. And I’d like to see who these names will become as characters, too. You can either put a link to this post or tag me. I am Camille_LaChenille on AO3.

If you made it this far, congratulations! I also take requests to make Elvish names. Send in my askbox a message with one or two real world name or a general idea of the meaning you'd like, and a brief descrition of your character (gender, origin, social role/status, ) as well as the language you'd like the name in. I will give you two options you can chose from in a week or so. For an Elf who had to change their name from one language to another (think First Age Quenya ban), precise it and I'll give one name in each language.

[ianmckellen]

Samwise Gamgee Headers requested by anon - 6 headers (640x360) | 4 different border versions under the cut - more lotr headers here - please like or reblog if you take one - credit isn’t required but it’s appreciated - requests are open for other headers!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Guide: Hero's Journey

using the 3-act structure

ACT I

ORDINARY WORLD

Your hero and their everyday life are established.

Sample Synopsis: Bilbo Baggins, a very well-to-do hobbit of Bag End, sits outside his front porch. He smokes a wooden pipe, as usual.

Your Synopsis:

CALL TO ADVENTURE

An event or problem forces your character out of their comfort zone.

Sample Synopsis: Gandalf arrives and tells him that he's looking for someone to share in an adventure that he's arranging.

Your Synopsis:

REFUSAL TO THE CALL

The hero shows reluctance to leave their everyday life behind.

Sample Synopsis: Bilbo turns down the overture but makes the mistake of inviting Gandalf for tea the next day — unwittingly putting himself on the path of the journey.

Your Synopsis:

MEETING THE MENTOR

Your protagonist meets a mentor who can help them face the challenges ahead.

Sample Synopsis: Gandalf comes to tea with a gang of dwarves. They sing an ancient song of the treasure in the Lonely Mountain, making Bilbo dream of adventure.

Your Synopsis:

— 33% through your story —

ACT II

CROSSING THE FIRST THRESHOLD

The hero fully commits to their journey into the Special World. There's no turning back.

Sample Synopsis: Bilbo packs his bags and leaves Hobbiton behind, crossing the threshold into the Special World.

Your Synopsis:

TEST, ALLIES, ENEMIES

As the protagonist enters the unfamiliar world, they encounter obstacles and enemies. New allies appear to help.

Sample Synopsis: Bilbo faces trolls, bloodthirsty spiders, unfriendly Wood Elves, and a Gollum — but he befriends elves from Rivendell and the bear-man, Beorn.

Your Synopsis:

APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE

The hero approaches the place where they'll encounter their biggest foe (but they don't enter it yet).

Sample Synopsis: The dwarves and Bilbo get closer to the Inmost Cave: the Lonely Mountain in which Torin's treasure lies.

Your Synopsis:

ORDEAL

Your character confronts their greatest fear and the biggest threat. This is where they become a true hero.

Sample Synopsis: Up goes Bilbo to face Smaug, the dragon who jealously guards the gold within the Lonely Mountain.

Your Synopsis:

REWARD (Seizing the Sword)

Your hero sees the light at the end of the tunnel, finding the tool (or belief) they need to finish their journey.

Sample Synopsis: Smaug dies and the dwarves gain control of the Lonely Mountain once more — plus all its treasure.

Your Synopsis:

— 75% through your story —

ACT III

THE ROAD BACK

The protagonist begins their journey home, although more dangers appear along the way.

Sample Synopsis: Bilbo gets caught up in the conflict between the dwarves and the Lake Men, who demand compensation for their aid in the fight against Smaug. Thorin refuses.

Your Synopsis:

RESURRECTION

Before getting their happy ending, your character faces a final test they must survive.

Sample Synopsis: The Battle of the Five Armies breaks out and Bilbo loses consciousness.

Your Synopsis:

RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR

The hero returns home changed for the better with an "elixir" — an insight or a literal prize.

Sample Synopsis: Bilbo returns home to Hobbiton with his share of the treasure and a lot of wisdom gained.

Your Synopsis:

Note:

Use this outline to define all 9 of your story's major plot points.

You can then use the 'Scene-by-Scene' guide below to plot out your entire story.

As you write, revise, and edit, return to this guide and update the structure to reflect your latest draft.

Scene-by-Scene Guide: Hero's Journey

Scene Number (1, 2...):

Act (I, II, III):

Step (Ordinary World, Call to Adventure...):

Location:

Date/Time:

Characters in Scene:

Synopsis (What action takes place in the scene?):

Changes (How are the characters or situation now different):

Source ⚜ More: Worksheets & Templates ⚜ Story Plot ⚜ The 3-Act Structure Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding ⚜ Tips & Advice ⚜ A Guide: 3-Act Structure

[comparativelysuperlative]

The Rings of Power opening monologue simplifies the Silmarillion down to "we Elves lived in a paradise, Melkor attacked, we left and fought, eventually won, at great cost." I got stuck trying to figure out whose propaganda that version could possibly be, and got it! It's Sauron!

The implied audience is human, obviously. It leaves out things like "any divisions between Elves," which is irrelevant ancient history to most humans but definitely not to Elves. We don't know what group of humans or when, but it's someone an elf-lord like Galadriel would bother to talk to.

Frames Morgoth as Very Powerful, a match for all the Elves and capable of creating wonders/monsters etcetera and so on.

Leaves out the Valar. From Galadriel's point of view they're whatever, but if you're trying to talk people into invading Valinor then yeah you want them thinking of the opposition as "Elf army" not "divine intervention."

Galadriel (and implicitly other Elves; she doesn't say how many) being dedicated to hunting down any trace of the Enemy-- maybe she sees herself that way. But if you've just told Ar-Pharazon that Melkorism is his best chance at curing death, then great! Galadriel and her people are his enemy now!

(see above at "leaves out any division between the Elves." Even better, now all Elves are his enemy.)

Inconveniently, Sauron doesn't really have a way to arrange for Galadriel's preferred narrative to also be politically convenient for him. She's actively looking for him, and nobody's that good.

But someone else does! I told you!

Feanor gets oathbound into needing a war on Valinor, probably gonna have a very unhappy alliance with Literally Sauron, and the same propaganda helps him for the same reasons. And if he sends Galadriel psychic messages, that's much less suspicious. ("Sometimes I can still hear his voice....") Could he manipulate Galadriel into loudly playing the Holy Warrior? Maybe!

[iridescentoracle]

aaaaaaaaaaaah my @lycheesodas prints are here but the frames i ordered for them haven’t even shipped yet it’s going to be like a week before i can put them up i’m SO 😍🥺

[corvidcall]

its been a minute since ive talked about ttrpgs, because i havent really played any since I got a job (booo 👎👎👎) but i guess since i have everyones attention i just want to say:

play Good Society. its my favorite

[whitneyzombie]

Idk if anyone will see this, but I'm adding my personal nerd folder which has some more resources and things I save that I may eventually find handy.

Since this was made for my personal use, there will be things that don't have a source listed including things I may have made/put together. I'm always trying to find new things, and I might can find something you might be looking for.

Have fun!

I might've added the BG3 Art Book to my dnd assets stash

It' 100% does not have things like the 5e players' handbook + 5e’s character sheet, several gm guides, critical role's explorer's guide to wildmount, baldur's gate and waterdeep city encounters, 101 potions and their effects, volo's guide to monsters, both of xanathar's guides, a bunch of other encounters, one shots, and class builds

In no way are there any pdf’s relating to any wizard who may or may not be residing on any coast

(Edit that I’ve moved the folder to the new link above! So if you catch a different version of this post that link won’t work anymore!)