ladysternchen

[ladysternchen]

Reblogging to adjust, because naturally, characters have other intentions than writers.

- Beren still gets the ring. From Finrod. On his death’bed’. The sword Lúthien steals back. Tuor’s axe gets to Elros like in canon.

- the second kinslaying happens, the third doesn’t. Bit not because of the WoW, but because they learn. Eärendil still sails. Elwing still flees. The twins still feel sorry for M&M.

-Túrin remains largely untouched by this AU. He is fostered by Beren in Nargothrond instead of Doriath. Much of the griefs of his youth don’t have a chance to happen. He’s still cursed, and a curse for those around him. He still brings about the fall of Nargothrond.

-Dior and Nimloth are childhood sweethearts. That makes their fate even more tragic.

That’s about it at the moment

I don't exactly know how it happened, but one of my side-projects (a fic I really wrote only to myself because I need not throw EVERY way to torture my blorbo at you. That's this stupid thing I have with being mortally afraid of annoying people)... no, let's start this sentence anew, shall we? So, I don't know how, but somehow one of my side-projects spiralled a little out of control and is now set to become a fully-fletched AU 😳. Um, I don't do those? Well, apparently, now I do.

(I'm gonna sketch the story out here, so if you know you wanna read that once it's written and really truly detest SPOILERs, don't read on)

In this AU, the Sindar do not win the first battle, and Eglador falls before it ever has the chance to become Doriath. The Falas stand, but just, so when the Noldor arrive in Beleriand, they find what they longed for- plenty of orcs, and lands free to govern. (Morgoth is actually quite amused by that statement just now) • Lúthien swears revenge (so probably Morgoth shouldn't be laughing after all?) • she (and Galathil and Celeborn who decided that they'd rather be dogging their cousin's footsteps than staying put in Círdan's 'keeping') end up in Nargothrond. (Galadriel and Celeborn- saved). Lúthien finds that she loves bossing cousins around. • After Barahir saved Finrod in the Bragollach, Finrod does not give him the ring, but rather Barahir pleads with Finrod to take his son to safety. Finrod complies. (Beren and Lúthien- saved) • Lúthien still has a thing to settle with Morgoth. She doesn't care if she lives or dies, she just wants to humiliate Morgoth as much as possible. That's something personal. So she sets out to steal the Silmaril. Beren and Finrod follow. •the War of Wrath comes early, perhaps. There is no third kinslaying. Elrond and Elros are just left in Círdan's keeping (like half of Beleriand... sorry Círdan, for being made babysitter rather than shipwright). Maglor and Maedhros are still driven mad by the oath. Maedhros still commits suicide. Maglor still throws the Silmaril away. The Peredhil-twins witness this. Friendship grows of that. •roughly everyone who lives by the canonical end of the FA lives. Roughly everyone who's dead by the canonical end of the FA is dead. I do a lot of character redemption. Later ages should work unhindered by AU. Still not sure what to do about Túrin.

Feel all free to ask or else add ideas if you like :D

#AU

[ladysternchen]

Silmarillion Daily - Of the Arming of the Sindar

And ere long the evil creatures came even to Beleriand, over passes in the mountains, or up from the south through the dark forests. Wolves there were, or creatures that walked in wolf-shapes, and other fell beings of shadow; and among them were the Orcs, who afterwards wrought ruin in Beleriand: but they were yet few and wary, and did but smell out the ways of the land, awaiting the return of their lord. Whence they came, or what they were, the Elves knew not then, thinking them perhaps to be Avari who had become evil and savage in the wild; in which they guessed all too near, it is said.

Therefore Thingol took thought for arms, which before his people had not needed, and these at first the Naugrim smithied for him; for they were greatly skilled in such work, though none among them surpassed the craftsmen of Nogrod, of whom Telchar the smith was greatest in renown. A warlike race of old were the Naugrim, and they would fight fiercely against whomsoever aggrieved them: servants of Melkor, or Eldar, or Avari, or wild beasts, or not seldom their own kin, Dwarves of other mansions and lordships. Their smithcraft indeed the Sindar soon learned of them; yet in the tempering of steel alone of all crafts the Dwarves were never outmatched even by the Noldor, and in the making of mail of linked rings, which was first contrived by the smiths of Belegost, their work had no rival.

At this time therefore the Sindar were well-armed, and they drove off all creatures of evil, and had peace again; but Thingol’s armouries were storied with axes and with spears and swords, and tall helms, and long coats of bright mail; for the hauberks of the Dwarves were so fashioned that they rusted not but shone ever as if they were new-burnished. And that proved well for Thingol in the time that was to come.

This is anothing thing that highlights that the Valar urging the elves to come to Valinor wasn’t something that was really necessary - prior to Melkor���s parole, the dangers of Middle-earth are something that the Sindar and dwarves working together are able to deal with.

It’s also worth noting that, dating from this time, the Sindar had a good 170 years of experience defending themselves before the Noldor arrived in Middle-earth. The Girdle of Melian doesn’t exist yet at this point; that only goes up when Morgoth returns to Middle-earth.

Interestingly, the Sindar - out of necessity - actually learn weaponsmithing and the making of armour well before the Noldor do, though they mostly don’t have the same level of interest or expertise in metalworking. And additional point is that, while Beleg’s speciality is archery, the Sindar as a whole are not mainly fighting with bows and arrows, but with axes and spears and swords.

It also means that Lúthien is not nearly as sheltered and insulated from the wider world as as is sometimes imagined. She’s met dwarves; she’s likely responsible for some of the tapestries in Menegroth; she’s likely seen most of Beleriand at various times; and she’s aware that dangers exist.

All of this is going on while, in Valinor, the grandchildren of Finwë are still growing up. Turgon and Finrod are still a little shy of adulthood.

#precisely #the silmarillion #sindar

[ladysternchen]

The witch-lady and her only daughter, whom she passed her great magical skill.

#this is so beautiful #other people’s gorgeous art #melian #lúthien #we see too little of the two of them together

[ladysternchen]

old fanarts from 2023

smol beleg ⬆️

⬆️ AU where Mablung went to Amon Rudh and died there (I did not intend for Beleg's hair to be blond, it was the first time I used color pencil in years...)

⬆️Tired as heck Mablung and a Beleg to the rescue (a scene from a story idea living in my brain)

⬆️Later in that same story idea, Beleg watching over a hurt but very alive Mablung

I'm very normal about those two :))

#❤️ #beleg cuthalion #mablung #other people’s gorgeous art

[ladysternchen]

Finally. the Good take on Thingol!

It's not about Good and Bad. I just see everyday on tumblr some gray characters or worse getting infinite love : Morgoth, Sauron, Maedhros, Feanor, Maeglin... And I like them, I don't care about their rights ang wrongs. It's not about good or evil. We like them as they are.

But I really don't understand why Thingol receive so much hate for actions not really worse than the others. Anyone can hate him but not for his wrongs when they close their eyes in front of other's wrongs.

#yup #elu thingol

[ladysternchen]

#i headcanon she left her body by the shore of the sea #oh my poor girl

[ladysternchen]

#faded out of grief and #guilt

[ladysternchen]

#he brought it all upon himself #but i still feel very very sorry for him #and don’t actually dislike him

[ladysternchen]

#this time i really can’t vote because i can’t decide #beleg really only meant well #finduilas and gwindor did nothing wrong whatsoever #húrin and morwen and nienor… well they COULD have listened and been a bit less stubborn #but still they did nothing to deserve this #and nor did túrin himself #but for me -very unsurprisingly- it’s elu thingol who got to suffer from túrin’s deeds completely undeserved #like he took him as his son and treated him so without denying túrin his true heritage #and was later on hated by túrin even though he apologised for something he didn’t #even witness

[ladysternchen]

#i think melian found it mildly funny at first #not the silmaril #but elu’s attempts to restrain lúthien #like the girl is half-maia #as if he didn’t know perfectly well himself that he couldn’t restrain her #because melian is bound by her kin’s rules about not tempering with the will of the Children #but lúthien was not bound by that #plus she is per se more powerful than her father #so melian rolled her eyes and leaned back to watch

[ladysternchen]

#i honestly didn’t know what to vote #yes it was the reason #she could not be without him #and would never leave him #but had lúthien not foresaken her immortility she would not have left probably #because she would have stayed had a part of elu lived through lúthien #and had she not had to deal with childloss #which is the worst pain possible

[ladysternchen]

short hair luthien 🪻

commissions | shop | ig | twt

[ladysternchen]

Silmarillion Daily - Of Menegroth

Today’s Silmarillion Daily contains two events - one is the building/carving of Menegroth and the other, happening around the same time in Valinor, is the births of Turgon and Finrod.

Here’s the part on Menegroth:

Now Melian had much foresight, after the manner of the Maiar; and when the second age of the captivity of Melkor had passed, she counselled Thingol that the Peace of Arda would not last forever. He took thought therefore how he should make for himself a kingly dwelling, and a place that should be strong, if evil were to awake again in Middle-earth; and he sought aid and counsel of the Dwarves of Belegost. They gave it willingly, for they were unwearied in those days and eager for new works; and though the Dwarves ever demanded a price for all that the did, whether with delight or with toil, at this time they held themselves paid. For Melian taught them much that they were eager to learn, and Thingol rewarded them with many fair pearls. These Círdan gave to him, for they were got in great number in the shallow waters about the Isle of Balar; but the Naugrim had not before seen their like, and they held them dear. One there was as great as a dove’s egg, and its sheen was as starlight on the foam of the sea; Nimphelos it is named, and the chieftain of the Dwarves of Belegost prized it above a mountain of wealth.

Therefore the Naugrim laboured long and gladly for Thingol, and devised for him mansions after the fashion of their people, delved deep in the earth. Where the Esgalduin flowed down, and parted Neldoreth from Region, there rose in the midst of the forest a rocky hill, and the river ran at its feet, There they made the gates of the hall of Thingol, and they built a bridge of stone over the river, by which alone the gates could be entered. Beyond the gates wide passages ran down to high halls and chambers far below that were hewn in the living stone, so many and so great that that dwelling was named Menegroth, the Thousand Caves.

But the Elves also had part in that labour, and Elves and Dwarves together, each with their own skill, there wrought out the visions of Melian, images of the wonder and beauty of Valinor beyond the Sea. The pillars of Menegroth were hewn in the lines of the beeches of Oromë, stock, bough, and leaf, and they were lit with lanterns of gold. The nightingales sang there as in the gardens of Lórien; and there were fountains of silver, and basins of marble, and floors of many-coloured stones. Carven figures of beasts and birds there ran upon the walls, or climbed upon the pillars, or peered among the branches entwined with many flowers. And as the years passed Melian and her maidens filled the halls with woven hangings wherein could be read the deeds of the Valar, and many things that had befallen in Arda since its beginning, and shadows of things that were yet to be. That was the fairest dwelling of any king that has ever been east of the Sea.

And when the building of Menegroth was achieved, and there was peace in the realm of Thingol and Melian, the Naugrim yet came ever and anon over the mountains and went in traffic about the lands; but they went seldom to the Falas, for they hated the sound of the sea and feared to look upon it. To Beleriand there came no other rumour or tidings of the world without.

There’s another tidbit about Menegroth in History of Middle-earth (The Peoples of Middle-earth, “The problem of Ros”):

…the great Hall of the Throne of Elwë in the midst of his stronghold of Menegroth…was called the Menelrond [heaven-dome], because by the arts and aid of Melian its high arched roof had been adorned with silver and gems set in the order and figures of the stars in the great Dome of Valmar in Aman, whence Melian came.

The section further states that Elwing named Elrond in memory of this place, and that this was held to be prophetic, as it foreshadowed Elrond choosing the kindred of the Eldar and “carrying on the lineage of King Elwë [Footnote: Also also that of Turgon; though he oreferred that of Elwë, who was not under the ban that was laid on the Exiles.]”, while Elros, named for water, crossed the seas and became King of Númenor.

I feel like Menegroth in the passage above comes about as close as anything else we see to Eru’s ideal for the Ainur and the Eruhíni: dwarves and elves and a Maia all working together in Middle-earth to make something beautiful with their different skills and knowledge. The decision to do it in incited by the awareness of danger, but that leads not to hostility but to cooperation and beauty. It’s not in Valinor, but it recalls much of Valinor and of the Valar: the carvings of trees and woodland creatures recall the forests of Oromë, the nightingales the gardens of Lórien, the tapestries of history (and visions of the future) the halls of Vairë and Mandos. Different peoples get a glimpse of things they don’t fully understand, but are drawn to: the dwarves can’t stand the sea, but they nonetheless love Círdan’s pearls.

This is what makes the way Menegroth ends such an absolute tragedy, and it is what makes Legolas and Gimli in The Lord of the Rings the redress of that tragedy: their visits to Aglarond and Fangorn, each understanding what the other loves, is a kind of echo of the unity of these caverns carved with trees and forest-creatures. They’re putting things right. (As, in a different way, Galadriel is putting Fëanor’s story right, and Elrond is putting Thingol’s specifically right.) Not putting things back exactly as they were, but healing them.

#this!!!

[ladysternchen]

#that also is indicated in canon #first because the very first thing she did when returning to life was heal her father #second because it is said in the Silmarillion and more directly in BoLT2 that she was deeply grieved #course that was melian’s departure and the destruction of her old home as well #so maybe that doesn’t count #but then dior named all his kids after his grandfather so…

[ladysternchen]

#that is so…. aaaaahh #conflicting headcanons #very conflicting headcanons #i want to say yes- for melian’s sake more than his #but i really think the answer’s no #only probably not solely out of guilt but out of grief #the silmarillion #elu thingol

[ladysternchen]

I’ve been thinking about Thingol in Beren and Lúthien lately; namely, what happens after he allows Beren to marry Lúthien.

I’m not sure how much time passes between Beren and Lúthien’s return to Doriath and the Hunting of Carcharoth. I personally imagine that at least a few weeks or even one month passed by before Carcharoth entered Doriath, which means that Beren and Thingol might have had time to sort things out together.

So, if we go off that assumption, I have to ask everyone:

I personally think they had a decent relationship (maybe even somewhat close), but I’d like to hear other people’s thoughts. Please reblog and explain your reasons in the tags!

#agreed about them becoming quite close #it's even somewhat canon #otherwise beren would not have chosen to save his father-in-law #and elu thingol would not have knelt beside him in utter terror #AND beren would not have gone to literal war to avenge elu's death #that does not say it wasn't complicated

[ladysternchen]

Massive fandom-mixup here (SORRY to all GoT-fans. I’m not into your fandom at all. Just pilfered the song)

I just listened to ‘Jenny of Oldstones’ and my mind keeps screaming ELWING. Like literally.

High in the halls of the kings who are gone.

Ok. There are so many!

Jenny would dance with her ghosts

She was never ok after the Second Kinslaying. She would seek solitude whenever the boys were asleep. Talking to people who weren’t there in her misery and despair.

The ones she had lost

(Adding queens and princes here as well) Her parents. Her brothers. Her grandparents. All the lords of the house of Bëor. Elu and Melian.

And the ones she had found

Turgon and Fingolfin and Finwë, her in-law-family to whom she feels connected as well, more than Eärendil, even.

And the ones who had loved her the most

Like Dior and Nimloth. Almost children themselves, and yet parents. I totally think that they refused to go anywhere after their death.

And she never wanted to leave

😭😭😭😭😭😭

(Now I’m not ok anymore)

#jenny of oldstones #elwing #sirion #ouch ouch ouch ouch