ring-smith

[ring-smith]

Second Age Week Day 1 - Elves

@secondageweek

The Titles of Celebrimbor

The life of Celembrimbor through the titles and names he has borne. Not technically all in the second age, but the bulk of them are and it was inspired by this competition, so I'll keep it as such.

Gets rather long and a little abstract at times, so if you re on mobile be aware of that.

Crossposted on ao3 titled "The Titles of Celebrimbor" as TheScarletWarrior.

Telperinquar

A father name was quickly given, and so it was in the case of Curufin's son. Staring down at the child in his arms, Curufin considered carefully for a moment.

"Feanaro would undoubtedly call you Curufinwe little one." Curufin murmured quietly. They were alone, the doctor and midwives with his wife, so there was no shame to be had in talking to his son. "The heir of our house should of course have such a name. Like I do."

Yet he hesitated. Curufin had few complaints with his childhood - son of the greatest of the Noldor, why should he? And yet, there was a weight to his name, a pressure to be as great and greater than his father that he rarely liked to admit to. It was not of course, only in his name. "And yet so much of it was, wasn't it." Curufin pondered, staring into the eyes of his child. "Should you too bear that weight?"

He could, of course. No Feanorian would not rise to any weight placed on them. But looking into the babe's eyes, Curufin was struck with the thought that maybe just because he could, does not mean he should.

His father entered then, the midwives finally unable to hamper his entrance any longer. The molten gaze swept to Curufin's son, and a grin the likes of which Curufin had never seen swept across his face.

"Well, my son?" Feanaro was always shining, but happiness made him glow brighter than ever. "Have you got a name?"

"Yes." Replied Curufin. "His name shall be Telperinquar."

Let this be his own when so little else will be.

Hand of Silver

"What does my name mean?" It was an innocent enough question, one Tyelpe did not think should have earned the amused guffaw it did from Uncle Tyelkormo. His father glared at the particular Uncle before replying.

"It means Silver-fisted, or Hand of Silver. Depends on how you translate it to that barbaric Sindarin." Staring at Tyelpe, his father asked roughly "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, Maitimo said that we need to obey the Quenya ban. I'm trying to make up my new name." Pausing for a moment, Tyelpe continued before his father could interrupt like he so often did. "So it would Celebrimbor in Sindar, correct."

Anger coloured his father's expression, but it cooled minutely at Tyelkormo's warning glare. "It would be. I suppose you cannot just shorten your name like mine, so this will have to do for diplomatic reasons only. Outside of them, you're still Telperinquar, still a Noldor, still a Feanorian. Understand?"

"Yes, Father." He replied dutifully. Bowing and taking his leave, Tyelpe pondered on the name. His father clearly didn't like it. But he kinda did. "Celebrimbor. I think I could get used to that."

Heir of Feanor

"You are my heir, you are your Grandfather's heir! You would forsake the line of Feanaro? The greatest of our kind? In his legacy, you would perhaps achieve even a tiny fraction of his glory. Without it, you are no more than a murderer and traitor!"

"I am all those things whether I am of Curfinwe or not! An heir to blood and fire, glory in that there may be, but I see no good here. You know no kindness, give no mercy. And in this madness, I refuse to remain consigned."

"You would disown your own family?!"

"I do. I renounce Feanor, I renounce my blood, and I renounce you. From this point forth, your deeds have no bearing on me."

"Then you are no son and no heir of mine."

Lord of Eregion

The sparkling city shone like the moon on the water below him. A careful construction of several decades, at last Eregion had been finished. Allowing a smile to come through, Celebrimbor stood oblivious to the shocked looks he was getting from the fellow smiths for that.

"Does it meet what you wanted, Lord Celebrimbor?" One of them spoke up, a Nolofinwean Noldor he did not know.

"Well, I would hope it would, given I helped build it." He replied glibly. "It is better than I had believed we could make in such a time."

Before they replied, the voice of Erenion floated up. "Now that you've finally got a bloody home beyond Wherever you fancy, maybe you shall deign to visit once in a while, O'Lord of Eregion?"

Celebrimbor laughed.

Dwarf Friend

Narvi examined the door carefully, taking it in. He shot Celebrimbor a critical look, and he merely raised an eyebrow in response, fighting down the urge to laugh. "Does it match what you envisioned my friend?"

"It supersedes anything I thought could be done with your latest obsession." He admitted, still eyeing the door. In the moonlight the mithril engravings were clearly visible, done in Sindar out of respect for it being the most common language out here that both dwarf and elf were likely to know. "Your work with the mithril is astounding. But..."

"Yes?"

"Why exactly have you put the password on the door? It's not very safe, is it?"

"Quite the contrary." Walking forward, Celebrimbor laid a hand against the cool, fine stone, facing away from his friend. "Not everyone enjoys riddles as much as your dwarves do, or my elves. The word requires one think if you do not already know the password, offering a chance for this door to be used by even people who do not know the password, if only they stop to consider."

Narvi frowned. "But why would anyone other than ours need to use it? Any travellers in Eregion or Khazad-dum can just gain permission and the password from officials."

Still facing away, Celebrimbor was ignorant to the quieter and more grieved tone his voice took. "I have lived through much and more Narvi, and all it has shown me is that nothing lasts forever. Creations of my family even more so. I know that someday, somehow, Eregion will disappear. In peace or war, it will happen. After that time has come and gone, I do not want this friendship between our races to end with us. It should endure, so long as we try to maintain it."

Softening, Narvi walked over and placed a hand against the elf's wrist. "And so it shall, my dearest friend. You have shown me the true strength of character of the elves, and that shall long be treasured after we are gone. You are dwarf friend, and that is taken lightly by none of us."

Head of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain

A rhythmic clang of hammers and the bellow of forge fires vibrated throughout the forge, a swirling confusion of heat and noise. Celebrimbor blocked it out as he focused on the ring in his hands. The sixteenith and final ring, Celebrimbor was applying the layer of script for the last time.

He trusted his people, and for that encouraged them to be the ones to make the rings under Annatar's instruction. The process had been a long and hard way, more mentally exhausting than any project most of them had undergone before. But even Annatar had been surprised by Celebrimbor's ability with mithril, his skill at writing with it, embedding it with the correct spells to make the effect desired. Annatar had taught him what to use and written the words, but Celebrimbor alone applied them to the rings.

And at last it appeared his job was done. Holding it up to the light, Celebrimbor judged it be of matching intensity and nature to its eight companions. He could feel its song, a melody of dark sun and bright night, even while not wearing it. The rings were at last completed.

Turning, he faced the waiting Gwaith-i-Mírdain. Holding the ring aloft, he turned to announce their deepest pride completed, oblivious to the golden eyes watching from the corner.

The Gwaith-i-Mírdain had created work beyond measure, and Celebrimbor had lead them there - fey and fell as that was to be, for now it felt like a triumph.

Ringmaker

"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."

The Ringmaker's song, though few knew it as such. Elrond himself had only known of all but the last three lines being Celebrimbor's thanks to their proximity to Eregion allowing him to send a final mental message. All the army had heard it, yet most assumed it from Sauron. Elrond knew otherwise, for no one felt quite like Celebrimbor.

He supposed, in his own way, Celebrimbor had been almost staking a claim. A final, defiant proclamation that he was the Ringmaker, if not the Ring Lord. A cry in the dark, that all the rings were not Sauron's, but the elves.

Staring at Vilya on his finger, Elrond swore there and then that his cousin will be right in his faith, in his trust, and in his final absolution.

#second age week #celebrimbor #eregion #silmarillion #my writing #my work #headcanon #tolkien #The Disowning in Nargothrond #The war of the ring #elves #noldor #curufin #elrond #feanor #sauron #annatar #gwaith-i-mirdain #narvi #nargothrond #Celembrimbor's Death #celegorm #second age

[ring-smith]

if you pay for a tv license in the uk here's your reminder to cancel it right now and let the bbc know you're doing it because they hate lgbt people

#bbc #this 'all or nothing' mentality is not helpful #i love that tag (its not mine) #people don't listen or think about things in grey #the bbc is one of the few damned decent news stations left #DO NOT throw that away because of a few actions of theirs you don't like #you have to take the (overwhelming) good with the bad #and work on fixing the bad WITHOUT destroying the good

[ring-smith]

Hello everyone!

We have decided to host this week to show our love and appreciation for the Second Age in all its facets. From proud Númenoreans to deep digging Dwarves, to the last High King of the Noldor, and the Dark Lord of Mordor - this week is dedicated to all of them and more!

A list of non-mandatory prompts below:

Day 1 Elves - Gil-galad, Oropher, Celebrían and many others - Lindon and Belfalas, Imladris and Eregion, Lórinand and Greenwood. What were the elves doing in the Second Age? This day is dedicated to them and their many endeavours.

Day 2 Men - What made Drúedain leave Númenor? What occurred in the East where the Blue Wizards journeyed? What was the situation on Númenor under Ar-Gimilzôr's rule? On this day of Second Age Week, we explore the race of Men - from proud Númenoreans, through those who would come to be known as Dunlendings, to the Haradrim in the South.

Day 3 Dwarves - From Ered Luin through Khazad Dûm to the Eastern Realms, dwarves played an important role during the Second Age. On this day you can explore their history and culture, events they participated in, prominent characters such as Durin IV. or Narvi and more!

Day 4 Sauron and his minions - Annatar, Zigûr, Tar-Mairon, Gorthaur - in the Second Age, Sauron was at his strongest. With his lies and deceits, he weaved his way into the court of Númenor and the forge of Eregion and began a reign of terror from his fortress in Mordor. This day is dedicated to him and his many followers.

Day 5 Artefacts and Symbols - The Second Age was full of prominent artefacts and symbols - from the Rings of Power to the White Tree of Númenor, their history and fate - there's plenty to explore!

Day 6 Impactful events - The rise and fall of kingdoms; councils and meetings, battles and wars - during the spam of 3441 of this Age, history books could easily be filled.

Day 7 Freeform - Did we forget about something or is there a prompt you want to revisit? Feel free to use this day for any Second Age related content!

The week will run during January 2022 - 17th to 23rd - and will be hosted by @iminye​ and @armenelols. ​ We will operate in a mixture of queued posts and direct reblogs.

To note:

Tag your work #secondageweek in the first five tags of your post and tag us @secondageweek so we can find your post

Should your post not be reblogged, feel free to send us an ask or a message

The same goes with all problems and questions; the ask box is open!

All kinds of content are allowed - fanfiction, fanart, headcanons, meta, edits, etc

For NSFW content and such, please tag your work accordingly.

We are looking forward to your creations!

#lord of the rings #secondageweek #saw2022 #tolkien #silmarillion #the hobbit #jrr tolkien #middle earth #second age #noldor #sindar #lotr #silm

[ring-smith]

The Lord of the Rings Secret Santa 2021 prompt meme signups are OPEN!

So, it’s that time of the year again: time to sign up for the Lord of the Rings Secret Santa exchange! Slash, femslash, het and gen, fic and fanart; you can request it all, so why not join in?

Lord of the Rings Secret Santa has been a traditional exchange since its inception, but since we are living in rather challenging times, we continue to adapt and refine the exchange to best serve all participants. This year, the exchange is in the form of a prompt meme.

If you are new to the format, AO3 has a helpful FAQ here.

This year’s timeline (2021):

- Prompt Posting: November 1st to 30th. - Claiming: December 1st to 22nd. - Collection Open for Posting: December 1st to 31st. - All Fills Due: December 31st. You will be able to post up to 3 prompts, and we will do our best to make sure that at least one of your prompts is filled.

Please note that this is an FPF challenge. (i.e. Fictional, not real people fiction/RPF.) We’re always open to all the Peoples and Ages of Middle-earth, which means that characters from The Hobbit are welcome too!

The Rules (2021): 

1. You will be able to post up to 3 prompts between November 1st and 30th, and we will do our best to make sure at least one of your prompts is filled.

2. Your fill is due December 31st 11:59 pm Pacific Time (you can check what that is in your time zone here). Please post it to AO3 (and nowhere else, until January 3rd).

3. As a matter of fairness, please make your story more than 750 words (1000 is better).

4. Once claiming has opened, please only claim a prompt if you plan on actually fulfilling your end of the bargain, and please only claim one prompt at a time. After you have completed your fill, you may claim a new one.

5. Signing up: the sign up form can be found here (or here if the main link gives you an error message). If you need help with signing up, please don’t hesitate to contact the mods at lotrsesa[AT]gmail.com.

Claiming a prompt: use the “Claim” button next to the prompt you want to claim. (You can find open prompts under “Prompts” in the sidebar.) Several people can claim the same prompt. You can also claim a prompt without having submitted any of your own.

6. It’s a good idea to join the LotR_SeSa LiveJournal community or the Dreamwidth community so you can keep track of any admin posts. You can also follow us on Tumblr at Lotr-SeSa.

Have fun – and spread the word!

#lord of the rings #challenge #fic challenge #prompt meme #holiday exchange #holiday prompt meme #fic #lotr #the hobbit #the silmarillion #jrrt #tolkien #sign up #lotr sesa #lord of the rings secret santa #secret santa #ao3 ao3 challenge #holiday fic #writing #definitely joining this!

[ring-smith]

Silmarillion X Hogwarts AU

#silmarillion #celebrimbor #gil galad #idril #maeglin #finduilas #silmarillion fan art #i love the art style #especially maeglin #finduilas is amazing too #and any art that shows gil galad and celebrimbor as friends is a good one to me

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Day 30 - Home

Thorin Oakenshield had spent too much of his life a wanderer.

Ever since that accursed dragon had taken his home, never more had he felt that true sense of being at home again. Constantly on the move, trips from the East to the West and back again had worn him down, entrenched the loss within him, even as they had been the only feasible way of sating his wander lust. The home he had loved and lost became like the stars, a beautiful fantasy just out of reach, one that would haunt him until they were found, nothing more than a fond impossibility.

And yet. After the loss and the grief and the travelling and the hopelessness, here he stood – in the halls of Erebor at last. While no the same, never the same as he remembered, yet still stood as proudly handsome as he had thought it would be. A home reclaimed; a family restored. His wandering finally at an end.

So why did it not feel so? Why, still, did he not feel content?

Thorin wandered deeper sown the caverns, surrounded by riches and jewels beyond imagination. He could faintly hear the sound of his companions, quieter now after witnessing the destruction of Laketown. Maybe that was part of it. Smaug’s destruction of Laketown was a terrible thing, that if a way had been offered to stop it, Thorin knew he would have gladly taken it. Despite their demands, he felt little ill will to the people. Dale and Erebor had a strong partnership once, and Thorin would see that restored. Yet the man Bard’s demands for compensation rankled him, as did the man’s audacity to bring an Elven army to his door and then expect fairness from him.

Not that Thorin though the Elvenking was much better. He was arguably far worse, having been against Thorin’s quest from the start, and now thinking he had any claim on anything in this Mountain! No, Thorin would be dead before the day ever came that the Elvenking called a single coin his own.

Perhaps then, it was the army outside his door that made him discontent. For how could one truly have a home, if it was too be constantly under threat? That would have to be fixed, and it would be when Dain finally arrived. How slow that dwarf was! Why, it was almost like he wanted Thorin lose the mountain to those blasted Elves.

He stopped, dread and rage consuming him for a moment. Perhaps that was the ploy, why they did not yet attack. Those Aule-damned Elves and Men were such cowards they had turned his own kin against him, and would use Dwarf against Dwarf to claim the treasure for themselves, laughing all the while. Fuming, Thorin turned to return to the surface. Well, if that was the plan, he would have to counter it in all urgency –

In his hate fuelled rush to reach the stairs, Thorin had knocked over a pile of coins, revealing a single axe underneath. Stopping, Thorin reached out one trembling hand and lifted the weapon into the air. He knew this axe. It had been a gift, from one young dwarf to another, from Dain to Thorin long before, back when they were both so young.

“This is for you, Cousin Thorin!”

“I thank you, Cousin Dain, but whatever is the occasion?”

“Why your birthday of course”

“My birthday was a fortnight ago Dain.”

“Well, we can’t all be Princes can we? Some of us have busy lives that actually tell us to do something with our time.”

“I do plenty with me time, you little cheek! You just want an excuse for always being late.”

The voices sounded around him, as real as the moment they had been said. Thorin slumped, feeling the rage go out of him as his hands’ started to tremble. How had he fallen to this? Doubting even Dain, his favourite and most loyal cousin? Was he truly as arrogant and broken as that?

In that single moment of clarity, Thorin thought back on his own actions. For home and duty and honour he had reclaimed Erebor, and avenged his kin. Yet Laketown had paid his price, and now a war was fore coming, which would claim many lives, of both Dwarf and Men. Even the Elves would die, and as little as he cared for them, still he could see a certain nobility in their actions, as Bard’s speech had made it clear that the main reason the Elvenking stayed was for the rights of the people of Laketown.

Should he pay them? It would fix the problem, and perhaps serve as recompense for the deaths they had suffered on his behalf. However it was Dwarven gold, even the part of it from Dale Smaug had stole, and as King under the Mountain it was his by right. He shouldn’t have to beg and bargain for the right to restore what was his, should he? Suddenly he was not so sure.

As Thorin lay there, dressed up as King, surrounded by a treasure born and won in blood with the axe of his kin in his arms, he felt trapped by doubt and indecision, just as he had all these long years in exile. Teetering on the edge of indecision, there is no telling which way he would have gone left alone.

But instead Kili rushed in, a flurry of panic and shock. “The Arkenstone!” He yelled, spying his Uncle on the floor. “Uncle, Bard has the Arkenstone! And Gandalf is with them!”

Thorin twisted round, rage in his eyes as the news registered. All that he had pondered – the clarity, the reflection, the pride, the guilt – vanished in a moment, overcome by his rage. Standing, Thorin made his way past Kili, marching up to the gates, determination written across his face.

Thorin Oakenshield had spent too much of his life a wanderer.

But know his wandering had ended. Because no one would take his home again.

#dwarrowtober #dwarves #unreliable narrator #thorin oakenshield #the hobbit movies #the hobbit book #the hobbit thorin #the hobbit #thorin's company #erebor #arkenstone #the elvenking #bard the bowman #laketown #mirkwood #dain ironfoot #iron hills

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Day 29 - Affection

(IMAGE NOT MINE)

When the days were dull and hope lost, in a Council grand, A fellowship was founded, made to the darkness withstand.

Not all got along, torn apart by the divisions of generations Between Dwarf and Elf, friendship was rife with complications.

And yet, while they bickered and fought and hated In the peace of Lothlorien, the foundations for more were created.

For grief, while a terrible and treacherous thing Allows hatred to be breached, by those willing.

So the Elf gave, tales of starlight and what was before For he knew much of this place, and the Lady at its core.

And the Dwarf took, learning what he could His respect growing for a fey and fell Lady of the wood.

But so too within his heart, the Dwarf’s affection for his fellow Grew great and true, as hatred for what he was began to mellow.

Thus it was that upon their leaving of that timeless place The two went together, a friendship formed regardless of race.

#dwarrowtober #dwarves #my work #my poetry #shit poetry #legolas #gimli gloinul #lothlorien #lord of the rings #i swear my poetry gets worse every time #this will be the last poem i subject any one too #the last two days will both likely be written I think #at this rate #i might actually complete the month #wouldn't that be something

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Day 28 - Battle

(IMAGE NOT MINE)

All around, the battle rages My army forced onto a battle for the ages

Dwarves, Men, Elves, Goblins, Wolves; five in all I must put dwarven pride aside, lest all should fall.

The Men have done no harm, thus the result, of working with them is no great insult.

Yet as for the Elves, there has been damage done But I’ll work with them, for this battle must be won.

Their Elvenking is great, protective of his own, a warrior true And while he is still no friend, as an ally maybe he’ll do.

However, our force is not enough, the Enemy is winning Come on then, lets give them a death worthy of singing.

Wait a moment, is that an Eagle that I spy? Indeed it is, maybe we can give victory a try.

And now the battle is won, though great was the cost A home regained, but a family lost.

#dwarrowtober #dwarves #my work #thorin oakenshield #dain ironfoot #battle of the five armies #the hobbit #thranduil #the elvenking #tolkien #my poetry #more #shit poetry #i should really write these instead as fics #that is what i'm better at #yet this is too fun to quit #supposed to follow dain's thought process during the battle #only in the book though #given that thranduil stayed #yes i'n still mad about his movie actions #HOWEVER #back to dain #i always thought that some sort of friendship grew between thranduil and dain #given they fight for the north together during lotr #this maybe shows the start of that #i need sleep #i'll stop tagging now #starting to ramble a bit

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Day 26 and 27 - Tomb and Grief

(IMAGE NOT MINE)

Hear yonder the wailing of Gimli, Losing the hope that now shines only dimly.

He can no longer easily see the light, Overshadowed by the grief found here this night.

Memories flood, showing joy and glee, From a better time, one where his world was free.

All that joy gone, and regret clouds his face, Despairs over the dream that brought good dwarves to this place.

And yet it was a noble dream, that brought them underground And nobler still, is the one keeping him firmly journey bound.

While kinsmen are gone, not all is lost For there are more he knows, whom death has not yet crossed.

Another sharp wail pierces the air, yet it is not from him, For they are not alone, the enemy is here, the situation grim.

And so Gimli shudders, his resolve reborn No orc will leave here alive come the dawn.

#dwarrowtober #dwarves #my writing #poetry #shit poetry but poetry none the less #shit poetry #look it even has a tag #balin #gimli son of gloin #gimli gloinul #my poetry #mines of moria #balin's tomb #lord of the rings

[ring-smith]

- Orodreth, Celebrimbor - Maglor & Elros, Maedhros & Maglor - Finduilas, Maglor - Fingolfin, Maedhros, Aredhel, Aegnor, & Angrod       // by Eärrámë

#silmariliion #tolkien #silmarillion #silmart #celebrimbor #orodreth #maglor #elros #maedhros #fingolfin #aredhel #aegnor #angrod #arafinweans #feanorians

[ring-smith]

aowyn’s fandom family - celebrimbor for alice @celebrimbooooor <3

Now these were the Three that had last been made, and they possessed the greatest powers. Narya, Nenya, and Vilya, they were named, the Rings of Fire, and of Water, and of Air, set with ruby and adamant and sapphire; and of all the Elven-rings Sauron most desired to possess them, for those who had them in their keeping could ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world.

want one? join my fandom family!

#celebrimbor #tolkien #silmariliion #silmarillion

[ring-smith]

Caranthir, writing a letter: Dear Celegorm, how are-

Caranthir: wait, can Celegorm read?

Caranthir: Dear Curufin, how are-

Caranthir: can Curufin read?

Caranthir:

Caranthir: Dear Celebrimbor-

#celebrimbor #caranthir #celegorm #curufin #tolkien #incorect silmarillion quotes #silmarillion #at least celebrimbor is reliable

[ring-smith]

celebrimbor with the rest of feanorians’ army in Nargothrond during Nírnaeth Arnoediad

(I know this is way too personal cuz the book didn’t even mention his name in the corresponding chapter but I just want to see him fight🥲)

#celebrimbor #tolkien #silmariliion #silmart #silmarillion #nargothrond #feanorians #house of feanor #i adore the armour #and the art is brillant #looks watercolour esque to me #something i've always loved

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Days 24 and 25 - Lord and Book

“Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone”

That is the quote given to the dwarves in the Elven rhyme about the One Ring. While no one is sure where the rhyme came from, it is almost certainly Elvish in origin, as it may originate from the rings’ other major forger, Celebrimbor, also (though more rarely) called Telperinquar.

From the quote, we know that these seven rings were made specifically for the dwarves by Celebrimbor and Sauron. Why is not known, and only the dwarven sources state that Celebrimbor handed over the rings, while all others say Sauron. None come from Eregion or its survivors, so the truth is unknown, but one of the pair clearly planned for the dwarves to play a role.

Unlike the other rings the pair worked together on, the Nine, the Seven did not turn their masters into wraiths, a testament to dwarven nature. Instead, all accounts seem to suggest that when their power was activated by the One Ring, all that happened was the dwarves grew greedier. So, what exactly did Celebrimbor want them to do?

The Three obviously had purpose, to delay the end of the world through healing and preservation rather than force. But what was the purpose of the lesser Sixteen? Celebrimbor was no fool, despite the trickery he fell subject to, and so Sauron would have had to give them a different, more preferable power, or they would not be proper magic rings at all.

For that was the selling point of his gift to Eregion – the ability to make rings that could harness magic. Celebrimbor knew magic, as the Doors of Durin show, and the inscriptions on all rings he was part of creating are in that same language and skill, though none have ever replicated the effect. We only know of the existence of inscriptions on the Nineteen because of one of the Gwaith-I-Mirdains diaries, in which she wrote of “the Sixteen have taken shape, and all that is left is for Tyelpe (Celebrimbor) to finish the inscriptions”. He needed Sauron for the rings forging, not the magic, and likely couldn’t previously work on something that small. But the true purpose and power of them is now lost to history.

As to the fate of the Seven? There location was yielded by Celebrimbor under torture, and three would later be claimed by Sauron, and likely lost their power with the others after his destruction. The other four where eaten by dragons, as dragons are want to do when eating the wearers of any kind of jewellery. Only Durin’s line would keep their ring for a long time, before Thrain II lost it Sauron around Third Age 2845. So in the end, the dwarves probably suffered the least over their rings, as they were quickly removed or destroyed.

Overall, the true purpose and meaning of the Seven remains as mysterious as the Nine. We do know that even with the chaos his trust in Annatar (Sauron’s disguise in Eregion) would bring, the dwarves continued to respect Celebrimbor, and give one of the kindest accounts of his story. But as to the truth of this matter, that I supposed must have died with their maker.

- From the Legacy of Eregion, a historical novel

#dwarrowtober #dwarves #my work #headcanon #my writing #celebrimbor #silmarillion #the one ring #sauron #moria #durin #thrain ii

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Day 23 - Miner

Moodboard is themed around Moria, Durin VI and Durin’s Bane, the Balrog that kills him and his son Nain I a year later. Analysis of my own Moodboard:

- Rocks in hand represents the dwarves mining deeper and deeper looking for…

- Mithril, the second image showing what I think it roughly looks like. It was for mithril that the dwarves dug, though for who I’m not sure as Eregion has been destroyed, taking most of the Elven Smiths with it, and the dwarves didn’t really use Mithril that much, but I suppose maybe they started to after Eregion no longer could?

- Third image is my favourite, meant to be the eyes of the newly awoken Balrog staring through flame before his attack. It looks both beautiful and slightly scary, which many of the older villains in Tolkien are, despite what a balrog resembles in the movies (though that’s for another day).

- Final image is the cavers of Moria, abandoned in the destruction, not to be reclaimed for a very long time.

Bit weird to look at my own Moodboard I know but wanted to articulate my thought process.

#dwarrowtober #dwarves #my work #headcanon #silmarillion #moria #balrog #durin's bane #not really about the prompt #more loosely inspired by it

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Day 22 - Elderly

Quick head canon to do with dwarven aging.

Now I think its stated somewhere that dwarves age from childhood to adulthood, live for generally a couple of centuries in their prime, then rapidly age in the last ten years of their life. Can’t remember the source but it’s always been the canon I accept.

Now my headcanon relates more to what dwarves do once they get old. Humans, if they can, retire to the home and spend their last few years being cared for by their family, living out their ‘golden years’ in peace and rest. At least that’s the ideal, if not always the reality.

In my headcanon, I think dwarves generally retire once the first signs of aging appear, as it is highly unsafe to forge or fight as their bodies start to fail. Most settle down from their duties, appointing a successor from their house if they’re the head of it, before spending the rest of their days focused on caring for family, recording their stories (whether in text or song) and generally serving the community in much quitter ways that most dwarves of both sexes don’t do in their prime.

Bit of a ramble but I needed a more positive headcanon for today than the one I had originally planned.

#dwarrowtober #dwarves #headcanon #my work

[ring-smith]

Dwarrowtober Day 21 - Ravens

(Doesn't match the films, probably inconsistent with the book to, but was fun to speed write).

The Ravens of Erebor, the dwarves called them. It was a funny thing to call them, as the mountain had existed long before its name, and the ravens with it. They had never before left it, safe in this mostly isolated corner of the world, for few people except some particularly adventurous Elves came to the mountain. Some hobbits had lived nearby for a time, but even they moved on, before the dwarves came. The ravens were as much a part of the mountain as the mountain was.

So when they did leave, after fire and death had made its home in theirs, they didn’t go all that far. Some moved south to Laketown, while others merely flew through the nearby ruins of Dale, eating what was left untouched by the dragon before moving with the rest. All left but none abandoned this place. Without knowing it they waited, their very nature knowing what was to come.

After a longer time than any could name, word spread east through the network of other birds. First a owl from Rivendell arrived, chattering excitedly about dwarves and a wizard, and one queer little fellow who had looked mighty confused but was much more polite then the rest. The old ones, used to the over exaggerated nature of their western kin, thought it nothing more than an exaggerated story of some travellers getting lost then helped as most were by Elrond (for all animals know the Elvenking’s friends) and left it at that.

But the owl was insistent that they had been Durin’s folk, heading straight here to reclaim Erebor in all haste. Though their elders dismissed the very notion, their younger generation listened, and waited. They may not remember Erebor, but something in them still knew that a change was coming.

Next a thrush from Mirkwood arrived, relaying a tae of some dwarves, imprisoned for lies and trespassing. They would not sa where it was they headed, but had clearly been moving east. The youngsters were stirred, feeling more thsn ever that something was happening, something was changingyet still their elders called for waiting, for proof of these dwarves intetn before ant action was to be taken.

Many wondered what action they would be taking if they were true, as Ravens are not the most skilled of fighters, yet none asked, and none acted.

Finally, weeks (a People concept, but one we will use for ease of understanding) later, the dwarves made their arrival, and the truth was revealed. In joy, the youngsters flew ahead, to the delight of the dwarves as they saw the ravens return. Roac, even as old as he was, flew down to meet them, and the Mirkwood thrush flew to the door never opened, compelled by instinct beyond its understanding. The King Under the Mountain was back, and a return was imminent.

Yet the trials were not yet done. Soon word came down that the armies of Mirkwood were imminent , accompanied by the Men of Laketown. And then disaster formed on the horizon, as the orcs armies arrived, drawing destruction in their wake.

Ravens are not fighters by nature, and their was little they could do. Yet Roac knew their was something at least. He summoned his fastest bird, and commenced the order.

“Summon the Eagles”.

All along Middle-Earth, birds of all kinds let of the greatest symphony of noise since the Last Allaince. They repeated one phrase, from Erebor to Laketown’s ruins to Mirkwood to Dol Guldur to the Misty Mountains themselves:

“Summon the Eagles.”

And when they appeared on the horizon – great and dangerous, gods among birds – Roac knew that the ravens would have their home again, whatever its name.

#dwarrowtober #my work #my writing #headcanon #dwarves #thorin oakenshield #roac #ravens of erebor #based on the book not the film #the hobbit