#theyre my faves- with the 'babies' (orome nessa tulkas and vana) at a close second and thats only bc of my headcanons for them

[an-eldritch-peredhel]

The Feanturi's Forms

I've always assumed that the Valar had several forms that they can change between, so for instance they've got their "divine" form (eldritch abomination), their "not-a-form" form where they're just energy, their safe for incarnates form, and their "stuff" forms, which are things like trees for Yavanna, saltwater springs for Ulmo, etc.

But I had a thought, recently (with the help of a post I lost, the gist was elves were definitely dying before Orome found them, so why doesn't Namo show up to Mahanaxar like "Yup, elves woke up, they're dying, someone should go get em"? Answer: he absolutely tried to but got cut off and was salty enough that he didn't bring it up again)

Assuming that, then Namo knew what elves looked like before everyone else. And being Lord of the dead he probably has a lot more experience with incarnates than the other Valar. Not everyone went to Valinor! And once humans wake up that's death on a daily basis.

Presumably Vaire also knew, given that she's weaving history and the elves awakening is y'know, a historical event. Even if she didn't, Namo would've told his wife. And his siblings as well, who also have "interact with incarnates" as their job description in some form or another (and Este, who Irmo would've told if Namo didn't)

Where am I going with this? tl;dr: the goth doctors' club members (feanturi+spouses) are the most "normal" looking valar. They've had a) the most time to get used to it, b) the most reason to really try, and c) the most references on how to not sit firmly in the uncanny valley.

So yes, sometimes they look like impossible, twisted, holy things. Sometimes Irmo is a kaleidoscope of colors with no ears filtered through the lovechild of impressionism and cubism, and Este is the shivery silver of a scar with needle-thin fingers that smell like alcohol, and Nienna is a hundred-thousand sobbing eyes with no mouth but wailing anyway, and Vaire is all spidery limbs spinning and measuring and cutting to weave history together, and Namo is what could generously be called a skeleton with no eyes in its grinning gaping sockets, but mostly they are not.

Mostly, Irmo is soft and smiling, with his sleeves rolled up for gardening and his hair more flyaways than braid, and you can ignore that he can't always hear or understand you, that you have to speak clearly to catch his attention from wherever it wanders. (nowhere that you've seen- or at least nowhere you remember)

Mostly, Este is kind but stern and infinitely practical, her hands a little dry and cold from washing them so often, and you can ignore when her handwriting slips from bad but normal to incomprehensible symbols that catch the light wrong, that her hands go a little too steady as she stitches a wound.

Mostly, Nienna is tired but never hopeless, her eyes are always red and puffy and her clothes are always soft and warm and her arms are always ready to catch you in the best hug you've ever had, and you can ignore that she can't always find words to say besides "I'm so sorry", that you have to strain to hear her multitude of whispered reassurances. (though you never understand them after the moment has passed)

Mostly, Vaire is passionate and focused, her hair in tiny woven braids that fall in her face if they aren't tied back, and you can ignore how her hands never stop moving as if she's embroidering the air, that she knows things from your past she hasn't been told.

Mostly, Namo is grim and patient, he is never seen in anything less than pristine clothes and though he never seems to smile his eyebrows jump on the rare occasion that he is amused, and you can ignore that he can never quite look at your face, that you have to exaggerate your movements for him to pick up on anything besides the presence of your soul. (you can feel it when he senses you, and when he passes you by- he's Death, after all)

Death, History, Empathy, Healing, and Dreams. Past, Present, and Future. Of course they look like the Children of Illuvatar, of course they look like they belong in this world. Where would we be without them? Where would they be without us?