#so mom… tolkien wrote this thing called ‘the silmarillion’

[morgulien]

coming up with increasingly pathetic excuses for not letting other people connect to my bluetooth speaker because i don’t want to have to explain why it’s called “Maglor”

[tanoraqui]

hey!! i love your blog so much your takes are *chefs kiss*

i saw an Amazing post a few months ago where someone laid out a really cool plan for a silmarillion tv show and i cant find it again. it haunts my every waking moment. i think i saw it on your blog so i figured id ask if you knew it.

Either way, have a great day!

(note: I got this ask several thousand years ago, and am answering it now because I asked my roommates if I should write something serious tonight, or something ridiculous, or read a book; and they said ridiculous.) (note 2: I wrote the above several days ago. I'm posting at 6.5k words) (note 3: I'm going to pretend this is a deliberately timed gift to @thelordofgifs for their latest fic updates, which were bullet points of heartfelt and sober compelling canon divergence. this...is bullet points of [heartfelt? compelling?] lunacy. I hope you might enjoy it.)

Are you thinking of this, the "Supernatural but make it Silmarillion lore, and also women" show of my dreams? (Me, approaching the Tolkien estate with an offer for the rights to the Silmarillion: I swear, I will ONLY show the First Age in limited flashbacks. Everything else will be the characters as they are at least 10,000 years later, maybe even with an active framing device to identify them as modern interpretations of the characters...")

Oh huh, I forgot I thought a bunch more about that "teeechnically-not-AU" and never added it to that post. Regardless of whether it's the show you were thinking of, dear Anon:

one of the protagonists is definitely the reincarnation of Fëanor. Her name is Seraphina, which translates to something like "fiery divine being", bc her mom had a good sense of these things. They don't know this at first

her slightly older twin sister is Martha, named after their grandmother but it does mean the feminine of "master", because I spent at least an hour trying to translate any name Turin ever had into something reasonably modern and this is the best I could do (they also don't know about this reincarnation at first, ofc)

their father was killed by some sort of monster when they were babies so their mother took up monster-hunting ranging, etc. etc.

(the underground community of modern monster-hunters are called Rangers, in reference to the roaming heroes of old)

Seraphina, the Wild One(TM), ran away to go to college, where she double-majored in astrophysics and mechanical engineering and double-minored in linguistics and metallurgical engineering, and wrote an art history thesis. Martha, the Dutiful One(TM), stayed with their mother and kept ranging. They reunite when Martha shows up on Phina's doorstep because "Mom went on a hunting trip and hasn't been home in a few days", etc. etc.

the Bobby-style substitute parent should really, to (kind of) round this out, be a dwarf or hobbit. The full "Team Free Will" should represent all peoples of Arda... But I'm not making up OCs right now (yet)

a unifying legend of the Ranger community is that their unofficial network has been supported and guided for millennia by their cousins, the peredhel, Elrohir and Elladan, who quite simply never Chose and have been wandering the earth, saving people and hunting things, ever since their sister died. They don't NEED to Choose until they die, technically!

This is, in fact, true - or, it was. Until about 25 years ago, when [flips a coin] Elrohir married our heroes' mother, settled down into peaceful domesticity, and a few years later died dramatically to buy [throws a dart at a wheel of names] Laura and their children time to escape the whatever.

Laura knew about his profession and that he was older than he looked, but not his whole deal. She found that out later while vengefully hunting monsters...and never told her daughters.

The plot of Season 1 involves unravelling this mystery, including at some point meeting their elusive uncle Elladan (who has maybe gone a little mad with the sudden death of his twin? That'd be a fun season antagonist/arc/theme...dealing with grief...very topical!)

By the end of s1, all of the above have probably had a nice closure-giving(-ish) confrontation/conversation with Elrohir's ghost - who's been waiting in Mandos for his wife and/or brother despite Mandos's INCREASINGLY strident blandishments to stop acting like a cat in a doorway and choose - and Laura and Elladan are both dead in suitably dramatic circumstances.

...or, Elladan is. Apparently John Winchester didn't die until s2e1! So, what happens is:

- (earlier in the s1 finale episode, Laura, noticed something once or twice which her daughters didn't - saw a curl of smoke, seemed to be examining a McGuffin extra closely...)

- Laura has been mildly injured, and someone needs to guard a McGuffin or maybe a random innocent civilian caught up in this, so she stays behind while Phina and Martha go off to deal with whatever the actual big bad of the season is. Maybe a cult trying to sacrifice half-elves for some reason? Directed, though not personally managed, by whatever killed Elrohir in the first place, which is...I gotta figure an OC balrog? Like, not one of the big ones from canon. We'll just call her (Laura's) Bane henceforth.

- not long later, while Phina and Martha are fistbumping in the remains of the cult's hideout Seraphina maybe have used chemical explosives), or maybe discretely looting Elladan's body for useful weapons laying their uncle to rest, the scene cuts back to Laura

- she's pacing, patrolling. Ready for a fight. She senses something and goes even tenser, drawing her ancient sword. It glows softly blue - but this is no orc. Heavy footsteps, flickering shadows and firelight, maybe the sound of wings. We do not see the enemy, just a middle-aged woman in improvised combat gear with a pistol in one hand and a Gondolin-made sword in the other, and a look of iron determination and defiance. She pulls off the bandage on her arm, revealing that she'd faked her injury so the girls would leave her behind.

- "I knew it was you," she greets her old enemy, unflinching, as a faint reprise rings unnoticed in the Great Music. She moves to attack, met by a whip-crack and a flash of fire, and cut to black.

Season 2 starts where s1 ended, for Martha and Seraphina. They're almost back at their car (the beloved 1967 Chevy Shadowfax). Note: few times in s1, Phina has had strange visions or nightmares, never anything prophetic but once a good clue to defeating the MotW...

She reels with the force and horror of this one. Darkness, utter and choking, pierced eventually by a single desperate torch. A dark and empty hall where there should be life and light. Flickering firelight reveals blood on the floor...

She gasps, "Mom," and demands that Martha drive, drive, fucking drive faster already -

They're too late, of course. Laura is long-since dead.

...so, back to Monster of the Week, with additional focus on tracking down the Bane!

Seraphina's strange dreams and visions get more frequent, more memorable. Sometimes they're peaceful, full of beautiful Light. More often they're dark, or at least, dim - climbing strange, starlit mountains (finding a cousin of aconite which turns out to also be useful for defeating werewolves). Choking grief as her hand brushes the air just above a vibrant tapestry, too afraid to ruin it with touch. Fire in her throat as she shouts world-shaking words in a language she doesn't remember (she repeats them a moment later, fending off a corrupted wind-spirit, and it flinches even before Phina feels a burst of vicious, raging, burning strength.)

Seraphina is curious as hell and keeps pushing herself to learn more, see more. Do more. It's not just visions, eventually - she starts to read minds, here and there. She's always been a fidgeter, happiest with some petty creative task of wire and beads or yarn in her hands, but now she can swear that sometimes her craft supplies sing at times, directly surpassing her ears, and she can make things with quality, with power. A new-knitted scarf is sturdy as a gorget. Glass beads glow. The more Phina does, the more she's frustrated rather than satisfied - she knows she's missing something, and she HATES being ignorant. Being wrong.

Martha, always the responsible one, especially feeling the need to be so now that their mom has died, wishes she would stop. Wishes she wouldn't put herself, put both of them, in danger like this. Martha is literally game to fight an orc with her fists one on one, any day of the week; she's no stranger to a quick temper and impulsive action. But she grew up! Why can't her sister!

(Martha: [venting the above to a stranger in a bar or something. Meanwhile, Seraphina has found an medieval Songbook and is trying to, like, apply principals of Elvencraft to chemical engineering. more arguing ensues.])

Toward the end of the season, there's, idk, several murders at the site of a geothermal drilling experiment in the North Sea, and oh shit, Bane is trying to get something that came out of that drill shaft! Violent interrogation of some evil minions reveals that it's no less precious thing than a Silmaril! Our heroes read about those recently in some ancient tome! (Phina got a headache so bad, and a sense of being aflame, that she passed out.)

In the third-to-last episode of the season, they hunt the Silmaril to the unlucky random research facility to which it's been taken. Mundane authorities and/or scientists are already coveting it as a potential energy source, adding extra mooks...who mostly just die when Laura's Bane arrives. But our girls get to it just slightly faster. The jewel is in a jead-lined box. Phina has been increasingly consumed by single-minded focus on getting this thing; even as the Ban storms in all fire and darkness, she's furiously picking the lock. She flings back the lid; we see a shining gold-white jewel - and the Light consumes the screen.

The second-to-last episode starts with pure Light - then it fades to simple Mingling, as the Noldor hold a funeral for Miriel. They had rites for the fallen in their starlit home of old, when they knew no return. They are having a modified version now, knowing that in her weariness she will, at least, take a very long time; in the hope that it will help those who loved her move through their grief.

- young Fëanor (age 5ish), tears running down his cheeks, whispers to his father that he is sorry, so sorry he killed her. Finwë denies it fiercely, lovingly, and holds him tight. Indis approaches, seeking to offer comfort; Finwë sees her over Fëanor's head and, gratefully, shakes his head. She retreats.

- but in the next memory, it is Fëanor (age 10ish) who watches Finwë and Indis, as they move joyously in unison around their wedding dance floor. Someone says something to him, he responds bitterly.

- (I'm not sure exactly what narrative of Fëanor's life I want to construct here, but assume subsequent memories/short scenes include: dislike of half-siblings (ft. fear of loss/abandonment masked as superiority complex), finding genuine joy and contentment in craft, exploration, and Nerdanel & their children; Melkor & rising tensions with Fingolfin, the Silmarils, the sword Incident, banishment (ft. savage dislike of Valar), Finwë's death (the same memory that struck when Laura died!), the Oath, Alqualondë, the theft and burning of the ships...and Amrod...and shortly thereafter, Fëanor himself, in a rush that only wasn't suicide because he really thought he could bust in and kill a Vala right up until he realized he absolutely could not do that.)

- (very fast final montage of key events post death, only snapshots, maybe styled as tapestry seen from Vairë's Halls? Fingolfin, crowned, raising Maedhros from a bow and embracing him; the glorious hosts and castles of the Noldor, Dagor Bragollach, Fingolfin's death, Doriath & Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin's deaths, Sirion & Amras's death (both with the Silmaril evading them in the background), Morgoth's defeat by Host of the West with Eärendil shining far overhead, the final attack/theft, Maedhros's death, Maglor flinging the third into the sea and collapsing)

- camera close on Seraphina's face as she opens her eyes. They are shining with Light. She says, "Fuck."

FINAL EPISODE OF S2 STARTS WITH:

- a few second earlier: Martha sees from across the room as Phina opens the box and a joyous Light shines forth, and her sister collapses. The Silmaril falls and rolls.

- Martha doesn't have time to see where it rolls, because she has to fight the monster that killed both her parents. We've seen Laura's Bane in the shape of a woman with cavern-black hair and fiery eyes a few times before, and when it killed Laura and Elrohir, we glimpsed much more. But 2 episodes ago was the first time we saw it in all its terrible, burning darkness. The building is falling apart around it. There were a couple security guards and a scientist here; they're dead within moments.

- like her mother, Martha started out with a gun and a sword. She quickly gives up on the gun - it IS a special magic gun, but she's just better with a sword. She's snarking at the monster as she fights, because this is a gritty urban fantasy show so she's going to die, but by Eru she's going to die with sarcasm on her lips.

- the Bane's whip finally catches her around the wrist. It's not clear if it's the pain of the break or the burn that makes her drop her sword. The Balrog steps over it and grabs her by the throat. Darkness enwraps her, the searing, choking claws and the all-encompassing wings and the swallowing of her vision -

- Light pierces it like a blade. The Balrog falls back, dropping Martha to the floor.

- there stands her sister, Silmaril raised, almost glowing herself with its Light. Her eyes blaze with the particularly fiery Light that was always Fëanor's.

- Power in her voice, in English she says, "I am Seraphina Elrohiel [cool epithet she's picked up as a hunter]"; in the most traditional lisping Quenya she adds, "and I am Fëanáro Finwë-Curufinwë." English again: "I wrought this jewel five ages of the world ago…and to be honest, I don't really know what I can do with it now."

- - (the soundtrack crescendos, the Music crescendos; unseen, all around Arda and beyond, beings tuned into the Great Song of Ëa know that Fëanor once again holds a Silmaril, and go oh, shit, fuck!!)

- she smiles, fey and burning. "Do you think it's a good idea to stay and find out?"

- Laura's Bane flees with a snarl.

- Martha gets to her knees, and no further. She's panting, still catching her breath, bleeding and bruised and burned, and staring up at her incandescent sister(?).

- Seraphina (who is, has always been, Fëanáro Curufinwë) stays standing and glaring for a moment more, making sure the enemy has truly gone. Then -

- - [note: it came up, in their hasty recent recent research into the Silmarils while chasing them, that they are blessed such that evil hands can't touch them. they'd hoped this would be protection against the Bane, if they got there too late to stop it]

- - [note: in the very very brief memory-views of Maedhros and Maglor's last moments, it was clear that their grips on the Silmarils were agony]

- Phina falls to her knees, Silmaril dropping from her hand without protest. Once again it rolls offscreen, glow faded but still bright. All force of presence gone, she cradles her burned hand and sobs in agony and irreparable loss, not to mention the sheer overwhelming experience of everything.

- older sister instincts (again: despite the fact that they're twins) gets Martha moving when nothing else did. Still not actually sure what just happened, she crawls forward and hugs her sister.

...then they get out of there. Martha picks the Silmaril up carefully with a piece of cloth and puts it back in the lead-lined box, and Phina carries the box. For the rest of the episode, they hunt down Laura's Bane before it can escape them utterly - unless it tries to come back and get the Silmaril while they're still off-balance, which is entirely possible! Either way, they kill it so dead!

Season ends with the two of them sitting in a dingy motel room, or maybe back in the Shadowfax [car], staring at the Silmaril box. Martha says, "So...what do we do with this?" Phina says, "We find out what the hell happened to the other two!"

IN SEASON THREE...

...I stop having particularly coherent ideas for what happens, is what happens in season three

honestly, I was originally conceiving of this as 5 seasons a la Supernatural didn't it have a great show finale in 2010? so great. thank goodness they didn't make 10 more seasons for some canonically godforsaken reason. But Fëanor retrieving even just one Silmaril would so kick off an s4 level of divine intervention and incipient apocalypse...

I dunno, or maybe they CAN have a full season of Monster of the Week plus arcing plot which is half standard hunting, half various supernatural entities tracking them down either to steal the Silmaril or to kill Fëanor (again) for her many crimes?

They retrieve 1 Silmaril that season, while evading, idk, I guess Sauron is our Lilith equivalent... And it WOULD be fun to have s4 start with Martha kicking open Mandos's doors (she's holding 2 Silmarils; she can kick open whatever doors she wants) and demanding her obnoxious sister back...

(We COULD do a thing where the Valar deliberately put Fëanor back asap, but lbr they...would probably rather not, even if they need her alive to do certain things. On the other hand, if they did, what a fun conflict for her! On the third hand, SOMEONE has to Lúthien the other's Beren at least once - not that Martha is singing. She's going more for the 'threatens Ainur with swords' side of her heritage.)

(That WOULD create a fun 'Martha has been doing increasingly badass and angsty shit offscreen (while Seraphina was dead)' scenario that could lead smoothly into some flashbacks about what Martha was doing before the show started - namely, increasingly badass (and angsty) shit while Seraphina was in college...)

Because in terms of focus, the first 2 seasons are a little more about Seraphina. Having not Ranged for a while, she's more the audience's pov character to start, and then the big plotty drama is focussed on her in s2...and in s3, as they hunt the next Silmaril and she adjusts to being... That is, Fëanor adjusts to being...

She was Fëanor for a MUCH longer time than she's been Seraphina, but she's been Seraphina more recently and kinda more...vividly? She hasn't fully processed being Fëanor. Her hröa is human (and female-shaped and human-female-gendered, and elves don't define gender the same way and don't have gendered pronouns at all, so she's sticking with 'she/her' and it's not a big deal), and her fëa has been acting human, so her memory capacity is still mostly human, as are her reflexes, her need for sleep, etc... She's getting better, but it takes time.

But boy has this enhanced ALL of Seraphina's natural attention-seeking, forward-leaping, fight-starting, prideful, self-centered Protagonist(TM) behavior!

Which is driving Martha CRAZY, all the moreso because there's reason for it now. Aside from the fact that even with no memory of her past life, Seraphina was always brilliant, while Martha was just...normal at best. Clumsy and un-witty except with a weapon in her hand. Prone to sulking and shyness. Downright unlucky, while the universe seems to shower blessings on her sister.

Even when Fëanor is trying not to start a fight, she's so condescending. to her sister who is a mere mortal Man. Having been one for 25-odd years - still being one, in fact - Fëanor has lost much of her suspicion of Man as an usurping species (it was never really about Men anyway). But she's SO condescending.

(Martha IS her sister, still. Martha can hold the Silmaril without the Oath pushing Seraphina to burning wrath, because she is Fëanor's kin.)

(Though "Fëanor's kin" was only ever a stand-in for, roughly, "people Fëanor could trust to temporarily hold a Silmaril because he knew they'd give it back to him instantly if he asked." So, as the rift deepens between then, as she grows paranoid again...)

...returning to the point above: as Seraphëanor steps up as Person Who Can Explain Advanced Supernatural Shit, audience pov connects a little more with Martha. Also because Fëanor's radius of destruction is really fun to watch from the outside.

Yeah...Seraphina gets pretty high up her own ass over the course of s3, then dies, maybe heroically or maybe as foolishly as last time, then post-season hiatus smash cut to Martha kicking in Mandos's front door and dragging her back to life... I do love that.

SEASON FOUR...

After the shock wears of, the classic Fëanorian paranoia isn't helped by the fact that Martha IS keeping secrets. What she's been doing, who she's been doing it with...(some Maia, maybe even an Úmaia?) Though Arda's mythology doesn't have the same Heaven/Hell dichotomy as Earthly Christianity, so alaos we can't have the sexy sexy s4 thing of an angel on one sister's shoulder and a devil on the other's...

But basically I think s3 has to have been somewhat of a tragedy, as Túrin (unknowing) and Fëanor (just bad at this) played out their old tragedies in tandem. Rashness was often the undoing of both. Leaping to conclusions, action or both, though usually in opposite directions. With maybe a dash of parallels with ancient (ie, Second Age) Elf vs Man conflict - Martha is increasingly down on herself, but also, jealous of Seraphina's Protagonist Energy and increasingly ready to do some violence about it.

And none of that resolves in s3! Seraphina just gets killed!

So in s4, they have to figure it out. Seraphina needs to learn some sort of (gasp) humility, and how to let grievances (and loved ones) go. Martha needs to learn how to cope with regret and grief with means other than changing her name and moving to a different city.

(She's already starting, though! This time, she asked "what would Seraphina do', then broke into Mandos and demanded solutions!)

(...and Mandos, perhaps, was very ready to refuse until he got a good look at her fëa, silently went 'huh' in recognition, and waved them out.)

Then Martha starts having strange dreams and visions - maybe after they fight an ancient dragon? or maybe she already was, in the s3-s4 gap (after fighting an ancient dragon with her new Maia friend?)

Seraphina is initially PSYCHED about this- twinnies for real!! But they get some entity to look at Martha's fëa and they confirm that she's 100% a Man.

Monster of the Week episodes are still the main focus btw. Vampires and werewolves, cursed magical objects, rogue petty nature maiar, peacekeeping between factions of non-humans still dwelling secretly here and there... Though perhaps the masquerade is starting to fracture?

And, of course, some (other?) Maia has shown up and informed them that Sauron is embodied again and trying to complete a ritual to break a hole in the envelope of the world to let Melkor back in, which our heroes must stop!

Also, definitely need to get the 3rd Silmaril back this season. They got the one in the earth and the one in the sea...

- so, a fan favorite recurring character [a/n: IT'S MY IMAGINARY TV, I CAN IMAGINE THE FANDOM'S REACTIONS, TOO, AND ALSO TBH I'M CERTAIN I COULD DELIBERATELY CRAFT A FAN FAVORITE CHARACTER] is the twins' Uncle Earl, who isn't technically their uncle but rather an old family friend of their mother's. He is, in short, kind of an old kook. Some flavor of Southern - I'll flip a coin and say Louisianan? Lives on a houseboat, refuses to go ashore unless absolutely necessary because "the feds'll get me." Visiting nieces means there's someone else to go get groceries and gasoline (necessary, but he doesn't trust most delivery services or modern technology, either), so they've possibly never seen him set foot on land except maybe once on an isolated beach in rural Oregon. Fought in Korea. Has probably looked grizzled since age 12. Eats mostly fish, talks to birds, talks back to the radio.

- to be clear, this guy is not filling the Bobby 'faux-parent' role. ...okay maybe he is a little, emotionally. But he's not involved in "the family business." In terms of SPN characters, he's roughly Garth - appears once a season or so, is a delight for 1 episode, then we part ways. He calls Martha in s1 because there's been some "weird deaths" in the port he's in right now, and he knows they deal with "this sort of thing" but he can't get ahold of Laura. There's a mention of him in s2, that they called to tell him Laura had died. In s3, they need to lay low for a while so they join him on his boat for a few weeks, go stir-crazy and end up fighting a sea monster.

- Idk if he calls them again in s4 or they're trying to lie low again or they just run into him by chance...but they're dealing with MotW murders in some swampy Florida shore-town and on his ship (The Flower) when something much bigger than a swamp monster catches up with them. Say, Sauron sent an unstoppable Carcharoth-sized wolf monster, or maybe a super-vampire (some aerial combat would be fun), or just some Úmaia miniboss that a season or two would've been a season-climax boss fight...

- they're moored up when it arrives. Phina curses, Martha shouts for Earl to drive, drive the boat out as far and fast as he can! Earl was half-asleep at the table; he starts awake demanding if it's the feds?! Phina leaps to the wheel herself and slams the gas, while Martha grabs the old shotgun off the wall and fires at the giant shadowy wolf-monster.

They leave it howling on the pier. They'll have to go back and face it eventually, but they're not ready right now. Maybe they can even re-land far upshore, and it'll have lost their scent again...

- the giant shadow-wolf finishes howling starts chasing them running on the water

- Martha curses, and shouts Phina to drive faster. Earl (looking over Martha's shoulder, also cursed, almost impressed, at the sight of the wolf) tells her to give him the wheel. Phina shoves him away and shouts back as she yanks the wheel that they need to turn back, they can't win this fight on the water -

- the wolf is snapping at the Flower's keel. Phina curses in Valarian and yells at Earl to take the wheel and steer them back to land, while she runs back to help Martha fight the wolf.

- Earl flips a red lever in the [boat mechanics] cabinet under the wheel which we've probably seen before (Seraphina fixed something in s1), labeled "High Octane" and shouts, "Hold on, girls!" He slams the throttle again and the whole houseboat hydroplanes. The wolf falls overboard; Phina goes with it but Martha grabs her.

- the wolf gets to its feet on the water, and starts chasing them again

- "Confession time, girls!" Uncle Earl calls, steering the boat beyond full throttle while Martha and Phina get to their feet. "I did befriend your ma's dad while he was fighting in Korea. He whispered to the stars at night, when he felt lost." Adjusts a standing spyglass, tugs a string a couple times to turn on the lanterns on the prow and above the steering console, dons his navy blue-and-gold captain's hat. "I thought I couldn't have been happier to guide him home - then Elrohir met his Laura, and they fell in love. And had the two of you!"

- "Do you have a point?" Phina shrieks. She's scrambling to get her jacket out of her bag under one of the seats, because her Silmarils are in its pockets and the shadow-wolf is gaining. Martha, shooting at the wolf again, glances back, maybe having noticed that the old anecdote is phrased differently than before. Old Uncle Earl is standing unusually straight, his grizzled-gray hair gold-ish in the warm lantern light.

- "Yes!" he calls, jerking the boat away from the wolf again. Some of his Louisiana accent has fallen away, too. "Don't lose your wits - and keep holding on to something!"

- he tugs the light-cord again and the yellowy lantern-case above the wheel opens, and the light that shines forth is far brighter and paler. Its source falls into his hand as the lantern shakes with the Flower's speed, and he sets it on the brim of his hat - the illusion of which fades, leaving only the golden band on his brow with the Silmaril set upon, and Eärendil standing as tall, young, and golden-haired as when he first sailed the sacred seas. He gives the wheel another stern yank and the ship's prow rises even higher - and keeps rising, with the rest of the Flower in tow - the Foamflower, Vingilotë, every plank now aglow.

- "Also," he admits, looking over his shoulder to make sure neither of the twins has fallen off (again), "I'm your great-grandfather. I really am sorry to have - hey!"

- that's for Seraphina, who is Fëanor, Oath blazing in her heart, regaining her balance, sprinting up the deck and lunging with wrath in her eyes for the Silmaril.

- Eärendil dodges smoothly, while still keeping one hand on the wheel. "I said," he says reprovingly - while Martha bodily tackles her sister to the floor - "keep your wits Fëanáro. I'm here to help, as I ever have been for the people of Arda."

- the girls wrestle on the deck for a few more seconds before Seraphina calms down. It helps that they realize the wolf had grown giant wings of shadow and is chasing them aloft as well.

- btw: late in s4, the dwarvish researcher who's Bobby's fill-in and/or Martha's probably-trustworthy Maia friend should really be present as well for all of the above, but this ain't really about them. So I think they're just kinda. awkwardly Present for this family not-reunion. helping fight the wolf & all that.

- (Eärendil doesn't actually give back the Silmaril. But he lets Seraphina hold it for a few minutes, during which she is more at peace than she has been in millennia, and promises to let her have it again if/when she really needs it, if it isn't more urgently needed elsewhere. This is, more or less, satisfying to the Oath: as discussed "Fëanor's kin" was only ever shorthand for "people whom Fëanor could trust to hold a Silmaril without ever withholding it from him.")

Eeexcept it turns out that even Eärendil doesn't know that the Valar DO want Morgoth back, because they're kinda totally down to have Dagor Dagorath and reboot the world. Look it'll be great - Túrin - that's you, Martha - will help Eonwë and Tulkas slay him, then Fëanor will break the Silmarils, releasing the Light so that Eru can use it to Remake the world, Unmarred this time - Hey, where are you Children going? Stop stabbing people! Stab only the people we tell you to stab!

(Ulmo, ever wise, offscreen: When has that EVER worked? Especially with Fëanáro and his kin?)

Yeah, there's a scene very much like the end of SPN s4, wherein Martha gets grabbed by the celestial "good guys" and they admit that this is all kinda set-up but don't worry - here's your destined fuckoff-huge black sword, just wait a few minutes for your "sister" to once again achieve an evil end that's the exact opposite of what she intended; and then Martha has to convince the Maia she's been befriending all season to help her escape and go rescue Seraphina before she jumpstarts the apocalypse...

(Nb: Martha was already trying to stop Sauron from freeing Morgoth when the season started - she broke Seraphina out of Mandos party bc she loved and missed her sister, partly because she needed a Silmaril expert. But she's grown skeptical of the task somehow, while Seraphina - perhaps because Seraphina - has gotten vengefully obsessed with it. As Fëanor is wont to do. Hell, she has even more reason than she used to - she knows what Sauron did to her grandson.)

So, y'know

They do, of course, accidentally free Morgoth.

On the plus side, in the process, they get to jointly murder the SHIT out of Sauron, who was the REAL mastermind behind much of Laura's Bane's actions (and, honestly? Might've been the real one who killed Laura, and only set it up to look like a Balrog. Flames and shadows both can have many masters!)

SEASON FIVE, THE FINAL SEASON DEFINITELY FOLLOWED BY NO FURTHER SEASONS despite the temptation of a terrible sexy humanoid Ungoliant

I only have 3 ideas for season 5:

1. They go to Valinor at some point, of course. Perhaps to rally aid? The first elf they find, they introduce themselves grandly, Fëanor and Túrin Turambar here seeking allies to fight Morgoth! and the elf says blankly, "I have never heard of either of you." *squints* "You're Men, you say? Lord Ulmo keeps a Man on Tol Eressëa, I think. You could go to him?" But after that, as a running joke all episode, every other elf they meet recognizes Fëanor on sight (she has a very distinctive fëa) and immediately punches her in the face...and every other elf recognizes Tùrin on sight and all but tackle-hugs Martha while shouting joyfully that they never expected to see him again. Some (Beleg) actually do tackle-hug her (and nearly gets stabbed again) (#worthit).

2. To everyone's surprise, including the other Valar, Morgoth started his war upon creation subtly when he returned...but doesn't remain subtle for long, nor do those opposing him. By the end of the season, the masquerade that non-human sentient peoples and various other supernatural beings still live in Arda is all but shattered.

3. Then it's THOROUGHLY shattered in the finale. I don't know if the general human populace participates in the final battle - though I am SO weak for a moment when, like, the regular-ass armed forces, who are not necessarily allies to the heroes, show up to help fight a massive superhuman threat. When the SHIELD helicarrier shows up to evacuate civilians in Age of Ultron, when UNIT does pretty much anything in Doctor Who...I love it when the best protections & warriors the mundane human race could pull together also show the fuck up and help save the day because damnit, this is their planet too. ...Which is, in fact, very on-theme for Tolkien. So yes, actually, this definitely happens. Probably there's some conflict with US military forces mid-season, our heroes have to talk (fight & escape) their way out of being arrested for blowing up a national landmark while fighting a balrog, and the general in charge whom they'd half-convinced returns in the finale with a battalion to slam some missiles into Morgoth...

oh, and 4: Ar-Pharazón et al totally do come back from the dead. Probably on Morgoth's side lbr. They get a twisted undead immortality wherein they cannot die, just go on fighting for the dark lord to whom they once turned in jealous worship...

More importantly...

Okay, I really don't know exactly how the Dagor Dagorath goes. We're following the version that Eärendil will chase Morgoth from the skies; Tulkas, Eonwë and Túrin will fight him upon the field and Túrin will avenge his House and all the Race of Men by slaying him; and Fëanor will break the Silmarils and Yavanna will use their Light to remake the Trees, and the lands will be leveled or in some cases raised from the depths, and everyone will live happily ever after except possibly Men who aren't mentioned beyond Túrin.

This is what the Valar expect to happen (though they don't actually know-know Eru's plans.)

What happens instead is...

Most of the Morgoth-defeating does go exactly like that. Except probably they don't kill him for good - they CAN'T, because the Marring of the world is part of what Morgoth is, and the only way to undo him completely is to remake the world completely.

Which maybe could be done, by Eru if no one else, if He were beseeched? Which might be done with the strength of the Silmarils, their Light released?

And Seraphina does break the Silmarils. That's important for her - giving up her Protagonist role, just as slaying Morgoth - embracing her Protagonist role - is important for Martha.

...but I don't think they give the Light back to Yavanna. No offense to the Trees, but they never illuminated most of Arda anyway, and the world is round now anyway - and making it flat again would fuck it up - and we have, like, electrical lights, now.

Hell, maybe Seraphina is ready to give up the Light... Her instinct is to hold it back, to follow her own novel plans with it, but, oh, to regain what was lost! And she has come around on...some of the Valar. Selectively. Yavanna's one of the okay ones.

- but Martha, half-dead from the battle, drops to her knees beside her and catches her hands before she can loose the Light upward unto the grasp of the Tree-Queen.

- "Together?" Martha says (Túrin Turambar, ever the greatest Men had to offer - bull-headed, loyal, brave, unafraid of death, loving and losing and loving again).

- Seraphina's trembling lips curve into a fierce grin (Fëanäro Curufinwë, ever the greatest Elves had to offer - brilliant in mind and spirit, devoted, ever seeking to preserve and glorify the beauty of the world, and eventually learning some wisdom about letting go).

- "Together," she agrees.

- together, they hold the Light that once shone in the Trees, the Lamps, and the Flame Eternal of Creation itself; and as they release it, reach for the Great Music of Ëa that is deep in both their blood - for they are the daughters of Elrohir, son of Elrond, son of Elwing daughter of Dior son of Lúthien Tinúviel, daughter of Melian the Maia; and indeed, even before that, they are both trueborn Children of Eru, are they not? - and eschew utterly the Choice of the Peredhel by leaving the world round but Un-Sundering the Sea, that the kindred might still live apart, if they wished it - the Elder in their land undying, the Younger in their realms of quick and sometimes joyful, often savage change - but that they might visit one another, at least, as they pleased.

(I mean, wasn't the false division of siblings the whole problem from the start?)

Random Additional Features of this Show/AU/Thing

All elf and ainu side characters, canonical and not, will be cast gender-blindly, and characters referred to with the understanding that elvish personal pronouns don't necessarily correlate with physical phenotype, but Ainur do generally try to match local standards of gender assignment. Dwarves will all use he/him (and have beards!) even when fairly clearly female.

I have no idea what Martha is doing for gender once she remembers being Túrin. With all the time Túrin spent with Elves, she probably rolls pretty smoothly with being she/her now, though it's weird. Her memories definitely integrate more easily than Fëanor/Seraphina's, though, as much because she's the same kind of being both times as because there's less of them.

Both protagonists are definitely bisexual. Martha has a range of love interests; it's a running joke (at first) that Seraphina has a total Thing for redheads. Any kind of redhead. But especially creative ones - any kind of art or invention.

The role of Gabriel WILL be played by Maglor, albeit with a different death (don't worry, he'll be back for the finale) and much more...gloominess. And angst. Okay, and maybe his first appearance, in s1 or 2, IS cursing them - not knowing who they are - into a musical episode. (A WOMAN HAS NEEDS; THE WOMAN IS ME.)

When Martha meets Fingolfin and/or any of Fëanor's other siblings, probably in s5 but maybe s4, they immediately Vibe completely. It's the shared experience of growing up with Fëanor for a sibling. Needless to say, Seraphina Hates This.

Their chief researcher friend is a dwarf, who is also on the young-ish side I think, and a woman (he/him).

There's gotta be a notable hobbit on the Team before the end, too...but overall, hobbits remain symbolically representative of the Civilians in this war story.

Durin is alive again somewhere. Durin usually reincarnates in time to guide his people through particularly difficult times - or, to try. Their dwarf friend - what the hell, I'll just call him Bobby - tries SO hard to be Cool about meeting him, and fails SO hard.

I generally prefer to judge and characterize the Valar and associated Maiar as fallible to the point of clumsiness or negligence but basically wise and thoroughly benevolent...but I AM willing to throw some of them under the characterization bus for ease of making conflict in this hypothetical CW show.

...I probably have many more random thoughts but it's 3am and I want to post this whole insane thing. Feel free to ask me questions if you have them! And/or petition both the Tolkien estate and a major TV network for the rights, money, and support to help me make the terrible but wonderful show we deserve!

[ladysternchen]

🧋 What is your favorite fanwork you've made this year?

🧋 Did you participate in any fan exchanges this year? If so, what was your favorite gift you received?

🧋 Do you have any projects for next year fanworks?

🧋 Did you do something new or more experimental this year? Is there a new approach you're interested in taking in the future?

🧋 Looking back, is there a fanwork you made this year you are dissatisfied with?

🧋 What fanwork have you published this year that you feel shoyld have gotten more attention/reactions?

🧋 What (part of) fandom did you write for the most this year? Which (part of) fandom do you think you'll be focusing on next year?

🧋 What's a fandom trend you hope dies before the new year comes?

1) uuhh, tough one xD

I think that would be ‘I Will Hold Your Hand Forever’ , but it’s a close contest 😆

But I generally do better with that sort of fic.

2) unfortunately no. Personal life (read here: being an autistic mom of autistic/ADHD-kids who need my support doing their day-to-day school stuff in a country that has next to no support for autistic people with “lesser” support needs) did not allow for any time-critical writing- projects. I’d love to do it again next year, though.

3) Maaaany. For one, my current WIP “A Deed Unforgiven” is still to be finished, but I have many more stories outlined that wait to be written, and two completed works that wait for the right occasion to be published.

4) no, not really. I’d love to, though. Only I’m an entirely non-creative person, so I need people to give me ideas 😆

5) not any more (muhahahaha). I was so disappointed with “Yet Were Its Making Good, For This” at first, but I slowly worked through it and edited it a lot and now I’m quite happy with it 😁

(Oh, and I’m still biting my arse for a mistake I made in the portrait of Olwë I wrote for the Silmarillion Writers’ Guild, but I’m not dissatisfied with the whole thing)

6) uh. Ahm, what to answer to that now… 🤣 I’d say all of them but I can’t do that because its so very ungrateful

No, in all earnesty, I love feedback, I love to discuss my work with other writers and readers and just other people interested in the matter. But I know I’m very specific in what I write (or whom I write about) and the number of people who are into it is limited. That does not make the attention my stories get any less valuable, though. (!!)

If I had to pick one, though, that I wish had got more attention, it’s “The Boat To Irmo’s Realm, Or: The Story Of An Untired Elfling” . I really love that one a lot.

7) Nothing changing anytime soon, I’m afraid. I’ll stay with the Royal House of Doriath (probably for the rest of my (writing-) life �� They’re my family and my special interest and my obsession)

8) All the bashing. And the comparing Tolkien’s lore to modern politics, especially without giving it a thorough thought and without making the effort to really see it as a world of its own rather than an allegory for our modern days. Elves and Men are not one race, Elves are NOT a synonym for… nah, not even going close to that row now.

I wish people would stop judging other people by their favourite characters (idk if that works both ways, if people who love the Noldor in Beleriand get accused of being ok with murder or called colonialists, but I’m sick and tired of being called a racist and supporter of white supremacy. Like wtf guys, I’ve been a feminist and socialist my entire life. Just… no! Read. Like READ!)

Also, I’d love to see this fanon-over-canon-trend die down.

Bit none of that will happen. Ah well. Peace, folks!

Thanks so much for asking me and letting me ramble about my works ❤️ That’s such a lovely idea!

[unknown-de-mordor-blog]

Five ships I’m still not over

Beleg Cúthalion/Túrin Turambar

Universe: Middle-earth, first age

Ship name: Nothing that’s widely used in the fandom, I don’t think. But I like to think of them as ‘Black Sword (referring to Turin’s cursed weapon) and Strongbow (direct translation of Cúthalion)’

To me, there's no character more tragic than Turin son of Hurin, and no pairing more tragic than him and Beleg. And no clearer love, too. I don't know if J. R. R. Tolkien intended for them to go that far, but their emotional connection is so deep and powerful that whether you ship them or not it's undisputedly one of the most beautiful relationships in Tolkien's lore. Alas! It's not powerful enough to undo the curse placed on Turin and his clan, which ends both his and Beleg's life all too soon and all too tragically. So, yes, I count Beleg as one of the elves who die for love.

Favourite quote: 'I would lead my own men, and make war in my own way,' Turin answered. 'But in this at least my heart is changed: I repent every stroke save those dealt against the Enemy of Men and Elves. And above all else I would have you beside me. Stay with me!' 'If I stayed beside you, love would lead me not wisdom,' said Beleg.

Uh, I love this so much because it shows the difference in their temperament and maturity. Beleg's an elf who has lived through and fought in so many wars. He's an (elf)man of duty, honour and intellect, and Turin is still a young man whose pride and stubbornness can seriously get in the way of a grown-up conversation. And Beleg is so not having any of that in this scene. He’d do anything for Turin, including ditching his command to find him, but he can pull some tough-love moves, too, when Turin’s unreasonable.

Uzumaki Naruto/Uchiha Sasuke

Universe: Naruto

Ship name: sns, narusasu, sasunaru

I think Naruto and Sasuke canonically love each other, I really do, but I don’t think they are together romantically at any point in the series. And that’s by design, really. Sasuke -- the last of the Uchiha, the tragic figure of the Naruto series (still not as tragic as Turin, but let’s not do this morbid comparison) -- has too many issues to work through, and Naruto isn’t in the position to really help him through them. So as soul-deep as their bond is, they couldn’t have been together and survive each other. Although, I really want that to happen. That’s what fanfictions are for, I guess.

Favourite quote: ‘If you attack Konoha, I will have to fight you... So save up your hatred and take it all on me, I'm the only one who can take it. It's the only thing I can do. I will shoulder your hatred and die with you.’

Honestly, Naruto might just as well propose to Sasuke with that because he’s essentially saying ‘give me your worst, I’m not leaving and never will’. I know friends could be like that, too, but normally not to this degree and not with this kind of commitment. I’m not surprised at all when Sasuke has to ask Naruto why the hell he is doing all this for him. It just goes beyond reason, really.

S'chn T'gai Spock /James T. Kirk

Universe: Star Trek

Ship name: K/S, Spirk

The Daddy of all ships! Pun intended! Spock and Kirk's friendship really walks that fine line of are they/aren’t they. I personally think they aren’t (another controversial statement coming from a shipper), but they’re so cute together you just can’t help think: what if they are? They have this deep trust and affection for one another anyway; why not push it a notch further? ‘This simple feeling,’ as Spock calls it, might as well be love.

Favourite quote:

Kirk: How's our ship? Spock: Out of danger. Kirk: Good... Spock: You saved the crew. Kirk: You used what he wanted against him. That's a nice move. Spock: It is what you would have done. Kirk: And this... this is what you would have done. It was only logical. I'm scared, Spock. Help me not be. How do you choose not to feel? Spock: I do not know. [tears fall] Right now, I am failing. Kirk: I want you to know why I couldn't let you die... why I went back for you... Spock: Because you are my friend. [Kirk places his hand against the glass and gives the Vulcan Salute as he dies]

It’s actually really hard for me to pick a quote for these two because I think every ‘Jim’ from Spock does the job except nobody else would understand it but me. (Second to that is, ‘Captian, not in front of the Klingons.’) While I love them teasing each other a lot, I think Kirk’s death scene from Star Trek Into Darkness has all the right punches to it. Spock has been unable to accept the feeling of friendship towards Kirk (actually just feelings in general) until the moment he watches Kirk dies behind the glass door. And all just comes out like BOOM! Not to mention how close Spock comes to killing Khan for revenge before Uhura tells him that Kirk can be saved but they need Khan alive. Honestly, that’s the only reason Khan’s head doesn’t go plop in Spock’s hands.

Morgoth/Sauron

Universe: Middle-earth, first age

Ship name: it just came to my attention that the fandom is calling this ship Angbang (a wordplay on the name of their home/fortress Angband). Nicely done, you naughty people. Also Melkor/Mairon if you’re going by their proper first-age names.

I think a lot of people seeing this ship would go ‘what?!’ Like, how is that even possible when Tolkien didn’t write a single scene with the two of them in it. I’d say in this case the absence is more powerful. Tolkien wrote the Silmarillion and the Unfinished Tales as lore, so they necessarily come from the perspective of the tellers; i.e., humans and elves. That doesn’t mean Tolkien didn’t drop hints about the complex characters that the dark lords of Middle-earth are. He even has Elrond says that people don’t start out evil, not even Sauron. So the question becomes, what the heck happened? And the heck that starts it all out is pretty much in the first few chapters of the Silmarillion where Morgoth is clearly a powerful and inventive figure but in many ways an outcast and shunned by everyone including the very power that made him. (*cough* daddy issue *cough*) And then we are made aware of the fact Sauron, who is also powerful and creative, isn’t on Morgoth’s side from the get go but decides to join him later. The power-hungry dark lords we are later told about aren’t that at all, so it raises the question of their true characters and motives. If anything, I think the length in which Sauron would go for Morgoth thousands of years after his master is defeated and shut away says something about their bond with each other. And if I know one thing, it can’t be fear or respect. If I have to make a guess, I think it is akin to love.

Favourite quote: There isn’t anything I can quote from the source material since there hasn’t been a dialogue or anything they say to an audience that could be trusted as genuinely representing who they are. One thing I do scream about is the scene in the Return of the King movie when the black gate opened and behind there isn’t just the tower with the eye of Sauron but Mount Doom next to it in the same frame. I was like ‘I know Morgoth’s not here but isn’t that him in spirit.’ Yes, I’m a proper trash for these two.

Also, there’s this awesome comic series (unfortunately discontinued) by Suz. It’s legitimately hotter than the fire of Aule’s forge, honestly.

Beren/Lúthien

Universe: Middle-earth, first age

Ship name: I’m not aware of any ship name for these two but ‘Beren and Luthien’ is catchy enough as it is.

How else to finish this list but to dedicate the last entry to the greatest love story of Middle-earth, and, yes, I'm saying that with a straight face because, holy hell, this couple defies expectations left, right, and centre. Luthien, our elven princess, is an active participant in her own fate. She falls in love with a human who, in an act of valour, accepts her father's stupid, impossible task to steal the most treasured jewel from Morgoth the Dark Lord himself. Luthien basically runs away from home, finds her man captured and tortured, and tears the goddamn fortress down in a showdown with the-dark-lord-to-be Sauron himself (which makes you question the competency of everyone else in Middle-earth). They then proceed to steal the jewel together. They don't quite succeed in bringing it back and Beren loses his hand in the process, but hey, they could say it's in his hand, somewhere, and now could they please marry because otherwise I have a feeling that Luthien is going to elope with her boyfriend and her mom and dad won't be seeing her again ever.

And this is really just scratching the surface of Luthien’s feisty personality quite unbefitting of most princesses until the recent overhaul of attitude by Disney. And all this came from a man who was born in the Victorian era when women's autonomy wasn't given or respected. But I think Luthien's depth of character comes from the fact that she has a real-life counterpart, and so she feels more like a real woman. And the love between Beren and Luthien feels compelling because its the love the professor himself had for his wife and life-long partner, Edith. You can check out their gravestone. I'm so not making this up.

Favourite quote: The song of Lúthien before Mandos was the song most fair that ever in words was woven, and the song most sorrowful that ever the world shall ever hear. Unchanged, imperishable, it is sung still in Valinor beyond the hearing of the world, and the listening the Valar grieved. For Lúthien wove two themes of words, of the sorrow of the Eldar and the grief of Men, of the Two Kindreds that were made by Ilúvatar to dwell in Arda, the Kingdom of Earth amid the innumerable stars. And as she knelt before him her tears fell upon his feet like rain upon stones; and Mandos was moved to pity, who never before was so moved, nor has been since.

It’s not a scene between them, but this is how far Luthien’s love and badassery goes. She loses Beren in a battle to protect her father’s kingdom, and she dies grieving him. In the afterlife, she gets to meet the god of death Mandos and sings him a song of their love and her grief. Apparently, she’s so good with words and music that Mandos is like, ‘I can’t handle the feels. You can have your husband back and have a mortal life with him.’ And Luthien takes the deal, of course.

[sparkylovesbooks]

New weekly feature! In which I spend the weekend doing top 10 lists :)

My first topic is top 10 books I loved in middle school. Man I was a completely different kind of reader back then! But here are 10 books I absolutely adored as a preteen in my middle school years.

1. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares

To say that I was obsessed with this series would be an understatement. I used to wish these girls were real and could be my best friends irl. As soon as I finished these books, I would immediately start reading them again... it was a problem! But really, these books, especially the first 2 of the series, and the girls in them got me through some awful things in my life when i was about 13/14 years old. I will be forever grateful fr these books’ existence!

2. The Truth About Forever - Sarah Dessen

This book remains to this day in my top 2 favorite Sarah Dessen books. It’s the very first one of hers I ever read, and from this one I went on to read every single other one of her books! I loved the relatability of it and how easy it was to read. There was no crazy drama in this, it was just about trying to get through whatever life happens to throw your way, and figure out who you are while you’re young.

3. Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl -  Anne Frank

I originally read this as a class assignment in 8th grade. We were all reading it for AR points (if you are unfamiliar with AR, it’s a series of tests you have to take in middle school after reading books, and you get points depending on how tough the book was and how well you did on the test. It was a big portion of our grade!), and then we ended up putting on a play about Anne Frank’s life after we were done reading it. I became so interested in Anne Frank’s life after reading her diary that I started to read supplemental books. Like this book called “Anne and Me” which is a fictional YA book about a girl who time travels and meets Anne Frank, I read diaries from Anne’s dad, from the women who kept her family hidden for all those years, and much more.

4. The Angels Trilogy - Lurlene McDaniel

Oh man, did this trilogy open up a can of worms! After reading this series (and obsessing over it), I asked my Grammy to buy me all of the rest of Lurlene McDaniel’s books that were at her local Barnes & Noble so I could read them all. And when I read all of those, I went to the library and read all of the other ones that were there! Mind you, Lurlene’s books are not easy books to read; sure they’re pretty small, but they are about TEENAGERS WITH CANCER. TALK ABOUT SOBFEST. But I could not get enough of them! And the Angels trilogy was what started it all. Man I was obsessed! To the point where to this day, if I ever have a girl, I’m naming her Leah... which is the name of the main character in the first “Angels” book.... yeah.

5. The Lord of the Rings trilogy - JRR Tolkien

To be honest, this started with the LotR movies, which were released when I was in middle school. I didn’t even want to see the Fellowship of the Ring, but my uncle dragged me with him to see it, and then the rest is history. I bought LotR movie memorabilia, when to midnight showings of the next two movies, got a “Mrs. Bloom” purse, learned elvish, and read the LotR trilogy and The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. I learned to play the music on my violin, wrote in elvish, and made up ballet dances to the soundtrack. But I really really loved the books. They were so in-depth and had so much imagination in them. I just felt immersed in Middle Earth and forgot about the real world while I was reading them. Plus I really wanted to be an elf.

6. Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Specifically “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” which is the one with short stories like “The Speckled Band,” “The Hound of Baskervilles,” and “The Five Orange Pips.” This was another one that I read of AR testing on my own. But then I found out that my dad was a Sherlock Holmes nerd! So I wanted to be able to talk to him about it, so I started reading the Sherlock Holmes novels and the rest of the short stories. I also used to watch the 80′s movie “Young Sherlock Holmes” on repeat because I thought it was just so cool... in hindsight it’s no that great of a movie lol.

7. Dear America books

Any of them really, I wasn’t just into ones from a specific era and I didn’t really have a favorite one. But I bought like 9 of them and would re-read those over and over again. I felt like I was getting smarter when I was reading them because I was learning about so many different times in history. They were pretty educational! I learned about frostbite and slave culture in America and life on the Oregon Trail.

8. Number the Stars - Lois Lowry

I picked this book up after reading all of those Anne Frank books. I wanted to learn more about the Holocaust, but my mom didn’t want me reading anything to graphic or traumatizing. Luckily we found this middle grade/ya book which took place in the Holocaust. I absolutely loved reading it! And it was hard at that time to find any other appropriate Holocaust novels for my age, so this was a young reader’s miracle. Plus it introduced me to Lois Lowry, which in turn introduced me to The Giver!

9. The Giver - Lois Lowry

Like I said, I read this immediately after “Number the Stars” at the request of my best friend at the time. She said she thought it was super cool but she didn’t get the ending so she wanted me to read it so I cold help her figure it out. It took me a long time for my young brain to understand that book! It’s a deceptively deep book! To this day The Giver quartet remains in my top 15 favorite books of all time, I own 4 copies of the series!

10. The Tripods Trilogy - John Christopher

This trilogy had me shook was I was like 13. I remember I was like scared to read for a bit when I finished these books! I had like dreams about tripods getting me when I was reading these. It was a crazy sci-fi journey for my young self. I don’t know many other people who ave read this series, so if you have please let me know!

What books did you guys read and love when you were that age (12-14 years old)?

[lunarymagic]

11 Questions Meme

Tagged by @edgeoflight! <3  :)

Answer 11 questions and then come up with 11 of your own and tag followers.

1. What place would you visit if money and time were no object?

Japan and New Zealand seem to be a tie for me!

2. What book have you read that influenced you the most?

It’s an obvious one but: Tolkien’s books. He saved me in so many ways (and in fact, some of the things he has said about himself makes me think he too suffered from bouts of depression.) His writing never ceases to give me hope. I watched the films when they first came out before reading Lord of the Rings but I was still heavily impacted, and when I got to The Silmarillion: damn. <3

3. Tell me about a time when deciding something differently would’ve changed your whole life.

I was an Art and English double major for a year before deciding I wanted to become a pharmacist. I always wonder what would have happened if I decided to just stick with that plan (FWIW, the first semester after my change in studies was one of the biggest highlights of my life both personally and creatively. So! :D *shrugs* )

(and putting the rest behind a cut because this got so long!) 

4. What do you see as being the next big revolutionary technological innovation?

I want to see A.I. become a thing, and they are on their way. Unfortunately, governments are apparently already requesting for war machines because of fucking course. Meanwhile I’m thinking how wonderful it would be to marry a robot. Because I always was fascinated by them. I’d love to hold a philosophical conversation with a robot, at least. Why should everything be about war? That’s so primitive! Let’s have intelligent robots who can help carry humans from one room to another in hospitals while also holding friendly conversations with them! Or just keeping the sick company? Keeping elderly in nursing homes company? Keeping anyone who is lonely and doesn’t have family company?! Or nanny/babysister robots you can trust! Or even friendly robots you can just...feel safe around! Seriously, people stop being so fucking primitive we’ve had over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution just to make a fucking war machine WTF NO WONDER GOD HAS ABANDONED OUR ASSES!

*takes a deep, calming breath* I hate war. Anyhow:

5. If you reached out with your left hand, what would you touch?

A bunch of books, sketchbook, loose papers, tons of sketches, hand-drawn maps of the Ironverse, some open mail for some reason, an old tablet for some reason. Nail clipper. Is useful. Some cheap color pencils for idea sketching. And for some reason a box of unplayed-with puzzles. All stacked in a neat matter on a small table, too.

6. Which is the most important: truth, beauty, freedom, or love?

Truth is beauty, truth sets you free, and being true is to be love. So, truth! :D 

7. What’s your relationship with your parents like?

...Complicated. Well, with one of them at least. With Dad it’s pretty much good and stable and normal. With Mom it’s...it’s a roller coaster ride. Things have gotten very ugly several times before (don’t even ask about the past) but also? She has supported me in ways so-called “friends” never did and we would literally kill someone if they hurt the other even if we’re ready to mutually kill each other so...yeah, complicated! :D 

8. If I gave you a million in your own currency but told you that you couldn’t spend it on yourself – you had to give it away – what would you do with it? You can divide it up as much as you like, but you can’t keep any of it.

There are so many charities I would give to. And research funds, holy crap. If there’s anything that can help pancreatic cancer patients I would do that in particular because even with advancements in treating cancers, with there being more and more survivors now than ten, twenty years ago, PC continues to be a fast killer and I’d want for the next research focus to go on early detection and treatment.

9. Do you believe that patriotism is a good thing or a bad thing?

It depends on what we’re talking about. In the country I was born in, there are people trying to erase my entire heritage and culture and history. I’m patriotic in the sense that I will not back down, will refuse to be erased or written out of history. 

At the same time, I do live in America, am an American, and have seen the more toxic form of patriotism. There’s a balance to be reached. Patriotism when it is not about only you. When it’s love for your land but not at the expense of others or snubbing others. 

10. How would you define romance?

Ew. XD Well, that was my first thought when I saw the question! Which is weird because I’m considered shipper trash? I honestly don’t know how I would define it. I don’t care much for it in RL? And in fiction my ships come in a wide spectrum from the fluffiest shit to...the most violently abusive shit ever that I don’t even post on AO3 (yes I’m talking about the Valttu/Lalli stuff.) I just like the dynamics and that’s it I guess? I dunno! And in RL I literally do not even care or pay attention to it. Too busy making love to the Ironverse. XD

11. Imagine you are very old and dying. What do you think you will regret, if anything?

Nothing, maybe. Not because my life is perfect -- it is far from that -- but because I have learned to not ever live with regrets. Everything happens for a reason, even if it’s damn painful, and I learn something from them. That’s how I’ve lived all this time. 

And my questions:

1. Autumn or Spring?

2. What sort of dreams do you typically have?

3. Thirteen hungry dwarves have come uninvited to your house! Quick, what do you prepare for them?

4. Five songs or groups you've been into lately?

5. Would you rather be saved by an Elven prince plagued by a terrible Oath or a Space Alien princess overcome by grief?

6. This world is falling apart but a portal has opened up. Which fictional world would you like to live in for the rest of your life?

7. The most hilarious mishap you've had or had witnessed?

8. If you’re a fanfic writer: do you remember the first ever fic you ever wrote? Or if you write mainly original fic: first story? Artists: first art piece? 

9. What book or show or movie or game was dearest to your heart as a child?

10. Any book/movie/show/game rec for your followers?

11. Is the absence of evidence an evidence of absence?

And I tag: @inside-the-mountain, @pyropelove413, @superheroladies, @eatyourgrapes, @naryrising, @the-wavesinger, @squirrelwrangler, @sathinfection, @kainoliero, @independence1776, @yuuago

And, of course, anyone else who wishes to do this! :)

[fardell24b]

Lawndale and Sandi Griffin’s Genie - Chapter 1 - Part 2

“These are new,” Jean said, as she looked at the computers.

“Were not there any computers the last time you were out of the Emerald?” Sandi asked. She was wondering how long Jean had been in there. 'Long enough for these computers to be surprise,' she thought.

“They did exist, but they weren't advanced enough to be used as a cataloguing system in a High School library.” She looked to be in awe at the advancement of technology.

“Interesting,” Sandi stated. She then wondered how they could be easier used. She decided that voice recognition would be interesting to have: At least that is what it is called in those shows that Stacy watches,’ she thought. She grabbed the emerald, which was on a necklace that she was wearing. ‘Good thing that its green matches that of my eyes.’

“I wish that the computers in the school will be able to be controlled by voice, and that they would have the components necessary for that to work,” she said.

 “This will take a few moments,” Jean said. She closed her eyes and concentrated as she and the emerald scanned all the computers in the school. (She had been aware of them earlier after Sandi had wished for her to be on the enrolment records, but now she needed to understand them better.)

 After scanning the hardware and the software of every computer in the school and then understanding all of them, she was ready.  She granted Sandi’s wish. A barely visible ripple emanated out from Jean and the emerald, carrying the wish granting sound with it. As it struck each computer in the school it changed them, giving them microphones, speakers and voice recognition software compatible with the operating system that the particular computers were running.

Where there wasn’t enough hard drive space, the wave increased the capacity of the drive to compensate. All the computers in the school were affected, from the more recent Pentium II’s running Windows 98 and iMacs running MacOS 8.5, through to the 386’s running Windows 3.11 and Macintosh II’s running System 7.5. Jean also placed some ‘Easter Eggs’ on many of the computers...

 “The wish is granted,” Jean said, once the conversion processes were complete.

 “I would have thought that it would have been quicker,” Sandi said.

 “The bigger the wish, the longer it takes to be completed,” Jean said. Sandi gave this some thought. “I suppose so,” she said. She lead Jean over to the closest of the cataloguing computers.

 “Catalogue: Like, show me the listings for any books containing information on genie legends,” she said. After a few seconds the database software returned Sandi’s query. There were 3 books.

 “Cool,” she said. She took out a notepad from her purse and wrote down the Dewey Decimal numbers that had come up.

 “Let’s go,” she said to Jean as she went towards the first relevant section of the bookshelves.

  However, Sandi did not know that the School Librarian, Michaela Daniels, had seen and heard everything after her wish for the computers to be able to be controlled by voice.

 As Sandi and Jean walked into the midst of the non-fiction section she ran what happened through her mind. Sandi’s wish, Jean’s response and gesture, the wish granting noise, the ripple carrying the wish granting noise, a different noise coming from the computers in the library as they were altered and Sandi ordering books via voice... She came to the conclusion that Jean was a genie (though she still didn’t know her name).

  Meanwhile at the front of the school, Stacy Rowe and Tiffany Blum-Deckler had arrived. “Whe-ere’s Sand-di?” Tiffany asked after a minute of looking for her.

 “I don’t know,” Stacy said. ‘Maybe she is late,’ she thought. Tiffany reached into her handbag and took out her cell phone.

 “Tooo bad Sand-di doesn’t ha-ave her own Ce-ell Pho-one,” Tiffany said.

 “You could try her house,” Stacy said.

 “Oh Yeaaah,” Tiffany said, as she dialled the Griffin’s home phone number.

 “Hello; you have reached the Griffin’s Residence, we are not at home now. Would you please leave a message,” came the recording of Linda’s voice from the Griffin’s answering machine.

 Stacy looked at Tiffany. “We will wait for Quinn. She will know what to do,” she said.

 “Oh Yeaaah,” Tiffany said. She placed her cell phone back into her handbag and took out a mirror. Stacy sighed.

  Back in the library Sandi was talking to Elias Howarth, whom she had dated a couple of times.

“...Like, I am looking for a book for class. Mr DeMartino gave me a C on my last test. My Mom insists that I keep a B average,” Sandi said after Elias had asked why Sandi was in the library. ‘And most of it is true,’ Sandi mused. Linda did insist that she had moderately good grades and Mr DeMartino had given her a C on her last test.

 “That is fine, Sandi. It’s not like you’re a brain, like a certain Junior I have often run into,” Elias said.

 ‘While dating Quinn no doubt,’ Sandi thought.

 “Anyway, who is this new friend?” Elias asked.

 “Hi Elias. I am Jean Jenner. I am on exchange from Britain, staying with the Griffins. It seems that I have picked up the American accent well.”

 “Interesting. If you are available at Recess I would like to find out more,” Elias said.

 “Sure,” Jean said. Elias said goodbye to Sandi and left.

 “He is a little geeky, but, like, his cuteness makes up for that geekiness,” Sandi said. She then found the first of the books that she was looking for. She grabbed it from the bookshelf...

  Meanwhile Quinn Morgendorffer had arrived at school. She had walked up to Stacy and Tiffany and asked; “Where’s Sandi?”

 “We-e Dooon’t knooow,” Tiffany said.

 “I thought that maybe you would know,” Stacy said. Quinn thought for a few seconds.

 “Something may have come up. I am sure that we’ll see in her in class,” she said.

 “Oh Yeaaah.”

 “That is a good idea, Quinn,” Stacy said. The three friends then went into the school.

  Michaela had gone to the CD-ROM reference computer and had started to use the voice recognition software. Elias noticed her and went over to her. He was quite sure that even if voice recognition software existed that the school wouldn’t be able to afford it. “Since when do we have computers with voice recognition software?” he asked, the curiosity showing in his voice.

 “I am as confused as you are,” Michaela said.

 “Really?” Elias asked, surprised that the librarian would admit that.

 “You have met Sandi’s new friend?” Michaela asked. Elias nodded in the affirmative and she continued, “She could be some kind of genie. I think I heard Sandi wish for the computers to change.” She also explained Jean’s body language and the strange sounds.

 “That is only a possibility. There could be others,” Elias said. He was uncertain. A genie could explain at lot of things. “I will investigate Jean, that is the name that she gave me, and I’ll get back to you,” he continued.

 “That would be a good idea,” Michaela said. Elias went over to the Cataloguing computers.

  Ted Dewitt-Clinton was already at the cataloguing computers, looking something up. Elias could see that Sandi and Jean were out of sight, somewhere in a distant corner of the library. He decided to tell Ted the librarian’s suspicions.

 “Ted? Have you seen Sandi Griffin this morning?” he asked.

 “Why do you ask?” Ted asked, curiously.

 “She had this person with her. It wasn’t one of her usual Fashion Club friends,” Elias said.

 “Yes. I did see her and someone else enter the library earlier,” Ted said.

 “Anyway, Ted, Mrs Daniels thinks that that person is a genie,” Elias said, hoping that Ted did know what a genie was.

 “You mean a genie like one in the old Arabian tales, or like the more recent Disneyfied versions? Why would she think that?” Ted mused.

 “The computers in the library can suddenly respond to voice commands,” Elias said to Ted. Then to the computer “Computer: List all works by JRR Tolkien.”

 Ted gave Elias a dubious look as he gave his answer but then he looked at the screen.

 AUTHOR SEARCH: JRR Tolkien

 Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring TOLK 5 copies

 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers TOLK 5 copies

 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King TOLK 5 copies

 Lord of the Rings: Omnibus Edition TOLK 4 copies

 The Hobbit TOLK 6 copies

 The Silmarillion TOLK 2 copies

 The Unfinished Tales TOLK 1 copy

 “Amazing!” Ted said, more at the computer having voice recognition software, rather than the school having multiple copies of most of the Middle Earth Legendarium, although he appreciated the latter too.

 “See?” Elias asked. He already knew that the library had multiple copies of LOTR.

 “Ok. Possibly, I will look into it,” Ted said, thinking that there could be other reasons why the computers suddenly had voice recognition software.

 “Cool. I will do so as well, but we have to be discrete about it,” Elias said.

 “No problem there,” Ted said. Then the bell rang. They quickly left the library, not knowing that Sandi had heard most of their conversation.

 “Gee, Jean, I hope that they will not, like, confirm their suspicions,” she said.

 “You could have made a subtler wish,” Jean said. Sandi placed the book she had been reading down next to the cataloguing computer, glancing at the Tolkien list.

 “Maybe, but now I have lost track of time. Quinn could be turning Stacy and Tiffany against me,” Sandi said.

 “In fifteen minutes?” Jean asked as they left the library.

 “You don’t know Quinn! Let’s go to homeroom. You did put yourself into my homeroom didn’t you?” Sandi asked.

 “Yes, of course I did,” Jean said. They went towards the building in which their homeroom was...