#vala. tasks.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

CENSUS OF SURVIVORS - TASK #2

[ENT. INTERVIEWER AND DR MCMAHON]

INTERVIEWER: So, this is just a quick li'l interview - six questions and then we're done. That alright?

DR MCMAHON: [nods] Does that count as one of the questions?

INTERVIEWER: [smiles, amused] No, that one doesn't. Alright, I noticed you have a quite recognisable accent so question one: where are you from and where did you live prior to the crash?

DR MCMAHON: I'm from Sydney, Australia but, before the crash, for about the last year, I was living in San Francisco.

INTERVIEWER: [nods] Question two: any distinctive scars, tattoos, or marks?

DR MCMAHON: Scars, no. Tattoos, I have the constellations in a circle on my left upper arm with their names in Ancient Greek and the sort of vine - thorns? - wrapped, sorta like a cuff, 'round my other arm.

INTERVIEWER: Alright, question three: what have you been able to find on the island?

DR MCMAHON: Just an old outpost of sorts - small and abandoned. It wasn't much but it had a shower which was worth the trip.

INTERVIEWER: I bet. Question four: everybody’s hiding something - a fear, a weakness, a strength, an unpopular opinion; What are you hiding right now?

DR MCMAHON: [tired] Honestly?

INTERVIEWER: [nods]

DR MCMAHON: I don't really trust anyone here, not really. All it takes is one person reaching their breaking point, which isn't really far off given the state of this fucking place- mind my language- but after that? This whole place goes up in flames and there won't be a thing we can do to stop it unless someone willing to kill people for it. And once people start killing, it won't stop till we're all dead.

[silence]

INTERVIEWER: [coughs] Um, well, that definitely was honest. [pauses] Right- Question five: do you believe rescue is possible at this point?

DR MCMAHON: No - I know how rescue services work. They'll keep looking for us but they should have found us by now - if they didn't, it means they can't find this place except someone obviously found it before which, I suppose, means we should keep hope. Kinda hard to do around here.

INTERVIEWER: [nods] Last question: when did you last lie?

DR MCMAHON: Recently.

INTERVIEWER: [raises a brow] Was it during the census?

DR MCMAHON: Of course, not. I'd never purposefully mess with someone's results - it's just bad form.

INTERVIEWER: ...right. That's all. You're free to leave.

[EXIT DR MCMAHON]

[frequentderealizationcore]

The Silmarillion but it's just Nàmo following Fëanor and his sons around. No one knows why he's there or if it's actually him, other people can sometimes see him but he finds it better to make the feanorians look like they're arguing with nothing. When Fëanor died a disembodied voice could be heard calling him a dramatic loser, he messes with Maglor's instruments to make them permanently out of tune. Every single bad decision the feanorians make is accompanied by a loud disappointed sigh. He writes Doom on all their foreheads. Not even the other valar know why Eru is okay with this.

[duefaith-a]

          //  @starstcff​ sent,    ❝ hide .   hide now . ❞    from vala.

          ❛ I... what? ❜    her words come sudden,  interrupting the pointless story he’d been telling  ( attention diverted,  he’s already forgotten what it was ).  his reflexes are too slow for her,  and while he stands floundering,  she shoves him forcefully towards high cabinets in the corner,  towards the boxes and piled there,  some open,  some serving as pedestals for their former contents.  

          there’s voices,  he registers slowly,  outside in the room,  in the corridor beyond.    ❛ vala... ❜    he begins,  but once hushed once more,  he yields to her;  it’s not worth the fight.  he permits her to tug him into the midst of the mess,  to tug him down to crouch behind particularly tall boxes near the wall,  far from the door as they can reach.    ❛ you know if they’re looking for what’s in here,  we’re screwed. ❜    he taps a knuckle upon the wooden frame before him,  words muttered to her under his breath.

          he peers out,  seeking a glimpse of the door,  and slowly the emphatic nature of her response sinks in.    ❛ vala, ❜    he begins tentatively,  not sure he wants the answer,    ❛ do you recognize them? ❜

[mrgaelrose]

But in middle earth it actually would be possible to kill the sun, and if it was hurting Frodo I have no doubt at all that Sam would find a way to hunt down Arien as she guided the sun through the sky and kill her… or maybe just yell at her for bothering Frodo and make her leave.

Frodo: Sam hates Gollum, but that is what I shall become once I have lost myself to the ring… he’ll despise me… 

Sam if Frodo did turn into a Gollum: That’s a very nice fish you caught with your bare hands, Mr. Frodo, and its very smart of you to eat it raw, saves us the trouble of starting a fire. I knitted you a sweater in case you get cold running around in that loincloth of yours. Is the sun hurting your eyes? I’ll kill it if it’s bothering you. I’ll kill the sun

[cilil]

Eönwë Week - Day 1: Genesis

𓅛 Characters: Eönwë, Manwë & Eru 𓅛 Synopsis: The first of the Maiar awakens. 𓅛 Warnings: / 𓅛 Triple drabble

He comes into existence with one timid note of song, akin to a gasp of breath, and the first thing he senses is that he's held by a mighty presence and watched by others, like him but bigger. 

The young spirit curls in on himself, frightened.

"Behold the first of the Maiar." 

The others draw closer now, reaching out to make themselves known. He avoids them at first, until suddenly he senses one who feels familiar. 

They are... alike, this older spirit and he. 

"Father," a voice exclaims then, "Father, I sense that he shares my element. Will he be like me?"

"In a way, yes," the presence — Father — says. "The Maiar shall be the younger of the Ainur, smaller in stature and sharing the elements and domains of you, the Valar. Your task will be to teach and guide them, and their task will be to learn and serve."

Father brings him closer to the older spirit, and he finally uncurls just enough to see. Yes, that one is less frightening; his spirit feels warm, kind and gentle like a summer breeze, though the newborn Maia doesn't know yet what it means. 

He reaches out, just one tiny, trembling tendril of spirit, and is pulled closer. It's comfortable around this Vala, he thinks happily; in the future he will remember this moment being akin to a baby bird hiding in its parent's plumage. 

"What is his name, Father?" 

"He will be swift and he will be steadfast, strong like the mightiest of your creatures, yet gentle at heart, like you. He will dutifully carry your messages and fiercely defend those he holds dear." 

Father pauses. Then — 

"His name shall be Eönwë."

"Hello, little Eönwë," the Vala coos, delighted. "I am called Manwë."

And Eönwë has loved him ever since. 

taglist: @asianbutnotjapanese @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @blauerregen @bluezenzennie @edensrose

@elanna-elrondiel @eunoiaastralwings @i-did-not-mean-to @just-little-human @singleteapot

@stormchaser819 @urwendii @wandererindreams @eonweweek

[ps1demodisk]

Thinking about the Solitaries recently.

There is not much lore, it saddens me.

I think from his interaction with Vala and #7 in his Tales, it's a case of the Solitaries becoming part of The Heroic Order after Valen's capture.

When he tries to be smooth with Vala, during that interaction she says "The Heroic Order are the swords and shields of the nobility. How can one be unaware of those who serve them?" Meaning the Solitaries as a group server under The Heroic Order and not just Valen.

But from #7 in his Tales, one of the Solitaries is questioning how Hogan managed to catch Valen (referring to Valen as "the captain"), implying they were their own thing before this point.

While it's currently unknown (as far as I'm aware) how long it's been since they began working under The Heroic Order, it can be assumed it's a while considering how Vala makes no mention of the Solitaries as anything except a branch of The Heroic Order

[This next part is from a conversation I had with my friend masondjar]

It would also explain why Valen does undercover work, I think before his capture the Solitaries were a lot more morally grey, definitely not legal by any means.

I don't think they captured him to make him join The Heroic Order, but he hit Hogan with that pathetic white boy stare and poor Hogan was like "oh he's baby... my child... my son now..." and they ended up striking some sort of deal.

In the words of mister d.jar because they put it in baby terms for me after my brain died and I like their funny words:

"i was just like. wondering if they were tasked to do other things before being ushered into the heroic order? i dont think they were doing everything the heroic order wanted them to do. it feels similar to anonymous and how people become white hat hackers. anonymous is a group of people who tend to "troll" big companies and people. leaking, doxxing, internet sleuth kinds of things but morally grey - not really good but not really bad. white hat hackers are people the government takes in to deal with, break down and study potentially harmful viruses, trojans etc. they typically come from a background of prior hacking and creating malicious malware. so with him being "captured" i dont think they captured him in order to ask him to join the heroic order - least not outright. he may have been a lot more morally grey at that point and had done some things the heroic order wanted him to "atone" for yknow - justice to its fullest sorta thing"

Uh so yeah thanks for attending my yap session about Mister Valen AFK Journey :]

[duefaith-a]

her question upon his return stalls him a moment, as his brain struggles to catch up with a truly seemingly unrelated topic. yet he doesn't bother to ask what's prompted the question, nor does he stop to point out that you could scarcely live in the united states of america without having heard of the internet in this day and age, even for those who hadn't grown up with it as a staple of their daily lives.

❛ who let you on the internet? ❜ cam can only hope they also supervised the incident, though somehow he suspects vala to be more than capable of evading such supervision, after a time.

but at least she has not argued further, perhaps recognizing that there'll be no stopping him, no confining him here. at least unless doctor lam were to arrive at an inconvenient moment. he wastes no more time, refusing to tempt fate that just such an event might happen. only after he's through the infirmary door and two corridors over that he slows his brisk pace, feeling fatigue of his illness settling into his muscles. he lacks the energy, the stamina, to which he's accustomed. walking more slowly now, he has enough breath to ask her, ❛ what's so good about the internet? ❜ oh, he has answers aplenty himself, but he's curious about what would compel vala mal doran, of all people.

❛ What did I just say? Ass! Bed!! Now!!! ❜ These humans! Vala had tricked empires, stolen from kings and manipulated gods with a flick of her wrist — and that was before she was a goddess herself, but it seemed they were immune to all her powers, she was constantly chasing them, unable to get them to do the right thing.

AKA: listen to her at all times.

One of these days, while they were standing on a pile of their wrong actions, her words would come back to haunt them, and she’d be laughing her ass off as far away from here as possible, of that she could be certain.

❛ You have a reason to lie in bed all day long and you’re wasting it? You are an idiot, Cameron Mitchell. ❜ Vala called out as he was changing, all the while hiding the documents she had nicked underneath one of the mattresses. Disagreeing with his choices doesn’t mean she is going to waste an opportunity to get herself out of trouble.

When he returns, back in that drab uniform of his, she is once again sitting on the chair, a bored look on her face. ❛ Have you heard of the internet, Mitchell? It’s this fabulous little human invention. Your people are boring and prudish, but I’m not above admitting they did something good. Fine, let’s go find the team and they can tell you that everything is fine and that you should rest. ❜

Any flicker of pain, of hurt, which may have gripped her chest at his words is hidden. Vala learned long ago how to manipulate people into believing she is incapable of feelings; she is not going to start trying to convince people otherwise now. No matter how much she would like to.

[universal-rebellion]

It's April in Jorvik - ( sabine x reader ) Chapter 1

hi! I plan to crosspost this fanfic to AO3 as soon as I get my invite :')

( cw: swearing. )

It’s April in Jorvik. 

The snow is off the ground, the grass is green, and the Equestrian Festival is finishing its preparations. 

And as for you, you were truly excited for it, but now you’re stuck running errands for your fellow Soul Riders… again.

You thought last year was ridiculous dealing with Alex and Linda’s last minute tasks, but this year was even worse. Both Anne and Lisa were tagging along this year which has added on to your own preparations for the festival. As much as you’re usually happy to help, you can’t help but curse to yourself this time for being so willingly. Stupid Soul Rider nonsense. All you wanted to do was practice and prepare your horses for the events you were set to participate in. But no, you’re were dealing with setting up another booth for the girls, helping Lisa gather her tack and outfits, and attempting to prevent Concorde from spooking at everything. Thankfully, everything other than Concorde has been dealt with, but now you’re losing light and you’re walking your horse next to Anne while she hand walks Concorde. 

This reincarnation of Concorde is, respectfully, a major pain in the ass. She still isn’t able to talk just yet, even after being aged by Vala, so it makes every situation worse because she can’t even tell you what her problem is. You were riding your starbreed, who is just about as fed up as you with everything. Unfortunately, for your horse, he was the best option for putting up with Concorde’s bullshit. The gelding pinned his ears at every out of line movement by Concorde. If she got too close he nipped at her, putting her back in line. By this point, you’ve figured out that she hates the balloons, so you were doing slow laps around the arena to get her accustomed to them. 

After your tenth lap Concorde finally calmed down enough to walk without trying to break free from Anne’s grasp. 

“ Anne, it's like 8pm. I think she’s about as desensitized to everything as she’s gonna get .” You give a gentle tug on your horse's reins and his ears pricked back up as he stopped. Anne looked at you and looked back to her horse, defeated. You hop off your gelding and give his neck a good pat. 

“ She’s as good as she’s going to get. ” Anne reiterates your sentiment with a sigh. 

“ Can we please get back to the stables? Between everything I’ve done today, I haven’t had time to see my other horses that I might be riding tomorrow. ” 

Anne nods. “ I have to deal with cleaning up Concorde anyways. She isn’t anywhere where she needs to be if she’s possibly going to be performing tomorrow. ” The grey mare pinned her ears back at her and snorted in annoyance at the notion she isn’t up to par. Does it make sense to clean a grey horse the night before a competition..? Who knows, but you aren’t gonna rain on her parade. However, Concorde’s a priss so maybe she’d stay clean. The two of you start your walk back over to the stables and trailers. You don’t bother to grab your starbreed’s reins, he follows you along like a dog. Besides, you’re too focused on making sure Concorde doesn’t try to pull a fast one on the two of you.

“ Where are you stalling her? Are you bringing her back to your home stable or are you staying here for the night? ” 

“ I could not imagine leaving her here. ” Anne practically scoffed at you. “ We are going back home. I won’t lie, I truly don’t know how I’d fit all of my outfits and whatnot into a suitcase. Also, where on earth would I get ready? ” 

“ I’m staying at the inn? A lot of the people who are competing are staying at the inn? ” You give her a look. Anne returned the look and rolled her eyes. 

“ Yeah, not happening. I’ll just deal with waking up earlier tomorrow. “ You shrug at her and the two of you finish your walk to the stable and part ways. Your horse audibly breathed a sigh of relief when Concorde was out of sight. You chuckled at him and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

“ Yeah, I know. That was awful. But, hey, you were great, boy. ” You gave him a rub on the forehead. “ Let’s get that tack off of you, you deserve some rest. ” You led him to his stall and untacked him, leaving his tack on the stand next to his stall door. 

As you walked out the stall he tried to follow behind, but was stopped by you closing his door. He bobbed his head and snorted at you in protest. 

“ I didn’t forget bud, I promise. ” You rummage through the bag you brought and grab your bucket of Stud Muffins. The starbreed eagerly, but politely, snatched the treat from your hand, satisfied. 

You turn to the next couple of stalls and see the two other horses you brought with you. You were set to compete in a few categories in the following days and decided to use some of your other horses to give them some time away from the stables.

Your starbreed was going to be your horse for the cross country section. That honestly should be a given from the amount of nonsense the two of you have gotten yourself into throughout all of Jorvik.

 You brought an 11 year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding for show jumping. Thunder is black with a small snip on his nose and he towers over you at a good 16.9 hands. He’s been with you for a while now and has proved to be a fantastic performer.  

Finally, you brought your new 6 year-old Andalusian mare for dressage. Daybreak is a gorgeous dapple grey mare, you are still in awe that you managed to snag her. In all honesty, you aren’t too serious about the dressage portion, but you thought it’d be a good experience just to test out your new mare in the ring. However, you know that she’d be fantastic no matter the rider. 

You give the two of them their own Stud Muffins and give them both a scratch for good measure. 

You were in your own world when suddenly two tall shadows nearly made you jump out of your skin. At the entrance of the stable a tall woman walks in leading a large black Fresian through the door. It doesn’t take you long to realize who it was.

Sabine. 

Of course. Why wouldn’t she be here? She was the last two years. You briefly recall the events that transpired between the two of you last April and the one before. 

You stay silent and try to finish up your chores for the night, grabbing a bucket for your horses’ grain. Khaan's steps thundering through the otherwise silent barn.

Annnnnnd of course she has Khaan stalled right next to your overly friendly gelding, Thunder. You mentally groan and try to not let your embarrassment show. The black gelding immediately tries to make friends with Khaan through the bars separating their stalls. The larger stallion pins his ears back at the attention, but doesn’t truly react until Sabine exits the stall. The moment she closes the stall door, the Fresian emits the lowest squeal you’ve ever heard from a horse and he kicks at the wall separating them. Thunder backs off and goes to seek attention from Sabine. She ignores his attempts and flings Khaan’s lead rope over her shoulder.

Sabine glares in your direction before turning to a bag sat next to Khaan’s stall door, pulling out a hoof pick and returning inside Khaan’s stall. Hm, bold after your horse just raised hell.

“ Wouldn’t have taken you as a person with more than one horse. ” She commented as she began to work on Khaan’s hooves, not bothering to make eye contact with you. “ Thought a Soul Rider would be too loyal to even think about it. ” 

You try and fail miserably to stop yourself from chuckling which earns you another glare and scowl in your direction when she puts Khaan’s hoof down. 

“ And I wouldn’t take the Dark Rider as one that would stall their horse in a public stable. ” You shoot back at her sarcastically, but lightheartedly. “ But I guess, no one else really knows that you’re a Dark Rider here. So, what difference does it make? ”  You say as you dump grain into Thunder’s feed bucket, which makes him entirely forget about Sabine and Khaan. 

“ You should see my home stable. It’d make your head spin if you think me having two other horses is more than you expected. ” You make your way back to your bag of grain, making Daybreak’s dinner. Sabine gave an audible huff as she finished up her work on her horse’s feet. She exited the stall again and threw the pick down in her bag. 

“ I don’t think it’s really any of your business why I have Khaan stalled here. Why don’t you just focus on your horses and I’ll deal with mine.” Ah there you go, that’s the Sabine you remember.

“Hey, you spoke first.” You dump the grain into your mare’s bucket. The two of you go to your work in awkward silence. You weren’t really sure why you were comfortable being alone with her, or moreso, why you didn't feel threatened by her presence. However, your starbreed wasn’t too happy about her being so close to you. You could feel him grow uneasy as you heard him pace and paw at the ground. Maybe you were too tired to really acknowledge the amount of danger you could be in? However, she didn’t seem too intimidating right now. If anything, she was a bit underwhelming for what you’d expect. 

You finish up your tasks with your horses and hang your feed bucket up. Looking over to Sabine you see that she’s fiddling with something in her bag. 

“ If you get bored again, I’m always up for a chase around Jarlaheim between competitions. ” You said picking up your bag. “ I could always use the warmup for my horses. ” Sabine stops what she was doing and cocks an eyebrow at you.

“ And willingly give you what you'd consider an advantage? That’s the stupidest shit I think I ever heard you say Soul Rider. ” She practically chuckles at you, dumbfounded by your words. 

“ Thought you’d enjoy the chance to kick my ass and leave me in the dirt. You know, like the last two years. ” You shrugged. “ Whatever. If you change your mind I’ll be around. ” You walk off and make your way back to the inn to call it a night, not waiting for her response.

That was fucking stupid.

[sweetteaanddragons]

This year was my first year participating as an artist as well as an author in TRSB! I was fortunate enough to get to collaborate with the wonderful @aprilertuileviresse, who wrote an astonishing 13,000 words for the story which I cannot wait to read!

Details on the story are included below (including a link, although the link will not work until reveals).

Not a Hero (Just the Elf That Was There)

Rating: Mature (for temporary character deaths)

Characters: Maglor, Feanorian OCs

Summary: One winter night, the Bragollach happened. The Gap was lost, and prince Maglor was killed.

One winter night, a Vala decided to challenge that truth.

One winter night, stubborn souls received a very special task.

(Featuring a time loop, a dragon, and lots and lots of fire.)

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

What's the deal with Sauron and Elrond connection in Season 2?

We all know of Sauron’s obsession with Galadriel, but what about how Elrond kept showing up on his plot in Season 2?

First, we have this interaction with Prince Durin in 2x03; where Annatar/Sauron joins Celebrimbor conversation with Durin and Disa, and they are discussing Elrond. And Durin sees right through him.

I assure you, Herald Elrond said he could think of little else. than helping his Dwarven friends. He speaks of you so fondly. […] Elrond said that you were the wisest of all the Dwarves.

Prince Durin being suspicious of Sauron might be a Easter egg for Tolkien nerds, because Mairon was a Maia of Aulë, and betrayed his Vala to join Melkor/Morgoth. The Dwarves are Children of Aulë, created by Aulë himself as companions (I won’t go into the whole tale in here because it’s beside the point). So having one of them being distrusting of Sauron, and seeing right through his deception can be a nod to that.

Anyway, this is not the last time Elrond will show up in connection with Sauron in Season 2. In 2x05, when attempting to manipulate Celebrimbor into making the Nine for Men, Sauron gives a few examples of Men who rose above darkness (and he must have been screaming internally mentioning every one of them):

Yes. You are right. Of course. Men are capable of great frailty. But when the darkness falls, there are always some who rise forth and shine. Eärendil, Tuor, Beren, son of Barahir.

Eärendil is Elrond’s father, and son of Tuor (Elrond’s grandfather who married Elwing, Lúthien and Beren’s granddaughter). Which means, Sauron is going through all of Elrond’s genealogy in this scene.

And then, Adar, in 2x07, mentions Melian; Elrond’s ancestor. We have both Sauron and Adar bringing up Elrond’s ancestry in Season 2.

In fact, the entire “tent scene” with Adar and Elrond in 2x07 is a direct parallel to Adar and Sauron’s scenes, in Mordor, in 2x01:

Both scenes, start with Adar sitting down in a place of power, and getting up to approach Halbrand/Elrond;

Both Elrond/Halbrand-Sauron meet Adar with the same purpose: “let my people/Galadriel go”. Or "yours will die". In 2x01 this is explicit, in 2x07 it’s the subtext;

Adar rubs the might of his war forces and Orc legions on Elrond and Sauron's faces, and how they can’t possible expect to defeat him;

In both scenes, "Sauron" is mentioned in connection with the Elves and Eregion;

In both scenes, Sauron and Elrond use the Orcs lives as leverage against Adar:

In 2x01, Galadriel is mentioned by Sauron, and in 2x07, she’s actually there, and she’s the prisoner (instead of Sauron) and the “my people” Elrond is actually there to free;

Adar is deceived by Sauron and Elrond in both scenes: swearing fealty (2x01); the pin (2x07).

Death threats coming full circle between 2x01 and 2x07, with Sauron and Elrond:

Adar (2x01): You will tell me everything you think you know of this sorcerer now. Or I will spill the words from your throat.

Adar (2x07): The Ring for Galadriel's life. What is it to be? Elrond (2x07): Ask me on the field, when the neck with a blade against it is yours.

What's the backstory?

Back in 1x08, Sauron/Halbrand also spent weeks with Elrond in Eregion, since he was also there the entire time, overseeing the work alongside Galadriel; since this was the task Gil-galad appointed to him.

Elrond is the one who finds Galadriel in the Glanduin river, after she rejects Sauron’s offer and he flees.

And despite Galadriel keeping Halbrand’s true identity under wraps, and not revealing what truly happened, Elrond is the one who puts two and two together, and realizes Halbrand is not the King of the Southlands, and tricked them.

Season 2

However, only in 2x01, Elrond is made aware that Halbrand was, in fact, Sauron, when Galadriel herself reveals it to him and Gil-galad.

And Elrond is furious, because he absolutely trusted Galadriel, and that trust is now broken. Galadriel did allowed the Three rings of power to be forged, even though she knew that Sauron has been at Eregion all along.

Adding this to fact that Galadriel was so obsessed in finding Sauron in Season 1, and even talked about this with Elrond himself in 1x01, when he advises her to return to Valinor and find healing there:

During Season 2, Elrond is also the one who sees right through the rings of power, and understands they might be a ploy on Sauron’s masterplan. And he’s absolutely right. Because we know, from Tolkien legendarium, the Three are connected to Sauron’s power, and become mere pieces of jewelry when the One Ring gets destroyed on the Third Age, losing all of its magical properties. “Rings of Power” build upon this, and had Sauron himself at Eregion, handling the mithril (and probably infusing it with his intention to heal Middle-earth from Morgoth’s corruption, which is his goal).

In Season 2, Elrond is, clearly, Sauron’s greatest opponent in his rings of power plot concerning the Elves. Until he, too, gets deceived, because we know from Tolkien’s letters, these rings are not “wholly good” and the Elves are in the wrong by using them.

Anyway, Elrond not only attempts to have the rings destroyed (wrecking Sauron’s plan), but he also keeps antagonizing Galadriel by her wearing Nenya, perhaps in the hope she might take it off, or see the ring as evil. And Sauron is aware of all of this.

And can this be the reason why Elrond also seems to be on Sauron’s mind? Indeed, but there also might be another reason on top of this.

@love-and-doom shared one of their theories with me, and I think it makes sense, and explains a lot. According to them, Sauron might blame Elrond for his failure in bringing Galadriel to his side in 1x08.

Galadriel herself confessed to Celebrimbor, in 2x07, that she wanted to take Sauron’s offer and that she wanted what he offered her (be Queen of Middle-earth with Sauron as her king). And, maybe, had not Elrond show up, Sauron might have succeeded. What this theory implies is that Sauron show Galadriel the vision of her drowning in the Sundering Seas (the moment when he saved her), but we don’t know how this vision was supposed to end from Sauron POV because Elrond shows up and Sauron has to flee.

Sauron clearly has the background check on Elrond (as we’ve seen in 2x05), and is aware he is a thorn on his side. This might also be another Easter egg because of Sauron vs. Melian during the First Age; and not only Melian herself but Melian’s daughter (Lúthien), too, who was responsible for Sauron’s greatest and most spectacular defeat.

Then, we also have other parallels between these two characters:

Sauron and Elrond in connection with white horses:

Sauron's illusion in 2x06:

Elrond mourns his horse, 2x07:

Elrond and Sauron (+ Galadriel) with the same face wound (Elrond in 2x07; and Sauron and Galadriel in 2x08):

I saw several fans making the comparison of these wounds with Arwen’s in “Fellowship of the Ring”, because it’s on the same side and very similar, indeed.

However, I’m not sure what is this suppose to mean: Elrond is Arwen's father, and Galadriel is her grandmother, yes, but what does Sauron have to do with it?

Then, Elrond is the one who picks up Nenya (the ring Sauron wanted), and uses it to heal Galadriel, in 2x08:

He also returns Nenya to Galadriel, as a nod to their scene in 2x04; when Galadriel gives it to him for safe keeping, and he reluctantly agrees. Now he returns the ring in good will, to symbolize the end of their feud, and how Elrond now trusts the Three:

I’m curious to see if this dynamic will continue to play out in Season 3, and I wonder what all of this means.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

DON'T LOSE YOUR LUGGAGE - TASK #1

Vala was going home - finally! With an invitation to work at a dig site plus a 5 year job as a research assistant at Sydney Uni, they could finally relax. They naturally took as much of their apartment with them as they could.

A: on them - purple short-sleeved shirt - tan shorts - boots - a hat - sunglasses - a hair-tie on each wrist in case they lose one - a mobile phone (broken from the crash) - a black bum bag (fanny pack) containing: + SPF sunscreen + chapstick (that they keep forgetting to wear) + a small notepad + a pencil + a pen + 2 spare scrunchies + a plastic lighter (they don't smoke - they just think it could be useful) + a chocolate bar + a packet of antihistamines

B: in their carryon - 3 books on how to learn Klingon - a couple of fiction reading books - a discman and some CDs for entertainment - a walkman and cassettes pertaining to their work on previous dig sites - a big notebook containing their notes on multiple ancient languages/alphabets (e.g. Ancient Babylonian cuneiform, hieroglyphics etc.) - 2 short-sleeved shirts - 2 pairs of pants - a pair of sandels - a packet of sanitary pads (just in case)

C: in their suitcase (currently missing, probably with the rear end of the plane) - the bulk of their clothes and shoes - more books (fiction and non-fiction) - a laptop and charger (probably damaged in the crash) - a stuffed rabbit called Gemma and a small stuffed frog (that they made) called Daniel - a travel sewing kit (that they put in the wrong bag) containing: + needles + threads + safety pins + a stich ripper + straight pins

[anderstrevelyan]

wip wednesday, bloodkin edition

I've been writing! (god it feels good to get back into the swing of things on this project):

He flips the tooth onto the desk, where it leaves a dot of blood on the letter. The letter he’d neglected to hide.  Orin must see something in his face, for she grabs it and wrests away faster than he can react. “Dearest Valas,” she mocks, voice sickening-sweet, and he sees in her unrestrained glee that she’s not inventing, that those are the words, there on the page, physical and material and damningly plain. “‘I hear it was your hand around the blade tonight. It can’t have been an easy task—there’s nothing of the sort in my lines of work—but I find myself picturing it, the ease you must have brought. Picturing you, the promise of death in your eyes.’”  “Orin,” he says, his voice a knife. But she spins away and doesn’t stop. “‘Where have you been, Valas? With what urgencies has your father tasked you? Surely there’s nothing else that could keep you from me. We have business to discuss. My lord agrees, and suggests your dear father does, too.’” He reaches for her arm, for her hand, for the page, but she holds it beyond his reach as her skin starts to spark and slough. The moment of realization is plain in her eyes, as the milky white begins to trend dark, and her skin deepens too, her hair to inky black, and it’s not quite right, the cocksure smile on her lips, but with the scar beneath them and the way she’s teasing, he could almost be convinced. Valas clings to the right pronoun: her, it’s her, this is Orin beneath Gortash’s skin.

More than the anger at her insolence, more than the shame of her reading these words, his rage pitches when he understands: she doesn’t just know the Banite he’s been meeting is the counsellor moving tongues around the Gate—she’s been watching him. Closely enough to notice the details, the way he wears his hair, his favoured cut of shirt. He should strike her where she stands. Drive his thumbs into those too-clever eyes, flay away that shifting skin, leave her an example in the temple’s heart, a message to all who would question him—but then, she hasn’t mastered the mannerisms.  They’re too slick, bright and composed, like she’s orating to a room of patriars in silk and lace.  She’s only seen him in public, Valas realizes, and only the most buttoned-up parts, hasn’t done the deep, thorough work she puts into observing one she truly means to impersonate. She’s digging, waiting to see how he’ll react, watching to see if she should look further. He stops following, lets her collapse onto his bed—doesn’t react to the sight, gods, the sight, hands of rings against the gold of his sheets, forearms’ dark hair in the flickering light—and holds his face still. It’s her curiosity he’s going to kill tonight.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

Putting two thumbs up, Vala turned to head back to the wreckage, assuming they'd go solo while she handled the passengers, but froze and turned back as she spoke again. It was a reasonable assumption to make, given someone would need to take charge of the group at some point or other. Or everything would devolve into chaos. As Golding said, 'We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages.'

Despite the fact that the woman said nothing false, nor did she yell at them, they still felt like they were being sent to the principal's office. She was impressive, if not mildly terrifying. She would be a Hell of a leader. "Okay. Do you want any help with anything here, before that?" They felt bad, dragging her with them on their little hunt, when she probably had better things to do. Like what, sunbathe? I was thinking more along the lines of saving people from themselves, getting them somewhere safer, that kinda thing. ...right.

Nichole wasn't about to reveal this to the other person, but it was always something she thought was funny, that the medical kit was stored in first class. Not in the actual funny way, large belly laugh way, but in the ironic, weird way. What did it say about airlines, like Amtransa, and airplane manufacturers that they put the critical medical supplies so close to the wealthiest people on the flight? She knew the statement would come off ironic, if not inappropriate, coming from her mouth given her family's socioeconomic status. But it was still a thought she had sometimes.

She took herself out of her head, though, and cleared her throat to respond, "Yes, the first class cabin is at the front," A simple enough sentence. Straight to the point. But when the other started talking about getting these things for her, and all of this dangerous mission back to the plane seemingly by themself, Nichole had to use all the self-restraint in her not to roll her eyes. Of course this would be a passenger like this' mentality. But there was no way in hell that was happening.

"No," She simply said at first, with a firm tone, before she continued, "If you're going to take a risk like this, you're not getting either the med kit, and certainly not the radio, alone. I'm coming with you." She said. It went against everything she stood for, and what she was telling passengers. But she couldn't cause a passenger's death by allowing them to do this alone.

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

Been thinking more about the Rohirrim’s devotion to Oromë (in light of @cilil's HC about Oromë’s affection for them) and, you know, it really is perfect that he’s the Vala most associated with Rohan, and not just because they’re both great lovers of horses. Even more significant, to me, is the fact that Oromë is a stern guy. He’s “dreadful in anger” and known for the fearsomeness of his wrath. He’s contrasted specifically with Tulkas, the lighthearted himbo of Valinor who likes to laugh his way through life. Oromë isn’t laughing. He takes his duties seriously, and he goes about his task of hunting down Melkor and his evil creatures with such grim determination that even the elves are a little afraid of him–and he’s on their side!

Sternness. Grim determination. Going into battle invoking wrath. Who else does this sound like, y’all??? OF COURSE this is who the Rohirrim are going to vibe with. What, they’re gonna be off communing with nature and Yavanna? Delighting in their own creations with Aulë? Tripping on acid with Irmo? No, they’re into the guy who is there to get his business done, no matter how unpleasant. The guy who repeatedly comes back to Beleriand, long after most of the other Valar have stopped doing so, because when the elves need aid, Oromë will answer. The guy whose arrival to help save the day is always heralded by the sounding of a great horn. The guy whose wife leaves flowers in her wake, just as the bodies of the Rohirrim themselves will do. 

The horse thing is just frosting on that soulmate cake.

[lightandfellowship]

In honor of the finale anniversary coming up, I’m sending you a deep question:

What do you think is the main theme/message of Dark Road? Or, alternatively, what theme of the story resonates with you the most?

That's a good question. I can't say I'm the best at identifying this sort of thing, but I'll try.

I see two main themes. The first is what I believe to be the more overt "thesis statement" of the game, the one line of dialog that both references the title of the game (and a good title will usually try to convey a facet of the Main Theme of the work) and also is telegraphed as being really significant because it gets said directly before the title card.

"Your world can change in an instant. Sometimes all it takes is a single step." [fade to black] KINGDOM HEARTS —Dark Road—

I have a post sort of outlining the various ways this idea manifests in the game, but at its core I think it's just saying that your worldview can be drastically altered (for better or for worse) if you just take the initiative to seek answers. I think you see this theme reiterated by Heimdall and Baldr near the end of the game, too. Heimdall: "Your lives are not ours to judge, but yours to lead. Broaden your horizons and find your own answers." Baldr: "Seek answers...to the unjust ways of the world...to the darkness." Considering this is the Xehanort game, having the thesis statement revolve around self-determination, expanding your world, and the pursuit of knowledge makes sense.

As for the second main theme, probably something along the lines of: "light and darkness aren't so different but the continued belief that they are results in an endless cycle of unnecessary conflict and tragedy that could've easily been avoided if people were just more open-minded and tried to better understand each other." Like almost every awful event that happens in this game can be traced back to this flawed belief causing the characters to act in a certain way that seals their doom.

Eraqus is openly and unashamedly anti-darkness in front of Baldr which seems to make Baldr's anxiety about his sister abandoning him grow. Baldr being scared of what might happen to him if he's left alone with his darkness, along with feeling like Hoder's light is the only thing redeeming him, causes him to chase after her into Enchanted Dominion, subsequently getting her killed (in a situation that wouldn't even have existed had Hoder not made the rash decision to go after the dark being, Maleficent, all by herself). His utter dependence on her now-extinguished light makes Baldr's darkness spiral out of control and primes him to be manipulated by a dark being who's taking advantage of his vulnerable mental state to further its own goals. Oh, and Odin kept Baldr isolated in what appears to be solitary confinement for a week because of his darkness situation, which just made everything ten times worse. Baldr's grief and directionlessness makes him decide that the world is too rotten to exist anymore, which compels him to kill all of his friends in order to destroy that world and end it all. And things get so bad that a brother and sister who love each other feel like they have no choice but to kill each other because their differences are just too large and they're never going to understand. Literally all of this could have been avoided if Hoder wasn't tasked with being this "flawless and pure" beacon of light and Baldr wasn't made to think his darkness was Bad and Scary and Unacceptable.

Then there's the upperclassmen. Hoder, Heimdall, Helgi, and Sigrun dying to darkness is what convinces Vidar, Vala, and Vali that darkness is absolutely evil and needs to be destroyed forever via Kingdom Hearts (with the added benefit of Kingdom Hearts hopefully purging the darkness out of Baldr and sparing him). And they're so focused on their plan to summon Kingdom Hearts and destroy darkness that they don't even care that innocent people and entire worlds might get hurt in the process. Nor do they even care to ask Baldr if he wants his darkness to be purged (given what happened to Ven when Xehanort removed his darkness, it's not exactly the type of thing you should forcefully do to someone.) Which, it turns out, summoning Kingdom Hearts wouldn't have destroyed darkness anyway, at least according to Darkness Baldr, so it truly was a pointless endeavor that was only going to cause harm. Again, the upperclassmen might not have pursued such a misguided and extreme plan if they hadn't been convinced by their upbringing and circumstances that destroying all darkness was undeniably a Good Thing.

In actuality, this second main theme isn't just implicitly conveyed by the plot's events, it gets stated pretty directly by Heimdall, Helgi, and Sigrun during their conversation with Xehanort and Eraqus in the Underworld. They talk about how, after they ended up in the Final World without their bodies, they realized that the darkness and light in people's hearts might not be so different after all, and that everything is a matter of perspective and personal beliefs. Quite a change of heart coming from people who were raised to believe the exact opposite, especially Helgi who was the most vocal about not approving of darkness and who was willing to use brute force against those he disagreed with (you see the "seek answers and your worldview might get drastically altered" theme crop up again here.) It's hard not to believe them when they experienced something as spiritual and eye-opening as the afterlife, which gives credence to what they have to say about light and darkness, and emphasizes all the more that the narrative is using them to convey a Truth to the audience.

Anyway, it makes sense that these two concepts would be major themes of the game since there's some synergy between them. The answer to the question "how do you prevent the tragedies caused by the light vs. darkness stuff" is...knowledge. Expanding your world. Connecting with others. Being open-minded and compassionate. Taking the initiative to try new things. Being committed to seeking truth/letting your worldviews be challenged instead of stagnating in your biases. Characters like Eraqus embody the opposite of this and are examples of what not to do. Eraqus refuses to open his mind or budge from his beliefs. He takes almost no steps to change for the better (or rather, doesn't understand what the right steps are.) His world is small, and as a result he unknowingly causes harm to the people he cares about to a catastrophic degree, perpetuating the cycle.

Xehanort sort of has the opposite problem? He lets his experiences and the MoM's influence change his beliefs for the worst, losing a lot of the nuance and integrity he already had in his youth. Any pursuit of truth gets twisted and replaced with him selectively believing the things that support his condemnation of the world and prop up his status as the chosen one ("[People] believe what they want to believe.") He starts to see "change" as being the only way to save the universe, but specifically the sort of "change" that means destroying and recreating the universe entirely. He succeeded in broadening his horizons and explored the entire span of the world, yet deemed it rotten to its core, unfit to exist. The knowledge he gained became a reason to feel superior to everyone else, instead of a reason to feel kinship. His ability to empathize just became a way to manipulate others.

[cilil]

✧˖° Day 5: Námo & Navëquen (OC) (plus little onesided crush on Navë's part) | Relationship with the Children ✧˖° Synopsis: After another devastating battle in Middle-earth, Námo comes to the battlefield to summon the spirits of the slain before Melkor can. ✧˖° Warnings: Corpses, death, unpleasant scenery (but not graphic) ✧˖° Oneshot

"You must not speak of this to anyone." 

Navëquen had accepted his lord's order without question. It wasn't the first time his silence on delicate matters was required, and it would most certainly not be the last; he needed neither prophecy nor foresight to be sure of it. 

What was odd this time was that Námo not only led him out of Mandos, but also pulled him along in spirit as he teleported far away, to a place Navëquen had never seen. 

It was nowhere in Valinor, that was for certain. Neither grass nor trees were in sight, the very earth was burned and blackened and thousands of corpses lay still around them, bloody and maimed, many contorted in agony and despair, now silenced forever. Only the distant howling of wind remained. 

"Where are we, my lord?" Navëquen whispered. 

"A battle took place here not too long ago," Námo said quietly. "Yet I sense that many fëar still linger, fëar that I have not received and who may not have heard my call."

"So you wish to... retrieve them yourself? Do you not think it might be dangerous for you to come all the way out here?" The thought of his lord being threatened by those who had caused such carnage made Navëquen bristle, getting ready to reach for his sword. No matter what foes might await them, he would — 

"I am a Vala, of the Aratar no less. No one and nothing in this world can slay me, and I go where I will." Námo raised one hand to bid him stand still. "Use your blade to defend yourself, though there will be no need."

He reached for the ornate clasp holding his long, heavy cloak in place. 

"I know I must not be seen by the Dark One. And I know some fëar will forever elude me either out of their own free will or because he got to them first. But I will not surrender thousands of them, not so easily."

"You will summon them? Here and now?"

"That I shall." 

His tone made it clear that his decision was final. Bowing his head dutifully, even as worry continued to make his skin prickle uncomfortably, Navëquen proceeded to move behind him and reverently pulled the cloak from his lord's shoulders. While he folded it, Námo reached for the sash holding his outer robe in place, then waited for his attendant to remove it as well. 

Despite his best efforts to ignore his feelings, Navëquen felt his cheeks growing warm and suspected that his usually pale, almost colourless skin had assumed a dim shade of pink. It wasn't unusual for him to assist his lord in this manner, but rare to see him in such a state of undress. 

Only the inner robes remained now, thin and slightly translucent, allowing glimpses of lily-white skin underneath ink-black fabric. Námo placed his palms together and closed his eyes to focus, mumbling a few words of power under his breath. 

"It is as I thought," he said, "they are scattered, lost and afraid. I must gather them here before we can guide them home." 

"Yes, my lord." Navëquen knew what to do. He would be holding on to what his lord had discarded, watch over him as he performed a spell of summoning for the slain and tend to his every need as it arose. 

Hopefully the One won't choose a time like this to bestow a prophecy on top of it, he thought sardonically, remembering the times he had watched Námo collapse under the weight of a sudden vision and taken care of him. 

It was not as though Navëquen minded such a task, he was always glad to be in his lord's proximity; however, it would be rather unsafe to find himself in enemy territory with an unconscious Vala and only his own strength to defend against the forces of darkness, if they were spotted. 

Námo began to sing. It was pure song rather than any sort of spoken language, understood by each and every living thing, a wistful melody against the howling wind. Slowly, he began moving his arms, drawing wide circles, stretching and twisting his fána. His feet appeared to barely touch the ground whenever he took a step, his sandals spotless and his skin unmarred by charred wood and shards of broken weapons strewn all over the ground. 

Wide sleeves fell back when Námo rose to his full height and appeared to reach for the sky, allowing both himself and those who heard him in the Unseen Realm to pause and behold the regal poise of his chosen form. It was in perfect sync with his mighty ëala, moving, bending and swaying in ways that should be impossible when he began to dance alongside his song, now swift and full of energy. 

Oh, how beautiful he was. And how lucky Navëquen was to be the one to witness such a sight, a rare display of power from the eldest Fëantur. 

Weightless, Námo twisted, turned and twirled around. His voice filled the air, lonely where normally a choir of Maiar would sing alongside him, now reduced to the gentle hum of Navëquen's quiet notes. Yet even so, the song felt all-encompassing, as if the very spirit of Arda was responding to one of its masters. 

Within the Seen, there was only the wind, but within the Unseen, a different kind of storm was brewing. Houseless fëar, first appearing shyly like flickering candles, then flocking to Námo like a herd of spirits, some reaching for him, others crying out. Navëquen had to focus on his fána standing firmly on the ground to avoid being swept away, a task made infinitely more difficult by the sheer force with which he was drawn to the Vala, just as the fëar were. 

With one final note, Námo once again reached for the sky, then brought his hands together and let himself fall to his knees, completing the spell. He remained motionless for a while, letting a flood of spiritual power wash over him until every single fëa he could sense had appeared. 

"Be not afraid," he said quietly. "I have come to take you home." 

Navëquen stepped closer, robes and cloak in hand. "My lord, your–" 

"Later." 

And with that, Námo's fána vanished into thin air, leaving his remaining clothes to be picked up by Navëquen. 

Within the Unseen Realm, his ëala was greater and brighter than before, now fully present, and the fëar eagerly swarmed him, some even attaching themselves to him or hiding within the hair and sleeves of his spiritual form, appearing to them as a great and magnificent lord. 

Thus Navëquen trailed behind as Námo guided his new charges across the sea to rest from the turmoils of life. Indeed, it would be best if no one knew that the Judge of the Valar had come to the battlefields of Middle-earth in person to take back the fëar that the Dark One had undoubtedly planned to harvest for his own nefarious purposes, stealing them away from right under his nose. 

Navëquen shook his head. Námo had always endeavoured to teach him patience, neutrality, impartiality and restraint, yet surely not even the One could blame him for possessing a heart and emotions that were sometimes stronger than the divine law that guided his hand. 

Thanks for reading! ♡

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