#5 Istari

[tossacointoyourhotmess]

Babylon 5 - The Geometry of Shadows + The Tempest

#Babylon 5 #technomage #So these guys are basically the Istari from Tolkien right?

[tamurilofrivendell]

Sleeping Beauty | Chapter 7

Previous Chapters [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Read on AO3 [x]

Pairing: Thranduil/Fem. Reader Summary: A Sleeping Beauty inspired tale with Thranduil the Elvenking, and a female elf living in Mirkwood under the care of Radagast, who is actually the ‘lost’ daughter of the late High King Gil-Galad. Taglist: @hufflepuff1700​​​​​​​​ @jinlizz-dragondrama​​​​​​​​ @firelightinferno​​​​​​​​ @bubbleyukismile @coopsgirl​​​​​​​​ @achromaticerebus​​​​​​​ @sleepyamygdala​​​​​​​   @smalltownbigheart​​​​​​ @qmabailor​​​​​

Radagast could only stare with barely concealed horror as the Enchantress addressed him, looking him directly in the eye. His thoughts were of you, at home, alone and unprotected. He had to remind himself that she was here in front of him and thus, for now, you were still safe. He had not wanted to run into her, having decided that the less she had seen or thought of him, the better. No matter now, of course.

When on earth would Gandalf receive that letter?!

"Do not tell me living in this twisted forest has made you simple." The Enchantress spoke again in the face of his silence, her smile not matching the words that left her mouth. She did not think his reaction strange. On the contrary she knew that he, much like Thranduil, would recall that day in Lindon well.

Radagast's grip on his staff tightened. "What luck brings you this far East?"

The Enchantress tsk'd at the wizard's bristling response. "Not even a hello?" She drawled, feigning a sorrowful expression before she shrugged. "I was not aware that travelling these days would cause one to be questioned quite so thoroughly as I have since I entered these parts."

"Travelling?" A sound that was something like a half-squeak, half-hum of disbelief left him then, as he kept his careful gaze upon her.

She nodded, making a humming sound of her own as she watched Radagast through eyes that had narrowed just slightly. "You know, I am very disappointed.” She said then, moving on without giving any sort of answer at all. “In both you and Thranduil.”

Radagast was frowning at her, his mind seeming to be in too many places at once to keep up with. He was telling himself to keep his eyes fixed upon her at all times in case she should attempt an attack of some sort. He was also thinking very desperately about you, hoping you had stayed inside as he told you to, but also hoping that this encounter did not dredge up any suspicion within the Enchantress. Radagast was also not certain he had the power to cast her out on his own. Indeed, all those years ago, he had only the power to add some sort of loop hole on to the curse the Enchantress had bestowed upon you.

“This is, after all, no way to greet an old friend.” She continued, either unaware of or simply ignoring, Radagast’s inner conflict.

At this, the wizard could not help but scoff, his full attention snatched rather ungraciously back to the present moment. “Friend?”

He narrowed his eyes and his voice hardened in a way that not many ever heard from Radagast the Brown, gentle a soul as he was. But he was one of the Istari and many over the years had seemed to forget this fact, and underestimate him.

“Is it a friend who acts as though one mere repudiation is the end of all things?” He asked, his staff moving with the gesture of his hand.

The Enchantress herself shifted at the movement of the staff, even though Radagast did not intend to strike her. Uncomfortable, perhaps even a little fearful. It was so small a movement that not many would have caught it at all... but the wizard did.

Ah, thought Radagast. Not so omnipotent as you like to believe, then.

“Is it a friend,” he continued on. “Who dwells upon this one abrogation until it blackens their heart and soul so much that they will then turn to murder?” He could feel it within him, that old anger, as strong as if it were still that day, over three thousand years ago. “Is it a friend who curses children and kills them for their own gain? Kills their own mothers before their very eyes? Is that a friend, indeed, O’ Enchantress?”

He went quiet, eyeing her as he stood tall before her. He felt more confident than he had when he had first come across her and Radagast knew that he would be fine, in this meeting at least.

She was silent for a moment, pinning him with a dark glare as he challenged her, something she very much had not expected him to do. She had hoped to get him to wilt like the very flowers of this forest were doing at this very moment. Yet he did not. He stood with all the power in him and she did not like it.

“Is it a friend, Radagast, who would snatch away a betrothal as quickly as they had offered it to another?” She snapped in return then, her anger still present even now, all this time later. Her embitterment towards Oropher for not allowing her to marry his son had not faded with time.

If Thranduil were here, Radagast had no doubt that the Elvenking would have thrown his head back and laughed out loud.

“Is it a friend, wizard-” Her voice had dropped all pretense and was hard as stone, cold as ice, as she lost her composure at being confronted so readily when she had only been prepared for the other outcome. “-who would instead turn and promise his darling prince to a newly born elfling of the Noldorin High King he so very much despised?”

Radagast was quiet, for he did not think she truly wanted an answer, and he did not have one for her. Not one that she would like, at least. She was the only one who would not see it, of course, but King Oropher had never truly intended to marry his son off to the Enchantress. Even then, young as she had been, there had been blackness in her heart and where she had gone, bad things had followed. Oropher never would have risked his son for a simple alliance or something else, not when it came to her. He had told the Enchantress that she could have what she desired if they came to some sort of peace, of course, but he had not known that what she had desired was his son’s hand... or, more aptly, his throne.

No, he and Gil-Galad had long thought to promise their beloved children to each other, if and when the High King and his wife were ever so blessed with a daughter of their own.

Bonds such as this were not common among the Eldar, of course, and they would not have forced in such a way that their children had no say in the matter. They would have held hope that the two would grow into love over time.

It had been their wives doing, of course, the two very close with each other and managing to bridge the gap between the Noldor and the Sindar Kings... this had ended with their deaths, of course.

It was so terribly tragic, Radagast thought even to this day, that such a bond had been irrevocably broken. Perhaps, if it had not, Oropher would not have made that fateful charge in Dagorlad... but old hurts and prejudices ran too deep and he would not bow to Gil-Galad’s command.

“Well! Speak!” The Enchantress snapped, lunging forward before even giving him a chance to do so. Her dark sceptre was thrust out towards the wizard but he was quick enough on his feet, even so distracted.

Radagast’s own staff shot out in front of him again and a pulse of what could only be described as energy shot from it, sending the Enchantress staggering backwards. Incensed, she struck out again, this time nearly wrenching Radagast’s staff from his own hand. He stood firm, a string of words then falling like a waterfall from his lips, and she cried out as if burned, nearly dropping her own staff in the process.

Then, as quickly as she had come, she was gone.

Radagast stood for a moment, listening, waiting. Sounds started to creep back into the forest around him. Birds tentatively began to chirp in the trees above. A rabbit bounced through the grass, hesitant as if expecting some attack.

Satisfied she was well and truly gone, he moved again, wasting no time. He had to reach the Elvenking’s Halls and be back in time for you to not notice anything amiss. He was thankful Thranduil had not yet carried out his plan to move further across the river or he would never have made the journey in time even with his speed.

As he neared the Woodland Realm, he couldn’t help but think of how impulsive and emotional the Enchantress still was, even with all these years and all this power. How stuck on this she seemed still, so intent on keeping a grudge alive when those who she had bore the rage against were long dead.

That, he supposed, was what sheer anger could do when you had not the will to let go or learn to control it.

#thranduil x reader #thranduil x you #thranduil fanfic #sleeping beauty

[spiced-wine-fic]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you so much dear @nocompromise-noregrets 🤗

1. How many works do you have on Ao3?  45

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 

2,842,840

3. What fandoms do you write for? 

Tolkien. The Silmarillion. 

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? 

Fragments of Fate and Fire (This one, I don’t tend to count, as it’s mostly art. It’s much easier to look at an image than devote time to reading).

Dark Prince, 

Magnificat of the Damned Book III: Fire.

A Far, Fierce Sky

Magnificat of the Damned Book II: Resurrection. 

5. Do you respond to comments? 

Of course. 😊 (I am grateful for them).

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? 

Magnificat of the Damned Book IV: Anvil. 

And I got some incredible comments on the last chapter that I still cherish. (It was not the end, but it was the end of that series).

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? 

I don’t believe in endings. Stories always continue and mine are mostly part of an ongoing series. But I have written a couple of one-shots and Requital did have a much more positive ending.

8. Do you get hate on fics? 

Never have, no. Or if I have it must have been mild and I’ve forgotten. But then I moderate my fics on AO3 and people usually can't be arsed to type a raging comment that won’t get published. Also I’m just not read that much. I write a lot of OC’s and people tend to scroll past, I’m sure.  (I never had negative comments on LOTRFF.com or Faerie, either, and one couldn’t moderate, but again, I think it was because that kind of person just didn’t bother with them and the atmosphere was more polite on those archives).

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? 

Sometimes. M/M. These days, it’s when it comes up, which is not so often. I find (after a particularly horrible fandom experience) that it’s like salt: you don’t need to pour it over everything. Anyhow, I’m interested in stories which have everything in them, not just sex. 

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? 

No. 

11. Have you ever co-written a fic before? 

I wrote Dark Prince and Dark Lands with Annwyn (back in 06/07) who I’m still in contact with but is no longer in fandom. She was lovely to write with. 

13. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Fëanor/Fingolfin. 

14.  What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? 

I want to finish A Far, Fierce Sky. I was writing that in tandem with one of the Magnificat stories and as A Light in the East and A Far, Fierce Sky, it’s sequel, were AU’s to my main arc, I had to drop one of them when I became self-employed. 

I no longer have the time to write very much so I hope to survive long enough to retire and be able to do much more 🥺

15. What are your writing strengths? 

Probably perseverance. I can hack through blocks and I completely ignore fandom fads so I can concentrate on my writing without dashing after the next hot take. If I get an idea I’ll follow it through. 

16. What are your writing weaknesses? 

Take your pick! 🤪

17. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? 

If used sparingly it can be effective. 

18. First fandom you wrote for? 

Tolkien. I’m monofandom. 

19.  Favourite fic you’ve written? 

I think of fics in terms of how I felt when I was writing them, and if I was in the ‘zone’ so it is a tie between Dark Prince and  Summerland.  Tagging @cycas @ettelene @nuredhel @naryaflame @pinksiamese @crowandmoonwriting @jane-ways @antares0606 @independence1776 @lucifers-cuvette @minquelie @grundyscribbling @thenookienostradamus @swanfloatieknight @geneeste @auntieaugury @blue-istari-stars-of-the-south @feedthefandomfest and really anyone who sees this and would like to do it.

#Fic #writing #questions #answers

[buffyfan145]

Fellowship of Fans was back today with their first scoops for 2024 for "Rings of Power" s2 and we finally got ones about The Stranger, Nori, and their adventure!!! 😀 I'm really excited about this storyline and what we got today including more confirmation that Amazon has gotten more approval to use certain things from Tolkien's other work.

First spoiler is that when The Stranger and Nori travel east they will meet another "wizard" that will help train The Stranger. They don't know yet if this is another Istari or just another magical being.

Amazon has been given permission from the Tolkien Estate/Embracer to use texts from "Unfinished Tales" about the Istari and have gotten the ok to use all 5 wizards for what the show's story needs. This includes Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, and the two Blue Wizards. Going back to first spoiler there's now speculation if The Stranger is Gandalf (which I've fully believed this whole time) that the trainer is either Saruman or one of the Blue Wizards. Already some fans are upset as this changes canon of when Gandalf and the other Istari arrived but it does makes sense with the show's mashing up of all the 2nd Age happening at once.

The Mumakhils/ Oliphaunts will appear in season 2 and listed as creatures being created for the show with CGI.

Finally The Stranger is being built up to be Sauron's main rival. This season he'll learn his abilities and reveal more about his purpose. This clearly has to prove he's Gandalf and setting up everything that's to come. Plus, if we go back to those leaks from The One Ring Net, they said there were flashbacks showing The Stranger/Gandalf/Mirthrander and Sauron/Mairon/Halbrand (Charlie Vickers filmed these flashback scenes and FOF already posted that he's playing the Mairon form too) confirming their past in Valinor. This all seems to go together and I'm really excited to see this as Gandalf has always been one of my favorite characters and I figured the finale finally confirmed it was him so looks like we'll finally get this for sure in s2.

#the lord of the rings #the rings of power #spoilers #the stranger #gandalf #daniel weyman #nori brandyfoot #sauron #mairon #halbrand #charlie vickers #saruman #radagast

[silmarillion-dnd]

Disgraced Maiar & Istari:

Note; thank you @sesamenom for discussing this with me<3 I really enjoy examining ideas with you

Masterlist

Disgraced Maia:

Playing a disgraced Maia means you used to be a powerful Maia, but somehow offended one of the Valar or maybe even Eru and now have been sent to Beleriand with almost no power and a body you are chained to. A main quest for a disgraced Maia could be to either be forgiven by the Valar and get your grace back, or get all your grace back on your own and become liberated from any of the Valar and Eru, and maybe even stronger than before.

Pros:

Some creatures might be more friendly and helpful to you as they can sense you are a Maia, especially if they don´t like your former Vala. You can sense if other Ainur are close, although not where they are. You will instantly have + 4 in song and + 2 in manipulation of anything in the physical world. You can posses others when you rise in level.

Cons:

As a disgraced Maia you can not be devoted to most of the Valar, except for Melkor, Nienna or Orome, unless one of these is your former Vala. Some of the Valar might even go out of their way to make things harder for you. You have disadvantages in Arcane. Some creatures might be hostile against you as they can sense you are a Maia, especially if they don´t like your former Vala and even if they like them.

Istari:

If you play an Istari you can be devoted to up to three Valar, but no more than that, and you can´t change to any other Vala, except for Melkor. Your purpose is to help the free people, but if you want to you can change side. You are the Valar´s voice in Beleriand.

Pros:

You are already a level 3 devoted and can choose one gift, even if you serve more than one Vala. You can choose three spells of your own wish when you begin. You have advantage on wisdom and intelligence. You will instantly have + 4 in song and + 2 in manipulation of anything in the physical world.

Cons:

You have the body of an old human and have disadvantage on strength and dexterity. Most humans and orcs will be hostile against you. You can´t be a barbarian, fighter, ranger, rogue, or blood hunter. If you choose to change sides the Valar will get angry at you and send even more Maiar after you than if you weren´t an Istari. You can still survive but that needs a lot of planning.

Small Maia:

If you play as a small Maia you are a weaker Maia who only has the power to have one body, either that of a humanoid, or you used to have that of an animal until one of the Valar chose to bless you with a humanoid body. If you are a small Maia who was gifted a body by a Vala you are automatically a level 3 devoted to said Vala. You don´t necessarily need to be devoted to any of the Valar if you already had a humanoid body. All creatures who are not normal animals, humans, dwarves, hobbits, or half-orcs instantly know you are some sort of Ainur, although depending on their power they don´t know if you are an Eldritch or a Maia. If they fail a perspective check on you they will either think you are what race your body looks like or even a very powerful Maia. You can sense if other Ainur are close, although not where they are.

Pros:

You have + 4 in song and advantage on wisdom and arcane. You can possess small animals when reaching level 5 in smaller periods of time, but you need to return to your body or you will die.

Cons:

You can´t change Vala you want to be devoted too if you start out as a devoted, unless it´s Melkor or Nienna. If you don´t start out as a devote the only Valar you can change too Melkor or Nienna. Some creatures might be hostile against you as they can sense you are a Maia. Some more than others if you are a devote.

#tolkien #jrr tolkien #silmarillion #silmarillion d&d #maiar #istari

[valardynasty]

Ordre des Istari 1/5

Maïa Curumo aka Saroumane le blanc.

"Saroumane, également connu sous le nom de Curumo, fut le premier des Istari, les émissaires des Valar envoyés sur la Terre du Milieu au Troisième Âge pour aider à contrer le retour de Sauron. Il était à l'origine le chef des Istari et à la tête du Conseil Blanc qui s'est opposé pendant un certain temps au Seigneur des Ténèbres."

Création par Intelligence Artificielle.

#lord of the rings #lotr #lotredit #ainur #tolkien fanfiction #maiar #valar #silmarillion #tolkien #curumo #saroumane #saruman #magicien blanc #istari #istar #the rings of power #valardynasty #ainulindale

[aldarquen]

Silmarillion (and LOTR) characters as things my friends have said: Part 5 (Camp Staff Reunion addition!)

Fëanor: “Who’s pulling into our driveway..” Finwë: “The Feds… They’re coming for you.” Gimli: “And that’s all I’m hired for: Comic Relief.” *canned laughter*

Tar-Mairon: *posts pic of random food* Ar-Pharazon: “Is that sweet and sour?” Tar-Miriel: “Is it even food?” Tar Mairon: “Blood.”🤪 Thranduil: *takes sip from glass* “You know what that tastes like? Another one.” Everybody else: *playing games in the snow* Mandos: *pulls a skeleton out of his car*

Celegorm: “I would do some shady shit for one of those good pulled pork sandwiches.” Maedhros: “You know what? I’m out. I don’t even wanna know…” Istari: *gets matching flannel shirts Radagast: *goes a step further by wearing Carhartt overalls and an ushanka* “Leaf peep that Forest Fit.” Finrod: *starts singing VeggieTales theme during party* Sauron: “Everyone, I heard that there’s some wild dogs roaming amok around so be careful!”

Maedhros, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin, Ambarussa: *start shouting over Cards against Humanity* Maglor: *walks in* “I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE’RE YELLING ABOUT!” Pippin: “Almost forgot: breakfast!” *bag of m&ms* Celegorm: “So much potential for eel-related activities! One night, you’re gonna wake up with copious amounts of eels in your sleeping quarters!” Maglor: *chokes on drink* “Um excuse you, no I’m fucking not.” Amrod: “You said you needed more staff for washing dishes? Do you know my little brother? He’d love working in the kitchen!. Just ignore him if he starts complaining or trying to leave: we can always get chains…”

Frodo: *pokes his head up into attic* Legolas (already in attic): “Awww you’re like a little prairie dog!”

Fëanor: (from the other room) "Oops I fucked up.." *wood stove noises* *fire alarms screech*

#tag yourself i'm maglor #feanor #feanorians #finwe #gimli #legolas #maedhros #maglor #celegorm #ambarussa #amrod #amras #frodo #sauron #tar mairon #miriel #ar pharazon #numenor #thranduil #radagast #istari #finrod #silm memes #silmarillion memes #incorrect silmarillion quotes #incorrect lotr #incorrect silm #incorrect quotes #lotr memes #lotr

[hobbitwrangler]

20 questions for writers

Thank you @scyllas-revenge for tagging me! <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Only 6 so far.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

21,536

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Only Tolkien fandoms so far.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Lol since I only have 6 fics this is basically all of them but from highest to lowest it's Victory in Defeat, A Monster in the Shadows, The Power of Tea (did not expect it to be this popular), At the Death of a Friend and Too Burdened to Fly.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Of course! Not necessarily immediately but I always reply.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I feel like At the Death of a Friend and Too Burdened to Fly are more sad than angsty, so I'll go with A Monster in the Shadows. That fic really put me through my Théoden and Éowyn feels.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I'm going to say it's a tie between Victory in Defeat and White Blossom, although Victory in Defeat gets to the happiness with less reflection beforehand.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not so far thankfully.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Nope, I have neither the courage nor the conviction.

10. Do you write crossovers?

No. Much as the idea of the three main Istari meeting the witches from Discworld fills me with great joy, I do not have the necessary skills to pull it off.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I'd be open to the possibility.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No and I think I'd need more time to grow confident in writing within Tolkien's universe before I'd consider it - although it sounds like it could be very fun!

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Farawyn have had me in a chokehold since forever, as anyone who has been on my blog for more than about five minutes will probably know. However, I must also give credit to Odysseus and Penelope (who are getting revived by me rereading the Odyssey), Kaz and Inej and Cor and Aravis (icons). Also Vimes and Sybil (my parents actually).

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have a Hunger Games fic which I started a few years ago because I needed a way of digging into how horrific the idea of Career Districts really is. The characters from it have a very special place in my heart but I don't think it has enough plot to work properly.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue? I tend to start with dialogue and then build the scene around it. I also think I'm fairly good at representing people's emotions.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Description/scenery. I have to force myself to do it every time and it's usually the last part of the writing process for me.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I could do French and Spanish but that's unfortunately not very useful in Middle Earth. I might be able to sprinkle some Sindarin/Quenya words here and there but whole sentences? No.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Lotr actually! I've come full circle.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

This is like asking a mother to pick her favourite child. I like all of them equally because they've all challenged me in different ways and allowed me to explore different character dynamics, some of which I've loved for ages (Théoden & Éowyn, Éowyn/Faramir) and some of which have only occured to me recently (Saruman & Galadriel, Bilbo & Gilraen). But if pushed I'll go with A Monster in the Shadows for now, since it allowed me to give my take on Théoden and Éowyn's relationship, which I've loved ever since I first watched the lotr movies as a kid.

tagging @imakemywings @glorf1ndel @emyn-arnens @searchingforserendipity25 @brigwife if you haven't done this already!

#tag games

[remusjohnslupin]

Your one of my favorite tolkien blogs since i started following you about 5 years ago but i never saw you comment on the rings of power. Did you like the show?

First of all, thank you for saying that and supporting me all these years, seeing as the Tolkien fandom is one of the most talented fandoms on this website and I can think of about 399374293729 blogs who make better content than I do.

Second, is that the Amazon show which depicted Galadriel (canonically most perceptive elf who could see into people's souls hence Sauron posing as Annatar was afraid to come near her) being fooled by Sauron? Is that the show that made Mordor become a thing by shoving a sword into a hole like I accidentally turn my shower to a way too hot setting sometimes? Is it the show that cheapened all the complex relationship the Númenoreans had with their mortality and their closeness to the divine -- and turned the whole thing into 'they took our jerrrbs'? Is that the show who walked all over the mission & timing of the arrival of Gandalf and the rest of the the Istari? Is it that show which stands as the living proof of the fact that it doesn't matter how much money you throw at an adaptation; that CGI doesn't make for a good story?

Is that the show you're talking about?

#messages #anonymous #please kindly keep RoP away from me thnx #ropgarbage

[ass-deep-in-demons]

🐉🔥🍽️💀

Thank you for asking! <3

🔥 Give us your hottest Silm hot take.

Idk if it counts as a hot take, but I take the entire Silm to be an anthology of the legends of the Elven people of Middle Earth. I think that all of the god-like, supernatural phenomena that have esupposedly happened in Valinor and in the First Age really have some more down-to earth explanations. I don't want to spoil some revelations from my fanfic series so I'll stop here ;P

🐉 A lot of figures in the Silm have weird Eldritch powers or possibly biology. Tell us about your headcanons for one.

Continuing from the previous paragraph, I headcanon that the Ainur arent god-like or angelic in nature. Instead they are a very capable species with a different biology. Their bodies are infused with magic, and thus they live forever, can change shapes and are capable of incredible feats of power - much like we witness the known Istari to be; they are powerful but not infallible. They have created an advanced civilization in Aman, and because of this they seemed god-like to the elven tribes who have first reached its shores. But they are actually not supernatural in origin, or at least not any more than elves or men. They are born, and they do procreate, albeit differently from humanoid races. They also do not actually talk to Eru, the cult of Illuvatar is just their dominant religion. (Now I have to physically restrain myself from spoiling more of my headcanon lore XD)

🍽️ You are having a dinner party and you can invite five (5) characters from the Silm. Who do you invite?

I just want a nice dinner with no drama so I’d probably invite the Doriath royal family: Thingol, Melian, Luthien, Beren and Dior. I hope to learn more about the Ainur from Melian, hear a story about Cuivienen from Thingol and of course all the stories from Beren and Luthien’s adventuring days

💀 You have a "Get out of jail 'Doomed by the Narrative' free" card. Who do you give it to?

Beleg the Bowman. He really deserved better.

#[arda] #ass deep in demons #ass deep in aksk

[x-authorship-x]

5, 18, 25 for the ask game?

5) How many wips do you have? What fandoms/pairings are they for?

Oh god way too many docs to count. Ones I'm actually working on? Star Wars with a few Naruto crossovers.

There are two Finn-centric ones that take a similar starting point and... well, I couldn't pick which way to do it so I'm doing both lmao...

And then three Shisui!Star Wars Fics. One is Shisui waking up as the subject of a Dark ritual and going on the run as a 'Sith', another is Shisui and Inoichi being reborn as a Master-Padawan duo, and the third is Shisui waking, blind and about as force sensitive as a red giant sun, and accidentally gaslighting the Jedi Order into thinking they just like lost his paperwork lmao

18) Do you enjoy research? Which fic of yours required the most research?

I'm a bit of a mixed bag tbh because I love research as much as I literally cannot help myself. I can never just DO a WIP, I always complicate it and that means research is often annoying because I do it to myself haha. Most research overall would be No Tomorrow/HOPE AU because of size and that I had to completely rewrite my own timeline. Proportionally? The Red Istari, I went deeper than 'necessary' for my cultural worldbuilding.

25) What’s your favorite part of the writing process (worldbuilding, brainstorming/outlining, writing, editing, etc)?

Brainstorming, hands down. I love each step for different reasons and depending on the WIP, but omg brainstorming is just... It's such a rush, so satisfying. I especially love brainstorming with @katlou303 and my anons/askboxers

(sorry to everyone in my askbox that I'm so slow with these game answers!)

#thanks for playing flux! #torship #torship talks #ask #ask game #Shisui #inoichi #star wars #wips #hope au #jedi shisui #finn star wars

[ceolona]

Who are the Istari?

In response to the trouble caused by Maia Mairon (Sauron), Vala Manwë (the King) formed the Heron Istarion (Order of Wizards) to deal with the problem.

Vala Aulë (the Smith) offered Maia Curumo (Saruman). Vala Oromë (the Hunter) offered Maia Alatar. Vala Manwë chose Maia Olórin (Gandalf). He was reluctant to go but yielded to the demand. Vala Yavanna (the Earth Mother) demanded her presence there, and sent Maia Aiwendil (Radagast) to accompany Maia Curumo. Maia Alatar requested Maia Pallando to accompany him.

Although not specifically stated, it can be inferred that the five Istari (Wizards, Members of the Order) had some ranking within the Order, indicated by their robes: Saruman the White; Gandalf the Grey; Radagast the Brown; Alatar and Pallando the Blue.

After Saruman aligned himself with Sauron, Gandalf's Fala was destroyed while battling a Balrog. When Gandalf returned, his new Fala was not Grey but White. (Did Gandalf get a promotion? Does 2+2=5 or 4? Discuss)

Radagast was sent mainly to protect Nature (again, Vala Yavanna) and basically fucked off to the woods. Neither the adventures nor fate of Alatar and Pallando were described by Tolkien, other than that they were last present in the East.

Fun fact: Because the Ainur are immortal, the peoples of Arda just assumed the five Wizards were like Elves. All but three people, at least: Galadriel, Elrond, and Círdan. Yes, these three KNOW that Gandalf is a Maia. Put that tidbit in your head next time you watch the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings!

(Search my blog for #ainur for more, including definitions of all the strange words. ;) )

#tolkien #the hobbit #the lord of the rings #ainur #wizards #gandalf #saruman #radagast #alatar #pallando #galadriel #elrond #rings of power #silmarillion #istari

[warrioreowynofrohan]

A few more of the questions from the Twenty Questions ask game, just for fun:

5) Ruthlessly rank the main projects of the Tolkien universe (the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Rings of Power, the Silmarillion). You can break Lord of the Rings into three books for additional chaos, if you like.

The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Rings of Power. If I’m adding Unfinished Tales I’d put it after The Silmarillion and before The Hobbit, because I love “Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin” and there’s so much fascinating information in “The Quest of Erebor” and “The Hunt for the Ring”, as well as the sections on the Istari and Palantíri.

I’ve certainly spent more time lately talking, thinking, and writing about The Silmarillion than The Lord of the Rings, but much of that is thanks to fandom and fanfiction. There’s no denying that The Lord of the Rings is the more complete story, with characterization and character development and conversation, while much of the Silm is a sketch or outline that we enjoy fleshing out. That’s the very thing that makes me want to write fanfiction for The Silmarillion - I have little desire to write it for LOTR, because the story is already there.

ROP comes way at the end - I haven’t watched it and don’t want to. I read some people’s discussions of events so I have a general sense of the plot, and in addition to my distaste for Amazon’s business practices, they seem to have done a very poor, haphazard, and ill-thought-out job of plotting and characterization.

13) What do you think it is about hobbits that makes them much better at resisting the evil of the One Ring than others?

For one thing - the Great Rings are Rings of Power. They offer power of different kinds - to the elves, power to preserve what they love; to the dwarves, power to amass wealth and build great kingdoms; to mortal men, the power (among other things) to avoid death; and the One Ring, Sauron’s Ring, the power to rule and order the world as one sees fit.

Hobbits, as a general rule, have very little desire for power. They are governed, if that word can even be used, by a mayor whose main role is presiding at banquets. They do not create great cities or great works. They enjoy comfort, good food, and good company. Their desires are not an easy thing for the Ring to prey on - as we see with Sam. We don’t see Frodo or Bilbo ever corrupted by the desire to use the Ring for a specific purpose: it can gain a hold on their minds and make them unwilling to give it up, but only to the degree of creating an overpowering desire to have and keep the Ring, not to do anything particular with it.

But this is only a general rule. No group is monolithic. If, say, Lotho Sackville-Baggins had gotten hold of the Ring, things in the Shire under his rule - during the short time before the Nazgûl showed up and took it from him - could have gotten even uglier than they did. He did want to order the world, or at least the Shire, as he saw fit. He would likely not have much capacity to use it - hobbit powers of mind and will can be extraordinary, but always in the direction of resisting external power and control rather than exerting it - but he’d likely have tried.

#tolkien #the silmarillion #the lord of the rings #hobbits #ask meme

[frodo-with-glasses]

Your friendship asks are so fun! Here's another one: 1, 5, 8 for Gandalf and Elrond and 2, 3, 10 for Sam and Aragorn

Thank you so much! I’ll do this in two parts. Let’s start with Gandalf and Elrond!

1. “When I think they became friends”

Okay so I plundered the Appendices again to find whatever canon information there is about this—I swear I have never paid this much attention to the Appendices before I started this ask game—and as far as I can tell, I think these two became friends when Elrond noticed that Gandalf had Cirdan’s ring.

I’m summarizing here, but basically the Istari—or Wizards—only yote themselves from the West to Middle Earth about a thousand years into First Age to say “hey, guys, ConflictTM, there’s something bad in Mirkwood and you’re gonna have to do something about it”. Of course the Elven shipwright Cirdan met the Wizards at the Grey Havens—‘cause that’s where he hangs out and that’s where they landed—and he basically gave Gandalf his one of the Three Rings and said, “Here, you’ll need this more than I will.”

So I imagine that the first time Elrond met Gandalf, he saw that he had the Ring of Fire on his hand and went, “Wait, that’s Cirdan’s ring. He gave it to you? Cirdan trusts you?? ..… Nice. That must mean you’re cool.”

When that happened, I’m not sure. Obviously sometime after year 1100 of the Third Age. But it’s cute to think about it.

5. “A scene I wish we had of them”

Probably the part where they made the Flood at the Ford. I know Frodo gets the recap from Gandalf, but he summarized a lot, and I really wonder what it would look like to be in the same room and watch these two extremely powerful individuals casting the spells necessary to make a deluge like that.

Alternatively, maybe watching them care for Frodo before the splinter of the Morgul Blade was found? Just the hushed, hurried whispers in a corner when (the hobbits think) they don’t realize anyone is listening, and Elrond growing graver and graver and watching the worry grow on Gandalf’s stormy brow, and the unsaid understanding of “this is someone dear to you, and you feel partly responsible for his condition, and this is very bad and we’re very stressed and concerned and we’re doing everything we can to help but we need to work HARDER” would just be really fun to watch.

8. “Who I think is the crazier one”

Oh, Gandalf, certainly. Elrond is chill and stays in one place. Gandalf runs off on adventures and yeets himself off a bridge while fighting a Balrog. Elrond might have been different in the Silmarillion, but by the time of LotR, there’s no contest here.

FRIENDSHIP ASK GAME!

#ask game #gandalf #elrond #lord of the rings #lotr #my writing

[attheexactlyrighttimeandplace]

Some last minute thoughts and wishes before episode 7 comes and become the game changer that will ruin all theories.

I don't know if i lost for good my theory that the Stranger was Sauron because episode 5 ruined it almost completely but not totally.

I guess he wasn't wrong to wake up grumpy (and to kill few fireflies or bend the trees and make the land tremble in the process) after being sent like a meteorit to the other side of Midde Earth, and after ending with half of his brain so fried that he couldn't remember his name and even started eating paper.

So let's say he's an istari, possibly even Gandalf or Saroumane, asked to carry the mission to help the side of the elves and humans to form an alliance against Sauron, how did the Valar know that Sauron was going to make his move even though he was hiding under a different form all this time and acting like a deceiver? Even the eruption of Mount Doom wasn't his work unless Adar lied and he is Sauron.

Did they really sent a powerful maia for one moriondor and hundred orcs that an army of 500 Nùmenoreans has beat easily? If it wasn't for the hilt, Adar would have been completely defeated.

Did they foresee that the hilt will be discover and chaos will ensue? Then why not sent their messenger directly to the Southlands to retrieve it before the dark forces could put their hands on it? And why sent him in this miserable state? Has he been attacked during his trip by the Mystics and is it the reason of his amnesia? Was he forced to change his destination? Is the fire without a heat felt by Nori just a maia thing, shared by Sauron in Morgoth's lair?

In all cases, if this theory is crushed, it won't be my biggest regret because i wanted it to be true only for Nori's character development and the fact that she was never be exposed to corruption and deceit before him. It would have been too a good explanation of why Sauron doesnt' take the Hobbits seriously.

My biggest regret would be, after rereading all those old arguments i wrote and left in my drafts, for my other favourite theory to not be true either: Arondir as Sauron.

I don't have the time and the space to explain all my reasons but damn if he wouldn't have been the best Sauron!

I mean physically, intellectually and strategically (well except for the way he has hidden the hilt), he's so superior to everyone surrounding him, including the other elves of his company.

I've rewatched since few hours all his scenes and few facts surprised me: like he's been in every episode of season 1. The only other character with Galadriel to have been constantly on screen, and sometimes even when the the Southlanders were absent (episode 3 Adar), though he didn't have the same number of scenes as Galadriel of course.

The thought of Arondir being more than he seems hit me again while watching him defending alone Ostirith. It struck me that his speed, strength, and agility were on a level i've never seen any elf shown before, except Galadriel (when she killed the troll) As an elf, of course, he's gifted with many supernatural abilities: piercing sight as confirmed by Galadriel during her talk with Isildur, and piercing hearing as showed by Elrond when he spied on Durin and Disa, but Arondir has always been different: he has always dominated everyone else, in every way. A true image of grace and balance, of perfection even during fights. Something i imagine that Sauron would want to project, as being himself obsessed by Order and Control.

It's hard to deny that he's beautiful as a fallen angel should be and the casting magnificently reflects that. It's not a shallow comment: everything about Ismael Cruz Cordova's look conveys the idea there's something surnatural about his appearance even for an elf: from the natural elegance of his movement to his gorgeous skin color. In return he's attracted by beauty: by the human fragile beauty of Bronwyn, by the wild beauty of The Southlands. He said to Bronwyn: "beauty has a great power to heal the soul" and that's how i imagine that Sauron would have tried to heal his soul from his past actions as the "beautiful servant": immersing himself in the beauty.

He didn't want to leave the Mordor Southlands with his company. a place that combines beauty (it has recovered from the destruction of war) and darkness (their inhabitants are still the descendent of the men who are linked by a blood oath to Morgoth). Arondir has always assumed the fact that he was drawn to this land and its inhabitants, which makes perfect sense if he's Sauron considering his connection to Orodruin.

In episode 1, he went alone in the tunnels which shows an incredible confidence in his ability to survive, and surprisingly almost no fear, not even after he saw the devastation inflicted on the village of Haldern.

He never sent for help from the other elves (it's strange that nobody reacted in Lindon to this garrison that never came back home, despite the king's order to disband the outpost).

In episode 3, he fought and reacted with a precision that is mindblowing and that no other elf of his company showed (not even the watchwarden): during the escape attempt, he was the only one bold enough to take an axe and destroy the tent that was hiding the orcs from the sun, strong enough to chain the warg alone, restrained it alone and killed it alone (in a spectacular move). This scene is only surpassed by his fight with the giant orc in episode 6.

In episode 4, after he was freed by Adar and returned to the village, he sliced an orc (using Galadriel's technique shown in episode 5) as if he had done that all his life, while he was supposed to have never seen one before. He said to the watchwarden that he was a sower before his assignment to the Southlands, but the region was supposed to be in peace since the defeat of Morgoth and the escape of Sauron (Adar said that Sauron had gathered all the last evil forces and lead them to the extreme north).

And later in the forest when Theo and him were pursued by the orcs, the way he avoided and caught an arrow with his bare hand and sent it back, killing the orc he targeted all while never stopping, was incredible.

But it's in episode 6 that the clues seem the most significative: one of them was when Adar was inside Ostirith tower before its fall, and Waldreg and an orc came at the same time to talk to him. The dialogues were a strange merger between these two discussions as if they were about the same person, whereas the orc was talking about Arondir while Waldreg was talking about Sauron:

Waldreg: Meaning no offense, Lord-father, but where is he? What happened to Sauron?

The Orc: Can't find tooth nor tail of him. Must've got smart and scarpered.

Adar: No. The Elf's here. I smell him.

And like i said, he destroyed alone the watchtower, plus his fight with the giant orc in the village was spectacular in every way.

I like him too as Sauron, because i like the parallels he had with Adar: the connection through the seeds, the promise of a new Eden/life made to Bronwyn after the battle while Adar promised a home to his orcs, their past meetings in which they didn't try to kill each other while having every reason to do so, the idea that instead the writers opted for a game between the two dark leaders: Arondir/Sauron trying to stop Adar to find the sword hilt and using the men of Bronwyn's village to fight for him again, unknown to them, and slow down Adar.

Not every details matches this theory of course: he was shown as being in love with Bronwyn though he never said the words, but can Sauron love or does he only fake it? He did a bad job with the hilt from his failure at hiding it to his inability to recognize it had been replaced by an axe, but did he really want to stop Adar at the end? Or was he pissed off that Halbrand was "crowned" in front of him (the camera focused on Galadriel and him in this moment: he seemed surprised/shocked by this sudden action, while Galadriel was cheering Halbrand, waiting for him to say yes when he was asked by Bronwyn if he was the king promised)? If so, it would explain why he didn''t check the hilt Galadriel gave him: Arondir was shown trying to destroy it for few long minutes before the battle. Even as a simple elf, he had very good eyes to notice details and would have recognized the difference in the weight and form with the axe, under the burlap in which it was wrapped. And if he was Sauron, he had every reason to say nothing: he wanted the land for himself and so he abandoned his attempt to stop Adar, who became conveniently the new Sauron, a fake one, but enough convincing to be shipped to Nùmenor while Arondir heads to Eregion.

I wish it was the case because there was never on the show a character as charismatic and powerful (except the Stranger), as good in term of characterization, certainly not Halbrand, to play the part of Sauron.

#the rings of power #theories and speculations #episode 6: udûn #the stranger #arondir #sauron #my trop reviews

[valardynasty]

Ordre des Istari 2/5

Maïa Aiwendil aka Radagast le brun.

"Radagast le Brun est l'un des cinq sorciers envoyés sur la Terre du Milieu pour contester la volonté de Sauron. À l'origine nommé Aiwendil, il est le Maia de Yavanna, Radagast se préoccupe principalement du bien-être des mondes végétal et animal."

Création par Intelligence Artificielle.

#lord of the rings #lotr #lotredit #ainur #tolkien fanfiction #maiar #valar #silmarillion #tolkien #ainulindale #aiwendil #radagast #radagast le brun #the hobbit #istar #istari #magicien #the rings of power #valardynasty