#this could only happen to a feanorian

[matt-murdick]

Silvergifting Corpse Bride AU: people are telling Celebrimbor that now he's solved the "inevitable fading problem" he should settle down and get married but he just wants to be left alone. at some point he gets so frustrated that he goes out riding and starts ranting to his horse. he exaggeratedly proposes to what he thinks is a broken off branch, making sure to emphasise that he is the Scion of Feanor, the last son of a house of kinslayers and war criminals and oh please won't you do the honour of being wed to me until the universe ends and my spirit is at last extinguished... and then he slides one of his rings onto this branch, and it starts wiggling. Tyelpe screams and rides home with haste.

And you guys know what I'm thinking. Obviously, it's Sauron's hand, and this time it wasn't cut off by Isildur, let's say it was a wound in the war and he never went back and picked up his hand. It's still alive because the one ring doesn't exist, he's a Maia and they have incarnate fuckery that we can use here.

So Tyelpe has tried his best to forget about that weird thing that happened in the woods when Annatar rocks up, wearing Tyelpe's ring and saying that he's here to see his husband because they're tied together until 'the universe ends and his spirit is extinguished.'

Annatar settles himself in as the Consort to the Lord of Eregion and he enjoys it. Celebrimbor is both startled and fascinated by this so he's just letting it happen with minor fussing (rarely directed at Annatar). Gil-Galad is suspicious, Elrond is very suspicious, Galadriel is hostile, and Círdan thinks it's funny because the Maia clearly wants to be courted and Celebrimbor is giving him nothing except brainstorming sessions and everyone can see that even that is kind of working.

For Mairon, this happens after Morgoth's defeat and he's stuck because he really doesn't want to go back to Valinor and grovel, no one wants Sauron around, and Mairon doesnt want to live like a nobody -- so when he realises this idiot proposing to his detatched hand is an Elven Lord and a renowned smith, he's down for it.

And yeah, Mairon is kind of offended that Celebrimbor isn't trying to court him properly. But Tyelpe is cutest in his forge.

[thesummerestsolstice]

Notes on the Care and Keeping of the Peredhel, by Maglor Feanorian:

Need to eat three times a day, more if they can be persuaded (they do not seem to have the refined palettes elves do, and do not like my attempts at Valinorean fine dining)

They are very fond of maple syrup

One of the human healers told me they were "growing boys," unsure of the significance of this– a reference to their shapeshifting abilities, perhaps?

It does not appear that they will reach a full elvish height, though that may change

They can hear high tones that elves can, but humans can't

This bodes very well for their education in music theory

They do not appear to have the venom that some humans do, as evidenced by the fact that both Mae and I have been bitten several times with no ill effect

Still, I am thankful that Finrod warned me of this human feature, as it has served me well in many battles

They have not bitten anyone in months, which I appreciate, especially given how sharp their teeth are

Boys said that they could talk to shadows– unsure whether or not they were just attempting to scare me (ask later? Bribe with maple syrup??)

They like having their hair brushed, but do not like any of the scented hair oils we have at the fortress

They refuse to eat bird meat; unsure of why but I won't push

Elros prefers wooden toys, Elrond fabric ones, and neither of them is fond of metal

They grow faster than elves, but are still too young to begin intensive battle training, Maedhros

They are very sensitive to the cold, ensure that they have ample blankets and cloaks, especially in winter

Feel much better after spending time with them– those who spent time around Luthien reported similar effects

They appear to appreciate being pat on the head

Based on information by uncle Arfin (regarding Eonwe), this is common amongst Maiar

I've only had them two years, an incredibly small time in the face of the centuries I've lived, but if anything happened to them I would kill everyone in this fortress and then myself

[storkofyore]

Despite their tumultuous beginning, Elrond and Elros both knew that Maglor and Maedhros were not ones to be easily made angry. Annoyed? Sure. Irritated? Of course. But truly angry? It was a rare sight, even the twins knew.

But what Maglor knew was that ever since he had returned, Maedhros had been more ill tempered than was usual. His gentle, charming smile and kind, twinkling eyes were no longer what met the younger Feanorian when he gazed upon his elder brother’s face. What greeted him instead was a stoic,neutral expression, firm and austere in nature, with stern, cold eyes. Maglor trembled beneath them more than once, and shuddered at even the thought of them, only because of what he once knew. But despite his thinning patience and fraying psyche, Maedhros had never snapped at the twins beyond a mere chide or quick terror inducing glare when they were getting out of hand.

He had not once truly lost his temper with them.

Until that one night.

Maglor and the twins had been playing by the fire, and the twins had been getting rather rowdy as Maedhros made an attempt to ignore them and focus on his work. Anything to keep him from losing it. But then one of the twins accidentally knocked something fragile to the floor, and it shattered. Maglor made a quick move to clear the pieces so that the twins would not injure themselves, pinching their cheeks with a smile and a kindhearted “it’s alright, don’t fret yourselves over it. Neither of you are hurt and that is what is important. Do try to be careful next time.” And they were. But their voices grew louder. Elrond accidentally stepped on Elros’ foot, who in typical sibling fashion, pushed him with an angry comment. The moment they heard a loud bang from behind, and a booming voice, all of their blood ran cold as even Maglor turned in surprise.

“That is enough! From all of you!” Maedhros scolded, still working hand clutching a dagger in his fist that had been plunged into the table. Maglor gasped, before glaring back at his brother.

“That is mahogany!” He exclaimed.

“Would you rather it be you?! Or one of those.. those.. those vermin that you brought here?!” Maglor’s very heart trembled at his brother’s words, and the venom with which they were said, but he stood his ground and moved to shield the twins from his brother’s rage.

“Maedhros, you don’t mean that.” The darkness that shrouded Maedhros’ gaze said otherwise. Silently, the twins shuffled off and out of the room.

***

Terror. Unbridled terror. Maglor was asleep, of course he was asleep. Why wouldn’t he be asleep when he needed to be awake.

Maedhros shoved the thoughts into the back of his mind. He would deal with them later. He could feel his heart ramming against his ribcage in his ears as he frantically searched the keep for Elrond and Elros, turning over pillows and blankets, throwing open doors, checking in cabinets and below furniture. His heart dropped when he failed to find them. It was happening again. He frantically threw his cloak over his shoulders and grabbed his lantern. Against his better judgement, he grabbed his sword. The twins would be terrified of him if he found them, but if they were in danger he needed to be prepared. Without a glance back, he stepped out into the frigid night.

Frantically, in a panic and urgency he had not felt in millennia, he made his way through the thick of the winter, pushing branches, brambles and thickets out of his path as he called their names into the dark. He glanced in every direction, frantically, but there was no sign of the twins. Defeat cloaked around him like a blanket of stone, and he sank to the floor of the forest, his head in his hands as his breath seemed to be stolen in panic, the tears freezing instantly on his reddened cheeks. He had failed, again. He could hear the voices taunting him.

Somewhere, through the night, he heard a rustle. Looking up in a final attempt for hope, he stood to his feet and grabbed the lantern, following the sound with swift steps, tripping over a tree root in his haste.

The moment his eyes caught fearful eyes behind dark locks, powdered with snow, he felt his heart would stop beating. Slipping on the frozen earth, coated with a thin layer of ice, he threw down the lantern and his sword as he collapsed in front of the twins. They froze, and glanced back at him unblinkingly, as he stared with eyes overflowing with tears, hand gently resting against their cheeks. Before any of them had time to think, he was firmly pulling them to his chest in a tight hug, before throwing his cloak over them.

By the time they returned to the keep, Maglor greeted them at the door in a panic, scooping the twins into his arms like a mother hen as Maedhros refused to meet his gaze, standing afar off to the distance, wiping his cheek on his sleeve. Without a word, he pushed past Maglor and disappeared into the hall.

***

It was late, Elrond and Elros were getting tired, and they were still shivering from the cold. Silently, they sat at a table, yawning from time to time as Maedhros silently stood over a pot, stirring it and observing it with unbreakable focus. Without a word, he grabbed two bowls, scooping a hefty serving of soup into both before setting them in front of the twins.

“Eat. It will help to warm you.” He said, coolly. There was no anger in his voice, only heavy guilt and remorse that he hid rather poorly. The twins glanced at him, before watching as he walked off to another room for a moment. With a shrug, they ate. They knew it was an apology, and a way to make things right, as simple as it was. Elrond smiled faintly.

It was a hearty soup.

[thelien-art]

Fëanáro, Nerdanel & Telperinquar

Latest portraits

Sons of Fëanáro - Children of Ñolofinwë - Ñolofinwë, Anairë & Grandchildren - Children of Arafinwë - Arafinwë, Eärwen, & Grandchildren - Finwë, Míriel, Indis & Findis, Írimë

HC:

Feanor: Feanor dresses in pale colors like Miriel. I like to think Miriel dresses in light colors, not necessarily white. I don´t think he adorns himself with a lot of jewelry, just enough for him to be stylish, but not more, as he cares more about making things for those he cares for than himself, and if it is for himself, he would rather focus on something more practical, like lamps and machines.

Nerdanel: I have a surprising lot of thoughts about Nerdanel, one of them being that she´s a very loud Feanorian stan, although there´s a lot she thinks is plainly stupid she still supports her husband(ex??) and most of his ideals fierily. I think she dresses much more plainly than other Noldor, but will not necessarily turn down the option to adorn herself in jewelry. While I think she eagerly awaited her crowning, I don´t think it ever came, and she therefore never really had the possibility to wear a crown (not circlet she could still wear circles) as Finarfin was crowned when his brothers left. I don´t think that married in, in the Noldor royal house, could wear crowns before they themself was crowned kings/queen, even if it was just over a smaller piece of land. This left her to never wear a circlet as she was waiting to be crowned queen which never happened, meaning she never wore something on her head. She still wore royal braids and such, as that was accepted. All this leads her to be called Ríantaú by those who are against Feanor**. * She ends up going to Formenos and taking in all the Feanorian loyalties over the ages, becoming a queen at the end although never crowned, and known as a bitter woman because of her sons' departure.

Celebrimbor: I don´t read Celebrimbor as a naive person, rather I read him as someone who bears a lot of guilt, and in some cases let it control him, even if he was not the one at fault, this makes it easier for him to welcome everyone when the second age begins, after all evil was destroyed right? That was what the Valar said, and it does harm to everyone to throw someone out in the wilderness. I do believe he was aware that Annatar was a Maia of Morgoth, I also believe that while he didn´t think Annatar was all good, he believed in himself that he could make Annatar a better person. When Celebrimbor is reborn he ends up seeking out Nerdnal, who welcomes him in her city with open arms where he stays most of his time. On jewelry, I was helped by a lot of people (@lulukeskywalker pointed out that Eregion was named after the hollie trees it´s said to have) with the holly HC some might have heard about him, and it comes from that Eregion had a lot of hollie trees, which is a very sweet note professor, thank you for that, so I, of course, had to give him some holly themed jewelry. On a last note of jewelry, I tried to give him something between art nouveau and brutalism, to give him his own style. - note Celebrimbor follows second age fashion, therefor having his braids at the back instead of both at the front and back. - note Celebrimbor´s circlet is very intentionally inspired by Maglor´s.

Other HC:

I like to think that both Thingol and Finwe ruled their land as Empires, meaning that there were smaller kings and queens under their rule, while the rest, like Owlë and Ingwë ruled as only kings. I think it makes most sense with Thingol but I also like it with Finwe as his family was so big so it would make sense. - examples would be the roman empire and Scandinavia around year 0 to year 500 where the really where no kingdoms as we see them today but many small kings and later one king over the small kings. *

**Ríanta = To crown/Coronate: Quenya - Ú = Without/Destitute of: Quenya - Ríantaú = Without crown/Crownless: Quenya

Grey, mostly a pale grey close to white, is the mourning color for the Eldar´s as it´s associated with Nienna.

[lamemaster]

The Monster Who Ate Words

Request: Hello (*^^*) Can i please request an Arranged Marriage AU story for Maedhors x Vanyar Reader? Let's say reader is a bit intimidated by Maedhors ( who has not shown much interest in her ). And Maedhors doesn't want to scare her so he keeps his distance.

Pairing: Maedhros x Reader

Genre: Arranged marriage au

Summary: Nelyafinwe was good. Good enough in your books. Good looking from the times you had met in childhood, a great politician if rumors from Tirion were to be believed, and tall enough to expect respectably tall elflings in the future. 

AN: Thanks for requesting! I hope you like this :3 I really enjoyed writing this. Unedited for now don't kill me pls I have 3 little fish to feed.

“He hasn’t bothered to show face even once!” You scowl adjusting the errant pendant. “So why should I be the one to write to him?” You turn to your father, who by now has folded into himself like a petulant sunflower at sunset. 

“He is a prince!” Your mother roars undeterred. “He probably does more than just writing children’s fables in his free time, daughter mine.” To this your father protests silently to your mother. Only to flail helplessly.

Such has been the case for your parents. Your father- the distressed damsel and your mother- a fire-breathing drake. 

And you were nothing if not her rage personified. Which was wildly out of place in most Vanya settings. Some astray friends of yours had even jested in passing about you taking after your father-in-law, Crown Prince Feanaro more than his eldest. 

An arranged marriage to Nelyafinwe hadn’t been the most unexpected. Born to Ingwe’s brother, you expected such. Given that you rarely held the passion and patience for sweet nothings for a romance of your choosing.

Nelyafinwe was good. Good enough in your books. Good looking from the times you had met in childhood, a great politician if rumors from Tirion were to be believed, and tall enough to expect respectably tall elflings in the future. 

Additionally, much to your ire and your friend group’s joy, if a certain Telerin minstrel was to be believed then, the son of Feanaro possessed worthy assets. A fact that you swore did not bother you to anyone who dared to bring up the topic. 

Your betrothal to him had been set up 2 loar ago. An agreement was established through embellished scrolls and a piece of jewel exchanged by each side. That jewel now the emerald that had been forged into the pendant that hung from your neck for the past 2 loar. 

Binding you to the Feanorian with the dignity less than that of a stabled mare. 

Love, you did not expect. But such coldness had hurt. Absence of even a single acknowledgement had hurt. This your mother knew well. Better than your soft-hearted father could ever understand. For even rocks nestled in the depths of Earth crack under the pressure of an unyielding hammer. 

“My letter or the absence of it will make little difference.” You whisper and what follows is your mother’s uncanny silence. 

You have written to him. For two loar, you have written. Every week at the beginning of your betrothal, letters about Vanyamar, about your favored writings, or scents and silks that you would like for your wedding. 

Those soon dwindled to monthly updates with perfunctory greetings and everyday happenings. Sometimes about stories that you wrote for the children in court. Or about elflings born to your siblings. 

No matter what you wrote, Nelyafinwe never once did reply. As if your letters by some sorcery never slipped past the borders of Vanyamar. 

The last one had been short. A last-ditch effort on your end. A simple request. To meet at the Feast of Trees. That is all you had wanted of your betrothed. And he had failed. 

Out of all of Finwe’s line, Nelyafinwe had been the one to not show his face. A fact that you bitterly swallowed with a forced smile and cheerfully chatted with your future in-laws.

At least Nerdanel and Feanaro seemed to possess basic decency of character to bear the Vanya thrust their way.

Nelyafinwe despised it. The lingering scent of a promise that his betrothal held. Unfailingly binding compromise. 

A business matter to be ended over correspondence. He hadn’t given it much thought. His resentment did not allow it. 

The piece of amethyst that arrived with the letter had been handed off to Curvo and his father, who within a week produced a hairpin that ended up somewhere in the mess of Nelyafinwe’s room or the drawers of his study on most days. Gathering dust away from his gaze. Next to the letters. 

He had desired a choice. Unlike the horde of brothers and cousins that fate had thrusted into his life, Nelyafinwe had desired love.

But that too had been stripped away from his hands when his grandfather in a matter of a single day roped his father, who on most days detested Vanyar to arrange a wedding with one for his eldest son. 

It started as a silent protest that soon became a habit. The letters from Vanyamar were thrusted into the farthest drawer where the light of the trees barely ever lingered. 

Why could you not understand his signs? Was it not clear that he did not desire such a connection? He did not want your words or get to know you. He did not want it because depriving himself was the only way of showing his father what this had done to him. 

For once, he did not wish to be agreeable, gentle Nelyo everyone had made him into. This was his rebellion.

Some part of him had protested such cruelty towards you. What fault was it yours that elders desired a marriage of convenience? How fair was it for you to be the scapegoat of his ire? But those voices remained quiet.

So it came as a surprise when one day, your words found him despite all he tried to run away from them. 

Crouching next to Ambarussar, who sat surrounded by the hurricane of their mess of toys and all the possible possessions, Nelyafinwe saw tiny books. Handwritten illustrated books that the twins read aloud as Kano snored next to them, sprawled on a chaise. 

“What are you reading?” Maitimo sat next to them, only for the twins to ignore their usual protocol of climbing all over him. Amras sighed, barely glancing up at his elder brother “The Monster Who Ate Words.” He replied, his eyes glued to the book.

The pages of the book, inked it a clean hand, next to the drawing of a long red serpent with blazing eyes caught Maedhros’s interest. “Sister-in-law wrote these,” Amrod looked up at Nelyo, thrusting the book in his hands. “She designed the serpent after you!” The twins giggled now sharing a book as Maitimo flipped through the pages.

A childish tale indeed. The story went- on a long lonely island lived a raging serpent with red mane and glimmering silver eyes. The serpent terrorized the island with his loud roars and ability to devour words. This left the world empty and elflings bereft of any tales or lullabies. 

The ridiculous tale further developed into a group of outcast elflings gathering the words hidden in their textbooks to fight the serpent that detested sums and numbers. 

Nelyafinwe scoffed finishing the book. He was perfectly capable of summing, and no, he did not hate numbers or mathematical calculations. 

It took a moment for him to spot the empty room. Ambarussar had fled to Eru knows where and Kano had left the room unnoticed by Nelyafinwe. Rays of Laurelin had dimmed casting a mellow light in the room. 

Suddenly Maitimo wanted to go far away from the cluttered room. He wished to get on his mare and wander until his mind calmed down. Until his heart rate evened out. He despised this restlessness. 

For his heart could not remember the last time he had held your letter. The last time he had the chance to thrust it into the drawer. He could not remember. 

He had failed to notice it. This settled like dread in his gut. That something had changed. Somehow, from a stranger he had become the monster in your stories. 

Nelyafinwe does not run away. He knows he cannot do that, no matter how much his heart craves for freedom from such obligations. He is the eldest-born Feanorian. Named after the high king of Noldor. 

So seated in the silent dark of his study he opens the drawer full of the same writing as his brother's books.

Picking up the Amethyst hairpin heavy in his palm, he pulls his hair back and uses his betrothal gift after 2 loar. It holds his hair with the comfort he is familiar with. His father’s work never fail their purpose. But this one in specific is achingly familiar as it settles into his hair. 

With a distant curiosity, he wonders what gem of his claim rests on your being. He cannot remember the conversations 2 loar ago. He had merely agreed to the first suggestion by Indis and his mother. 

One by one he reads through your letters. Words leave him heavy with guilt. His throat- scratchy with the fullness of his heart and eyes. 

He is one wretched betrothed. Worthy of all the villainy in your books.

He reads from the first letters of ill concealed excitement of introductions. Of likes and dislikes, ideas of works in progress, to rare fleeting letters about weather and courtly affairs. 

In a matter of hours, he goes through the process of getting to know you and losing you. But he does not stop reading. He does not deserve the respite of that ignorance. 

And so he picks up the quill and begins his labor. For days he sits in his study replying to the letters. His likes, dislikes, hobbies, courtly affairs, and a short review of The Monster Who Ate Words. 

To quell the heartache of his own making. This in the least was of his own choice.

[the-writing-goblin]

I am once again thinking about how good the story of the second age is, and all the fun things you could do with an actually decent adaptation. Consider:

Galadriel should be exactly the same as she is in Lord of the Rings. She is older, weirder and more powerful than any elf other elf in Middle Earth. Other elves are just as unnerved by her as mortals, and dealing with her is stressful at the best of times.

Elrond should be an absolute infant. Just, complete baby face. But everyone treats him super respectfully and he has a lot of power and influence. The energy should be the same as when the super ancient and powerful vampire or faerie or whatever looks like a ten year old girl.

ALSO there should be a tall, menacing elf with visible tattoo and facial scars who just. Stands behind Elrond looking intimidating all the time. The least elf-looking elf ever. All the other elves are uncomfortable around them. Elrond should treat them like their an Aunt or Uncle. The elf is one of the few surviving hard-line Feanorians, all of whom follow Elrond. The longer you can go without explaining this, the better.

Gil-Galad is very tired, and spends a lot of time balancing one of the most famously unstable political systems in all of Arda. Galadriel and Elrond both have factions they support to strongly to be relied on to be impartial. The reason he doesn't worry much about what Celebrimbor's up to is that he's the one member of the family who is highly unlikely to attempt something batshit nuts, and his followers are mostly moderate.

Celebrimbor and Annatar/Sauron should spend the whole series playing complicated mindgames with each other.

Annatar is playing four-dimensional chess from the beginning. For him, this is an all or nothing gamble. If he can't make the rings he won't have the power to seize control on his own. He should spend a lot of time having Light Yagami-level monologues where he tries to figure out what game Celebrimbor is playing while outwardly pretending to be harmless and normal and only succeeding at this about 75% of the time.

Celebrimbor should start of thinking the stakes are considerably lower. Like... is Annatar hiding something? Yea, but he figures Annatar doesn't actually have permission from the Valar to be here or something. Not, ya know, Annatar is secretly Satan in disguise. In the first act there should be an almost comical disconnect between the amount of energy Sauron is putting in to these mind games versus Celebrimbor.

Bonus points if as Celebrimbor figures out the truth, you intersperse more and more of his family backstory. The guilt he is still carrying for a lot the things that happened in the first age. Early on bring in the fact that Finrod went into Sauron's jaws alone and it was Curufin's fault, use this as angst material. And then as he figures out who Sauron really is, drop Maedhros and Thangorodrim in like a nuclear bomb.

Because Celebrimbor has seen this play before, and he knows what Sauron does to people. It wasn't even personal then, what Sauron is going to do to him will be so much worse.

And Celebrimbor chooses to forge the three rings anyway. He doesn't give up their locations, even with everything Sauron does to him at the end. And that should be devestating.

[starsofarda]

So... Gossip Elves yeah? @erendur @peasant-player thank you for giving me so much rope for my ficlets!

Lately I have been thinking a lot about Elrond and Celebrian, and how much awkwardness there must have been between them, Galadriel and Celeborn!

So. Let me offer this one. Also, all I have in mind is "Sk8er boy" by Avril Lavigne, sorry not sorry.

Sooner than Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel expected, Celebrian, beloved daughter, became of courting age. The two parents could not be more proud and yet worried.

Celebrian, her long silver hair and her uncomparable beauty second only to Galadriel's, was their pride and their joy and they were hoping that she would choose a proper suitor amongst the Elves inn the court at Caras Galathon.

Of course any parent would love for their child to find happiness, but perhaps what happened next was utterly unexpected.

At the court there was Elrond Peredhel, Herald of the High King Gil-Galad, on a diplomatic mission - a feral half-Elf who had quite the illustrious ancestry, but somehow he reminded the whole court, many of whom still remembered Doriath, of things that were now unspoken.

Maybe it was the way he carried himself, or the thick accent he was speaking Sindarin with,or something else that no one really could pinpoint for certain.

And the moment Celebrian, on a walk around the court with her attendants saw Elrond - the sunlight among the leaves reflecting on his face and the pitch dark hair and his smile - the moment she laid eyes on Elrond time seemed to stop for a moment.

And in that moment Elrond turned around and saw her, her silver hair, her beautiful figure standing still in the light shade, her rosy cheeks and eyes like stars stolen from the sky itself.

And his words failed and he could not speak, and time stopped as he forgot how to breathe and stumbled lightly.

Time started again as they both were pulled away in opposite directions, but they had met and there would be no force on the entire Arda able to keep them apart.

---

"And he said nothing?"

"Nothing, I swear! I was there with Lady Celebrian and they were both silent until both of them were suddenly called back to their duties!"

So the maidservants were talking to each other in hushed voices and quick gestures - a good gossip could never be denied, especially in a kingdom quite secluded from the ouside world.

"And whomst might you be speaking of, instead of attending to your duties?" A calm and yet authoritative voice came from behind. Lady Galadriel herself had slowly stepped in the small area where the housemaids were gathered.

"Please, forgive us, Lady Galadriel! We are going back!"

"Answer my question first."

"We... We were talking about the High King's herald! We are sorry!"

Galadriel sighed. She had not properly looked at the High King's herald, he had so far been one of the many faces crowding the halls in Caras Galathon.

Of course she knew that her daughter had fallen in love by then, of course she was hellbent on discovering the Elf she chose and she hoped that as herald of the High King this Elrond would be apt.

Oh, her famous last words.

On the next meeting Galadriel properly looked at him. And she nearly jumped out of her seat.

Was that a Noldorian battle braid that Elrond was sporting? She had seen that specific braid and that was Maedhros Feanorian's trademark braid.

Did she spot a Feanorian star on his clothes?

Oh no, oh no.

And he did speak Sindarin, but was that Quenya she was catching underneath it all?

She gave her husband Celeborn a weary look.

Not long after, she had gathered enough information, not because of any chronicle, but because the gossips ran deep and ran wild.

Gil-Galad's herald was Elrond Peredhel, son of Earendil and Elwing, descended from both Elu Thingol and Luthien and Figolfin.

And also somehow both kidnapped, adopted and raised by Maedhros and Maglor sons of Feanor.

That explained a lot of things.

Elrond represented every single nightmare that Galadriel and Celeborn had had. It had to be a hard no.

And yet.

And yet she was seeing how her daughter was so distraught and it brought back memories of her first encounter with Celeborn - she knew love.

And she was also seeing how Elrond was constantly keeping his distance, respectfully, as if he was scared of something.

That was painful to watch and even though Galadriel was tough, she was not cold-hearted. Maybe she could look past all that nightmarish stuff.

No, she wouldn't. She would sit down her daughter and have a talk. There were countless and better Elves for her daughter, for sure.

She would not allow her daughter to be anywhere close a Feanorian-adjacent Elf.

She was stopped mid-way by her husband Celeborn - bless his kind heart. "The boy can't help his heritage. He has not committed sins. Please, my beloved, do not pull a Thingol and Beren issue. You know how it ended."

"You may be right, my beloved husband. And yet I worry."

"Should there be a dire time, we will be there for our daughter."

She sat on a nearby bench, still frowning. "Bless your kind and forgiving heart. Fine. I will concede this."

---

It would only be way later, when Celebrian fell in the hands of the Orcs, that Galadriel fully accepted Elrond, the Elf willing to bring down an entire army to bring back the most precious of all things in Arda back to him and to her parents, strong enough to heal her, and strong enough to let her go when all else failed.

Then Galadriel knew that Celebrian had chosen the right one and all lingering animosity disappeared, leaving space for respect and friendliness.

[maenefa]

I’ve never been completely satisfied with the Silmarils as a plot device. If Sauron gets the one ring, the world will end, but what will happen if the Sons of Feanor reclaim the Silmarils? Not much.

It’s easy to frame the whole saga as a pointless struggle over “shiny rocks.”

It’s unclear what the Silmarils do. Secondhand Silmaril light is powerful enough to hold Shelob at bay, the jewels burn evil people/creatures, and the people of Sirion believe they have magical protective powers. However, Beren isn’t healed from his mortal wounds when he holds a Silmaril, and their evil-repelling properties don’t stop Morgoth from wearing them in his crown.

I do think it’s legitimate to ask why Dior/Elwing didn’t give up the Silmaril. Yes, the Feanorians don’t really deserve it after all their evil deeds, but handing it over would bring peace between the elves. It’s frustrating to see Doriath and Sirion fall because their rulers didn’t want to let go of the shiny.

The only way I can wrap my head around the Silmarils is to treat them as religious relics.

The light of the Trees is not just a “public good,”but something sacred. Yavanna created the light, and Varda hallowed the Silmarils so no unclean hands could touch them.

When I think about Elwing clutching the Silmaril and jumping into the sea, my terminal Catholic brain rot connects her with St. Tarcisius, an ancient Roman martyr who died rather than hand over the Eucharist. He is only known from this 4th century Latin poem:

When an insane gang pressed saintly Tarcisius, who was carrying the sacraments of Christ, to display them to the profane, he preferred to be killed and give up his life rather than betray to rabid dogs the heavenly body.

You can bet your ass that Tolkien the Literal Altar Boy knew this story, which was popular in Victorian Catholicism (it certainly burned itself into my 7 year-old brain).

Giving the Silmarils to the Feanorians would have been a kind of sacrilege. We know that because the Silmarils burn Maedhros and Maglor, and the horror of realizing their unworthiness is so great that Maedhros kills himself and Maglor wanders by the sea grieving forever.

For me, the story of the Silmarils and the Oath is about the tragedy of doing evil in the name of religion, or simply forgetting the point of it all:

For Feanor began to love the Silmarils with a greedy love, and grudged the sight of them to all save to his father and his seven sons; he seldom remembered now that the light within them was not his own. (Silm. pg. 59)

I find more emotional depth in this interpretation than reducing it all to a blood feud over jewelry.

[antlered-vixen]

Reading your thoughts on The Valar makes me want to poke the hornets nest, what are your thoughts on the whole Finwe & Indis situation? It's such a dividing topic I've seen friendships end because of it

I am not going to dive deeply into the drama aspect of things, but I will say this; it's exhausting to watch fandom in general revel in collapsing nuance and complexity into bipartisan positions. The Silm fandom doesn't do it nearly as viciously as others, but it does shine horribly when it comes to the "Feanorians versus Doriathrim" matter, or around Indis. I love Tolkien lore, and I like to explore the complexities and issues of all characters. I am interested in neither villifications, nor hagiographies. I do not think the solution to hostile, poisonous misogyny is a sort of benign, chivalric misogyny that thinks all the m'ladies are flawless wise angels sitting at home sagely rolling their eyes at their problematic husbands who get to be characters. Indis is a complicated matter. Her father (or brother, depending on the version) proclaims himself King of All Elves even though he has absolutely no involvement with a very significant portion of them nor cares what happens to his brethren in Middle Earth, and his people are the "favourite" of Manwe (who, as King of Arda and Eru's mouthpiece, should probably not openly have favourites?) Imin, the founder of the Minyar/Vanyar, basically... invented authority, and given his birth order demanded "first pick" of who would be his chosen people, and also pretty much invented women belonging to their husbands. She comes, therefore, from a background of power, and relatively entitled power at that. She also does call her sons "High Chief" and "The Noldo". So shoot me, but I like to imagine her as ambitious (complimentary), and I do not think that means she did not love Finwe, or that she was some horrific trope of an evil stepmother. Female characters are allowed to be nuanced. And I like to imagine Fingolfin's textual ambition (which I love him for - you all must know by now he is very blorbo to me) as in part, at first, propelled by her. (Though no, the thorn thing in Miriel's name is not her initiave on any level, the Vanyar still use the thorn, actually. She merely bends to Noldorin Court fad, which... well, she would, she is an outsider Queen and wants to fit in, as evidenced from Finarfin's mother name "The Noldo" - an anxiety around legitimacy/belonging.) Her comment, also, after their estrangement, that she loved Finwe but "not Feanor's father" is worthy of significant attention. At the time, the social/psychological technology that now permits facile hindsight and saying "hah, you can't expect to marry a single father and for the husband to be a wholly separate man from the father! He will prioritize his child, of course!" did not exist, nor did any relevant experience among elves, so I don't think it's fair to accuse her of anything. But it is fair to say that kind of viewpoint was doomed to clash with Finwe's own. Furthermore, as much as I can enjoy a cutesy throuple headcanon, I struggle to buy that she, Miriel and Finwe could have happily all held hands together if not for those meddlesome Valar, because in the context of the general patriarchy and feudalism of the Noldor it feels way less like actual progressive polyamory and way more like a man and his Mormon sister-wives.

Lastly, Finwe did love her, and his heart did turn to her, but his argument to the Valar was callous; primarily a desire for other children. And especially comparing himself to other elven leaders, who did have more children. That alone speaks of a very conventionally patriarchal marriage, where, yes, love is there, but also it does not cease to be sociopolitical transaction - he gets her womb, she gets to marry someone of her station, the only one available that would keep her in the kind of position of power she was born into. Now, do I like Indis? Well, there is not enough in the Silm to form a full, canonical personality for her. She might be deeply likeable and sympathetic, she might be horrible - interpretation is open. But I have a fic about Indis and Turgon in the plans, so she definitely intrigues me enough to write about her, and I will write her sympathetically. PS. I do think that given that Mandos and Nienna, who know more about Incarnate souls than, I don't know, Yavanna, opined Miriel might have come back given time, there are actually some moral implications to the marriage of Finwe and Indis barring this from possibility, and it's not entirely incomprehensible that Feanor took it as badly as he did. As usual, it's complicated, and multiple characters can have valid but directly contradictory perspectives.

[victorie552]

I headcannon that after 3rd Kinslaying, and especially after Elrond and Elros left them in whatever fashion, Maedhros was a total dick to Maglor.

You know how sometimes old or sick people are nice to neighbours/nurses/strangers, but are horrible to their primal caretakers? That's them.

People aren't dicks to their caretakers just to be dicks - it's because they are often frustrated with themselves or their situation and don't know how else to deal with it or they can't deal with it the usual way. It also happens because, paradoxally, they feel safe around their caretakers - you can be a dick because you know they won't leave just because of that.

And boy, did Maglor cast himself in a role of caretaker (let's not kid ourselves, he wasn't qualified, and with his own problems to boot), and BOY, did Maedhros resent him for it. He did not NEED help, he did not DESERVE help, he's not another kidnapped child MAGLOR, I'M the older brother, I should take care of YOU YOU WRECK, WHY DO I ALWAYS HAVE TO BABYSIT YOU GROW UP ALREADY and leave me Nothing is EVER your fault, even when you left me to Angband as you should Why would you care now, it amounted to NOTHING before, it's WORTHLESS

And about half the time Maglor just takes it, actually likes it even. Mostly because of his guilt complex about how he deserves it, but also because Maedhros is only like this with him - he's trying his best to pretend to be fine and be a leader to few followers they have left, because they deserve better and that's the only thing he can give them now, and their brothers are all dead and would always be Too Little to act like that around them anyway. Maedhros would behave himself even around Fingon, to make him think rescuing him was worth something. So by being a dick to Maglor, Meadhros sees him as an equal, a safe haven. Maglor basks in that.

But obviously no one could just take such abuse like it's nothing, and Maglor is a Feanorian too, is prideful and stubborn, with his own laundry list of complains about Maedhros, and also unwell, and also thought of a new insult while lying awake at night and just wants to yell too. So half the time Maglor yells back and their yelling matches would bring orcs to tears, with hate and blame dripping from every word. I don't have enough imagination to picture it realistically, and actually I don't want to, it's too heartbreaking.

And sometimes, one or the other just starts crying. They don't talk about these times.

After some time, their arguments and insults are just a noise, something to repeat endlessly to the point of boredom.

By then, what actually hurts are the words that were not meant to harm.

Example 1:

Maedhros: 'did an all-night inspection of their stores cause he couldn't sleep' I found a herb you always liked to wash your hair with.

Maglor: 'doesn't remember last time he washed his hair, no less scented them'

Maglor: 'choked up' Appreciated.

Example 2:

Maedhros: 'feels like he's dragging Maglor to damnation with him' You could go with the twins, you know.

Maglor: 'doesn't want to upset Maedhros today so decides to pretend as if that was actually an option' Vanyar would probably like my singing but you know they would get mad at you for having better battle plans than them.

Maedhros: 'now KNOWS he's dragging Maglor to damnation with him'

Maedhros: 'dying inside' Of course they would.

When love hurts, it's easier to be a dick.

[thesummerestsolstice]

I have seen multiple Silm fics now where Elrond ends up taking in/becoming lord of the remaining Feanorians after M&M's deaths. I think this is a great idea for a few reasons:

All the remaining Feanorians are diehard followers who aren't fit for civil society and I think Elrond is the only one who can stop them from choosing violence

They're probably pretty fucked up and could use the attention of Middle Earth's best healer (physically and mentally)

If the Feanorians are busy making sure Elrond sleeps enough they'll have less time to scheme and do crime

Elrond has a highly-competent Feanorian bodyguard, Elrond spends most of his time with Gil-Galad, therefore, Gil-Galad effectively also now has a highly-competent Feanorian bodyguard, which is a good thing given what tends to happen to high-kings of the Noldor

Smiling sunshine Peredhel being followed by an escort of the scariest imaginable murder elves will never not be funny

That said, I feel like we don't talk enough about how absolutely insane that would be from an outside perspective. Like the twin sons of a Nolofinwean prince and a Sindarin princess show up in your camp having been stolen from their home and held hostage by Feanorians for deacdes. This is the first time they've been free since they were six years old. Even if the hostages thing wasn't really true after a while it's still absolutely what everyone else would assumed.

And then later the Feanorians show up looking pathetic after their last lords die. And all of a sudden one of their former hostages is volunteering to effectively put himself in their custody again. There was no way that did not set off every imaginable alarm bell for most of the people in Gil-Galad's camp. I'm pretty sure most of them assumed that Elrond had been brainwashed and was willingly becoming a Feanorian prisoner/hostage again (rumors not helped by him constantly being trailed by the scariest murder elves in existence). A few of the others probably thought Elrond was doing it as part of some long-haul revenge plot against them. You cannot tell me everyone was just okay with him doing that. That is a situation made entirely out of red flags.

[eri-pl]

I'm having thoughts again.

About how "Men have a strange virtue to shape their fate outside of the Music" and how this is what made it possible for them to do whatever-happenned-with-them-and-Morgoth, and the Elves don't and that's why they never did Morgoth worshipping, because they simply don't have the possibility in them (ok i was not thinking this earlier but it came to my keyboard and ...this sounds like a possible explanation?). and yet.

—and yet. Allegedly (as in: the whole fandom knows it's true) the Elves aren't going to have a worse overall ending than the Men. I mean, Finrod thinks so, so of course it would be true. Yes there is nuance here, but still I say it's not worse even if less glorious.

I am having feelings. Of the "but it is not fair!" kind. And--- yea. I know. I know. Also I am probably having too much feelings about the fandom again.

But anyway this is somewhat weird.

And also also, the elves being unable to fall badly enough (enough for what?) explains a lot.

They are able to make some bad decisions (see: Doom of the Noldor) and maybe even so much that it does interfere with the things mentioned in LaCE (see: Celegorm and/or Maeglin, depending how you read them), but.

But I really don't think the Oath of Feanor could work as intended, unless there was some explicit exception (as in: Fefe can do a thing in a Mannish way because he's so special; see: Lulu but she was the positive version). And it would definitely work (as in: things like that have worked, yes, i know not fully the same but similar enough for me) for Men.

And... hmmpf. Not fair. I mean, yes, but also the Elves are getting things both ways, that's how it feels— I'm not sure if I'm wrong in the logic of it, or just wrong in trying to apply too much scrutiny to Tolkien's worldbuilding — again — even though I know I cannot expect perfect coherence from a secondary world and Tolkien did better than any other writer anyway.

OK maybe the Elves do have the possibility, maybe they just didn't.

But there still is the thing about the oath of Feanor and can it work and why not. And also... I can see why Tolkien writes the oath as much less of a problem than whatever-Men-did, but to me it does feel similar… And I could argue with solid arguments that it's just one step below. So.

And I don't have a problem with Fefe being immortal; I'm not doing the Atanamir arguement here.

But the Men are much more problematic (in behaviors) than the Feanorians, even Celegorm, which clearly shows that yes, Men can mess themselves up much more (see: the initial quote).

Also I feel like the Men are inherently more interconnected than the Elves. I need to think more about it, because it gets strangely unpredictable on the edge, when Men connect to Elves and start meddling with their fates too (see: Beren, Tuor, but also the whole Athrabeth situation however much you want to read into it) and it's ... it seems like they can only meddle with them in positive ways. Often sad, but positive in the end. The Men cannot break the Elves (in the way the early Men broke themselves and the whole species), or at least their ability to interfere with the Elves in negative ways is much much lesser than in positive ways. (Elu Thingol would disagree but his opinion is invalid.)

And... well, that's great but kind of out-of-the-blue.

OK maybe not maybe this counts as foreshadowed, in the part of Ainulindale where Melkor gets told off and that he can't make something really actually problematic in the end.

Maybe that's a case of this.

Anyway, I need to think more about Elves:Men and the sibling dynamics. The Men are the younger sibling yes, but in a way they are both the bad younger sibling from some stories and the good younger sibling from fairy tales.

Maybe this whole things is just TLDR: Men are chaotic and wildcard-y? Huh. A very simple summary for such a long and rambly post.

[thelien-art]

The Children of Ñolofinwë

Latest portraits - Beleriand portraits.

Sons of Fëanáro - Fëanáro, Nerdanel & Telperinquar - Ñolofinwë, Anairë & Grandchildren - Children of Arafinwë - Arafinwë, Eärwen, & Grandchildren - Finwë, Míriel, Indis & Findis, Írimë

HC:

Fingon: Fingon is by far the most bejeweled in his family, never turning down an opportunity to dress himself in riches. I think Fingon had at least some form of devotion to Manwe, but through the first age, it lessened more and more at all his loose. While I think he was happy at being crown prince, becoming king was simply too much—it was also a really sad way it happened—and he began becoming even more reckless and filled with rage.

Turgon: I don´t think Turgon ever been that in on jewelry, only wearing what he needs to look regal. While I think of Celegorm as the most religious of the Feanorian´s I think Turgon was the most faithful of at least his siblings, although he always had some form of doubt, only strengthen after the ice, and he liked to do things his own ways and not being interrupted - not that he thought he knew better, but that he found it hard to see other choices/ways when he had already found one himself.

Aredhel: I like to think Aredhel simply thought she had better things to do than stay behind with anyone - especially in Gondolin, I think one of her main reasons for leaving was that she was feeling useless in an already hopeless war, and wanted to help as much as she could, which she simply couldn´t do in Gondolin, at least not the way she wanted.

Argon: Argon was by far the most careless and childish of them all, always thinking he could defeat all he sat himself against, making everything better by himself, which in the end became his downfall. He has hare ears and was sweet bullied for it

[silvantransthranduiltrash]

You know:

Tauriel would have been so much more interesting if they just went with the direction of her being a feanorian, specifically Maglor’s grandkid.

Like, Thranduil not wanting her to marry Legolas would make so much more sense without having to make Thranduil look classist. It would make a weird juxtaposition of “thranduil will never harm another elf and has taken in even an elf descendant of the elves who massacred doriath” and “thranduil absolutely does not want the noldor, specifically the feanorians, to tangle with his family”

Also!!!

It would add such a layer of flavor of kili and tauriel, a dwarf and a feanorian, coming together to defend their home against enemies that want to steal the treasure. It would be an equal and opposite mirror image of Doriath.

It would also just generally add to the lore of what happened to maglor, as well as the silvans and sindar of mirkwood either knowing of and coming to terms with sharing the space of a kinslayer OR thranduil hides tauriel’s heritage so only they (and maybe Legolas) knows about it and just having angst and existential crisises form from that.

I think the thing that pissed me off about Tauriel is that she could have been SO MUCH MORE, SO MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY INTEGRATED INTO THE PLOT TO GIVE IT MORE DIMENSION but instead she’s so blatantly a self insert character whose only saving grace is that she’s a “strong female character”.

Like, they wanted a love story for the views and they wanted legolas back so they just went “what if legolas is in love with an elf who in turn loves a dwarf” and that’s all the thought that went into it.

Lastly, by making Tauriel feanorian, they would have created an avenue to produce a silmarillion live action bc it would have sparked interest on what the big deal about who/what the feanorians even are.

This is my opinion. You’re free to your own, just don’t come at me with it.

[dlatl98]

The one who didn't go together

Of the sons of Fëanor, the one who is most certain to have married is Curufin. Celebrimbor is proof. And they did not go together. Like Nerdanel. The one Curufin who most resembled Fëanor chose made a similar choice to Nerdanel. That's interesting. And this one is crazy enough to marry Curufin, and Curufin and Celebrimbor are stubborn. And while Nerdanel is described as being wise and self-controlled, this one…the lack of description is a perfect alibi for the imagination. This one could be completely wild. I often imagine that this one not only did not go, but that she went to great lengths to keep his son and husband from going with his crazy father-in-law. Celebrimbor was probably still a minor at the time, since he did not swear an oath. And Curufin would never leave his only son behind. Fëanor would never want his only grandson taken away. And this one would never want his husband and son taken away. The summary of what happens when you can really use the word absolute to mean absolute: a terrible fight between a married couple. There is not enough time to open the door to divorce and custody disputes in Eldar for the first time. The husband talked that she will follow him immediately or she will never see him again. She knows that her husband is confident in his ability to speak well. The only thing that makes her not inferior to her husband is her stubbornness. So she tells him to convince him one last time, and then she takes out a glass. Then she pours the sleeping pill she prepared in advance. You said there is no time? The damned father-in-law has to hurry, so if his son and his grandson don't show up on time, he will have to leave them behind. He won't be able to find them openly. He can't show his most loyal son that he is skeptical of the cause before it even starts! (Or she can just hit her husband's head with a frying pan.) Curufin is horrified to see his son snoring next to him, tied up tightly. He doesn't get surprised because he already guessed that he was tied up too. But the crazy father-in-law is also crazy… In fact, everyone knows Curufin and his wife's temper, so when Curufin is out of sight, the rest of the Feanorians attack. Everyone knew she would do something like that… In the end, her husband and son leave, leaving her wailing. Fëanor goes on a rampage, but in the end, everyone's morale and Celebrimbor and Curufin stop him, so he gives up on punishing her. The other Fëanorians also keep quiet, and everyone just knows that she did not go with them. From this, we can guess that her occupation is an apothecary. If she were not an apothecary, someone would have noticed while procuring sleeping potions…

[softlysilverfountainsfall]

Bear with me while I rules-lawyer the spirit of the Oath of Feanor because I'm pretty sure that's exactly what Maedhros did.

The Oath is specifically targeted at anyone who "hideth or hoardeth, or in hand taketh, finding keepeth or afar casteth a Silmaril" which I do not believe means anyone who touches a Silmaril, despite "in hand taketh" because all the other stipulations are targeted specifically at people who keep the Silmarils away from the Feanorians, by hiding, hoarding, keeping, or even throwing it far away. It would also just be bizarre if, say, a Feanorian follower returned the Silmaril to their lords and the Oath required that they kill them.

However, the strongest evidence for the Oath only applying (or being interpreted to only apply) to people who deliberately withhold the Silmarils from the Feanorians are Maedhros'/the Feanorians' actions before the 2nd and 3rd kinslayings: in both cases, they send a letter demanding the return of the Silmaril. Now, if by touching/posessing the Silmaril, the deaths of Thingol, Dior, and then Elwing are already demanded by the oath, why in the world would they send a letter (losing part of the element of surprise), not even to declare war, but demanding the Silmaril's return? Sending that letter implies that this can still be resolved peacefully if the Silmaril is handed over.

It's my interpretation that Maedhros/the Feanorians are rules-lawyering this tiny loophole in the oath (regardless of whether the oath is present magically/compulsive/just their own dedication) by deliberately closing their eyes to the fact that the current holder of the Silmaril definitely believes it to be their possession and is deliberately keeping it from the Feanorians---which lasts as long as that holder hasn't confirmed that desire.

After all, Thingol, Dior, and Elwing didn't steal the Silmaril, they received it from family members. If the Feanorians ignore the intent behind their keeping it (before that intent is confirmed by the holder's response to the Feanorian's demand), then they could consider Thingol et al to simply...coincidentally...happen to be holding a Silmaril, not possessing it for themselves and therefore not liable to the oath.

Actually, one line in the text from after Thingol refuses to return the Silmaril even hints that even after that, the situation might be salvageable if the Silmaril is returned by free will: "Celegorm and Curufin vowed openly to slay Thingol and destroy his people if they came victorious from war [this is pre-Nirnaeth], and the jewel were not surrendered of free will" (emphasis mine, Of the Fifth Battle, The Silmarillion).

Of course, the Oath drives the Feanorians to reclaim the Silmarils, and so I view the letters to Thingol, Dior, and Elwing as last-ditch attempts at solving this peacefully (via exploiting the above loophole). (Note: this is not necessarily meant to make the Feanorians more sympathetic, this is just me trying to figure out why they sent those letters.) However, this also dooms them to a kinslaying, because as soon as Dior and Elwing reject returning the Silmaril, they have explicitly or implicitly claimed it for themselves and have now "in hand taketh" the Silmaril instead of just touching it and happening to have it around, which means their deaths are now demanded under the Oath.