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mithrilandvilya · 5 months

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12th – language/culture/beauty

Beauty in Harad

She was Hastalteth, healer. It was a title, assigned to a slave whose duty was to scour the battlefield for the fallen but not-yet-dead, and make them fit for further duty. Aside from this, she had no name that she could remember, and recalled no life other than as Hastalteth.

She was claimed by Qol Kai Chek, a large beast of the men of Harad. Technically, he was Khandish, but his trade was war, and Harad had been his place for most of his career. A fearless and commanding general, he led his troops with brutal efficiency and cunning, crafting his path to higher stations with ruthless ambition.

This particular hastalteth was uniquely gifted at her craft, and this had become well-known amongst all the Southland battalions. In a sea of clashing bodies bent on destruction, those who recognized her stepped aside and wielded their axes and maces in other directions, for the chance that should they fall, she would make them rise again.

Nevertheless, her body was tainted with myriad scars and bruises, with unnatural slight bends and bumpsi n bones here and there from ill-healed breaks. There was no life without pain in Harad, especially for a slave. There were no healers for the hastalteths, forbidden to aid one another and left to the help of only what they could do for themselves.

She helped herself little, because when she saw a fallen soul on the hot, blood-stained dirt at her feet, she gave no heed to who he was or who he served. All broken souls called to her equally, and it pained her more to hear the cries in her head and heart and do nothing than it did to face the lashes, violations, and beatings of her master for aiding an enemy. At the end of a battle, her exhausted body would be carried off to his tent by some servant or other, and she would face his wrath. There was no expression of gratitude for saving his strongest, fastest, or best archer – another day of life was all she could expect in exchange for a successful rescue. Although he would never speak it, despite her willful disobedience at every battle, her unparalleled healing ability made her too valuable to dispatch. Because she was his, his reputation was all the better; she served his ambitions.

Thus she lived on a narrow precipice of survival, mourning little for her own fate. The lowness of her station was drilled into her self-perception, inextricable. She could not imagine a world where she was treated differently or deserved a different kind of life – the very language of Harad which gave her no name ensured it.

At least, that was almost so. The Southlands were bleak and razed, baked by hot sun, repeatedly coated in suffocating black ash, and strewn with anger and death. But her eyes and soul were drawn to the rare flashes of beauty that persisted, and she could almost envision the power of the beauty encompassing all, scouring clean the filth of evil, freeing minds and hearts.

Her mind’s eye held onto the memory of a loyal friend carrying his comrade to her through the greatest peril. She had seen the friends later, arm in arm, laughing away pain and darkness for one more day.

She had seen rare, dainty white sand-lilies springing from cracks in the dried, hard earth, and intrepid bees packing their legs with pollen steadily with no mind to the bloodshed all around them.

She watched magnificent sunrises and sunsets, and moonrises and moonsets, enhanced by the persistent smoke over Harad.

She had once gone as far north as the southern edge of the Dead Marshes, witnessing the ghastly fallen spirits in its murky waters, while over them a family of beavers busily built their lodge, old swords, bows and staffs picked out of the choked bottom made part of its construction, so that the lodge was an entrancing work of art.

She routinely noted bird nests tucked into layered cliffs, parents feeding their young amid soft, sharp chirps of excitement exuding from the nestlings.

And she had twice knelt over and healed exquisite forms of the most beautiful elves, deemed merely mythical creatures this far south, and saw their shining eyes delight as the Halls of Mandos slammed shut before their spirits entered. These had laid their hands on her in otherwise unknown gentleness and gratitude, inviting her to go with them, which she had refused because she desired not to make them a focus of her master’s worst intentions. But ever since, she dreamed of them and the beauty that must fill the lands of such stunningly elegant people.

She held on to these flashes of beauty, secreting them away in her mind, using them to keep from breaking entirely. Qol Kai Chek had complete control over her body, but he never knew what was in her mind. That was hers and hers alone. She had trained herself so that when he bore down on her with whips, chains, straps, and fists to leave her body and instead be with the bees, beavers or birds, or even with the elves. He would grow frustrated that his punishments never changed her behavior, but when he ran out of breath at his exertions against her, he knew nothing else to do short of killing her, which he did not want. He was clever enough to spin all in his favor in the eyes of charges and superiors, so it mattered not.

Hastalteth steadfastly healed hundreds or maybe even thousands before Qol Kai Chek finally fell. In the chaotic aftermath of his ultimate defeat, his remaining soldiers scattered confusedly in all directions, all thinking only of themselves, and none thinking of her. She trudged wearily amongst the fallen, seeking any near enough to life to revive, until she happened upon the corpse of the general, not knowing he had fallen until then. She heard a far-off call from his soul to hers, pleading for life, but when she went to touch him, she felt his spirit violently jerked back away from her, and there was no more of him in this world.

She stood, turned, and looked all around her and found herself utterly alone in the desolation. Above her, the sky was fiery red at the brink of night, and a single dark form cut across it from South to North. A great eagle slowly soared, coming low as it passed over her, and she could see the beautiful fine detail of its powerful yet graceful feathers. It uttered a sharp, plaintive peal, seemingly calling her to follow.

Hastalteth was apparently no more, but what she now was, she didn’t know. The eagle was already far ahead of her and disappearing beyond a ridge as she set out after it. Her path was slow and treacherous over rocky, broken, and battle-shredded terrain, but by dawn, as she pulled herself up the final ledge of a cliff, she saw a trail of daisies before her, heading down into a very narrow green valley surrounded by bare black and red mesas in all directions. The green winding canyon bottom was strikingly solitary and the only way forward. Her eyes followed it as far as possible, and where it disappeared at a bend miles in the distance, she believed she could see a stand of lush trees, something she had never before seen but instantly recognized.

There was a word for these trees, rarely used because they were rarely seen, nearly archaic in the Haradrim tongue. Santi, it was. As she thrilled at the possibilities before her, she carefully made her way toward the stand of Santis, though it would take her nearly the full day to get to them. Looking on them as she drew near, and felt transformed by the sudden change in her fate. She felt inspired to give herself a name.

“Santi I now am,” she said out loud to herself, “and I will follow the path of beauty before me to see where it leads.”

That night she laid under the boughs of her namesakes and dreamed of elves in splendid lands somewhere in the north and west, for the first time thinking perhaps she would actually see them someday. The gently swaying Santis saw her beneath them, and having heard her say her name, reckoned her as one of them, and kept her safe in their embrace through the long night. They sent out whispers through the earth and on the winds to all the places they knew, telling about her, and thus enchanted her journey. Creatures small and large welcomed and protected her wherever she went for the next several months. Whenever she felt uncertain which way to turn, some creature would inevitably appear on her path, leading her around obstacles gradually north, and now and then west. The enchantment continued until she first stepped into the realm of elves, where it ceased, no longer needed.

Santi had no idea she had made it to the lands she dreamed of seeing, but she knew she was surrounded by overwhelming beauty. Perhaps those from these lands took it for granted, but she herself was continually surprised and amazed at all she saw. She sat down to rest, but fought against closing her eyes for more than a few moments, slightly fearful that when she re-opened them she would find this all a fantasy and awake with the brutish form of the general hovering over her, freshly laid welts and bruises marring her body, as she cowered in the corner of the tent of her master. Eventually her eyes did close, and she slept without knowing.

Night fell, starless due to low, wet clouds, when a soft touch on her shoulder stirred her and she was greeted by a voice she had heard once before.

“Santi, I am relieved that you have found and followed the path we laid for you to come to us. You are welcome here as long as you wish to remain.”

Before she could ask, the elf continued, “We know your name from the trees, for we hear their voices as well as yours. Come now to the halls of healing where you may rest and eventually work if you so desire.”

Only then did she understand the solitary green line pointing her north, through the Santis to here, had been laid for her by the elves. The two she met had both invited her to go with them, but had not forced her when she refused. However, they did not forget the beautiful heart of the Haradrima healer that had tended them, and with a gentle touch at their departure had inserted themselves into her dreams to comfort her while they prepared her way out of the lands of darkness.

Never before had Santi felt loved. But once she knew it, she recognized love as the source of all beauty. She understood that what Harad suffered was from its lack, and she pitied those she had left behind.

After a long respite with the elves, she followed the now-decaying green line back to her homeland. As she passed the Santis, she thanked them for their name and protection but set them both aside and again became Hastalteth. She spent the rest of her life healing as many as she could with loving care, with no master other than her own heart.

On a particularly bleak, smoke-filled winter day less than a half-decade after her respite, two elves collected her shattered body from beneath a sullen rocky precipice deep inside the realm of Harad and carried her away to lay her to rest under the Santi trees, who again embraced her as their own.

Those who saw her die mourned for themselves over it, but continued on their way to another battle they would soon face. However, among those she had healed were a few who were touched by her compassion and inspired to carry some of it themselves. Nameless, she was before long forgotten in Harad except by the Santis, the only evidence of her life a small light in the hearts of some she healed and a few more that they themselves touched with compassion. It went on and did not extinguish, helping to keep the full domination of darkness ever so slightly at bay.

#tolkien elves #lotr elves #lotr fandom #lotr fanfiction #haradrim #lotrweek

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vandacarnelme · 10 months

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One of my favourite quests in King's Gondor begins at Halach with Irodon.

You find this mystery supplier easily, an old soldier of Harad dressed in lordly attire named Asórkho, pouring over some sacks.

The quest ends here, but on returning to Halach later you find-!

Asórkho in Halach, with he and Irodon in conversation :')

#lotro #lord of the rings online #Asórkho #irodon #lotro spoilers #cuthanon #haradrim #kings gondor

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mirra-kan · 6 months

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In the 1050 of the Third Age Gondor was at the height of its power and "defeated the Men of the Harad, and their kings were compelled to acknowledge the overlordship of Gondor…the kings of the Harad did homage to Gondor, and their sons lived as hostages in the court of its King."

RotK, Appendix A, I, iv, Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion

✔ Close-up of Haradrim Prince -> click here

#silmarillion #tolkien #tolkien art #artmirka #lord of the rings #lotr #middle earth #haradrim #tolkien fanart #fantasy art #harad #gondor #lotr art #silm art #NO AI!!!!#no ai art

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ettelenethelien · 1 month

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The peoples of the South and East

A companion post to my fic that change not with the changing of the years

Ok, so "Harad" just means "South" and it's definitely not an actual name the people living there have for themselves, just a catch-all phrase for anything south of Umbar as used by everyone north of Umbar. And it cannot be a single country. That said, the following is 100% pure and unadulterated headcanon, and none of the names here, except that of Khand come from anywhere within Tolkien's works.

There is a lot of city-states, mostly because they're easier to invent, haha, but Selih on the edge of the desert, and the Bay of Kenteh, lie inside countries of their own. Sarakhir, Verna and Ekithmar are city-states proper.

The people of the river Verid are a curious case, because aside from a city-state or two, there is no unifying power governing them. They are tribesmen and village folk; fishermen, farmers and herdsmen most of them; sharing much of a common culture (though they are an amalgam of several peoples), but forming no political state. They are reasonably well-off for country folk, and they hold the current arrangement optimal -- unless they are currently being invaded, in which case it really doesn't help. By the War of the Ring, a fair bit of the region is under the power of Sauron with many of the youth brainwashed into supporting the army they have been conscripted into, and an important fiercely rebelling undercurrent.

Zûnar lies near enough to the Verid, though not, itself, beside it, and is in fact the westernmost region of a small kingdom, rather than a principality itself. It might have some Númenorean influence -- yes, I'm mostly thinking of that because I spelt the word with the Adunaic-typical weird triangular accent -- so the kingdom likely has access to the sea.

I have imagined Evralthum and Mridyanva to have some Indian influence, although I'm not 100% sure on it yet. Evralthum, as mentioned in the fic, has been forcibly swallowed up by Mridyanva, however it will become a country again in the general upheaval following the War of the Ring. Mridyanva itself might support Sauron's army to an extent, but possibly through an intermediary empire pressuring it, rather than of itself.

Milyan-kai definitely has some East-Asian influences, probably Japanese rather than Chinese. I'm on the fence regarding Ta-L'nau, and Olonde is something of a "typical fantasy kingdom minus the medieval England/Germany thing". They're too far off to be influenced by Sauron, although they might be fighting his armies on their fronts.

Khand is probably one of the human kingdoms closest allied with Sauron; not the only one, but the best known. I haven't named any others yet. There's also the Corsairs of Umbar who are universally hated by everyone in the region, because corsairs.

#my post #Tolkien #lotr #harad #haradrim #worldbuilding #tolkien headcanons #peoples of arda

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daddyklingon · 10 months

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I love the Temámir so much.

I"m not 100% which Tolkien clan they're supposed to be, but they're a different clan from Gimli that lives *vaguely* South.

Potentially in Harad?

They're very Byzantine.

#lord of the rings #lord of the rings online #lotro #dwarves #Gondor #Harad #Haradrim

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sotwk · 4 months

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Not to contribute to the endless pile of asks in your askbox but I suddenly remembered you saying something about a Haradrim oc and I'd live to hear about them! Of course if you don't want to share at this point that's grand, just thought I'd ask :)

@hobbitwrangler You are SUCH the investigative journalist, always digging through Writer's brains for their secrets! <3 It's devious yet thoughtful and fun in a way that I appreciate so much! XD

I really should not overshare ahead of time regarding the Haradrim OCs and headcanon lore I am cooking up, but I can say that there will be some brief hints of them in Part 3 of "Taken", which I am still writing at the moment!

Huh? Why that fic?

The Haradrim, especially as they canonically appear during the War of the Ring and in the Fourth Age, will feature heavily in "Change the Stars", my spin-off sequel to Taken. This multi-chapter Éomer x OC Shieldmaiden fic is in the active plotting stage and although the story picks up immediately where "Taken" ends, it will feature tons of flashbacks that sheds light on the years of history shared by the "Reader" in Taken and Éomer. I mean, he has to love her so deeply for a good reason, right? (I don't really favor insta-love.)

And what do the Haradrim have to do with all that drama? Well, Haradrim OCs will directly affect the fate of our (seemingly) doomed lovers.

My goal is to promote the truth that not all Haradrim were evil men, and some were actually GOOD men striving to do the right thing. I'm happily taking notes and inspiration from other artists and writers who have created works along this same theme, such as @mirra-kan (see their whole blog!), @jane0error (Songstress of the Southern Realms), and @mithrilandvilya (Beauty in Harad). I still have a long way to go with research and development for it, though!

Nonetheless, there are also still bad Haradrim running around post-RotK, so you might be glad to know there will still be some of this type of Éomer energy going on:

Thank you as always for the great ask, Ace Reporter! ;)

#sotwk answers #i have the best mutuals #haradrim #lotr #eomer #eomer x oc #tolkien #eomer fanfiction #lord of the rings #sotwk: change the stars #sotwk fanfiction #sotwk teaser #sotwk spoiler

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dartxo · 4 months

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"Men against Men"

2022

He wondered what the man's name was and where he came from; and if he was really evil of heart, or what lies or threats had led him on the long march from his home; and if he would not really rather have stayed there in peace.

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien

A small scene from a small passage, but a very significant one in that it portrays Tolkien's antiwar thoughts. I am glad that in the Extended Edition they give those lines over to Faramir, him being after all not a warrior by choice.

#frodo baggins #sam gamgee #haradrim #ithilien #lord of the rings #lotr #lotr fanart #lotr art #fandom #screencap redraw #photoshop #art #artists on tumblr #mexican artist #autistic artist #dartxo #two towers

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theworldsoftolkein · 3 months

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The Battle of the Pelennor Fields - by Alan Lee

#the battle of the plennor fields #plennor fields #haradrim #tolkien legendarium #middle earth #jrr tolkien #the return of the king #riders of rohan #the rohirrim #rohirrim #the riders of rohan #rohan illustration #kingdom of rohan #ridermark

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animatorweirdo · 2 years

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Imagine being the archon of the easterlings and the haradrim

(Here’s zhongli like archon reader in middle earth. You didn’t answer my questions from before, so I managed to make something like this when Thinking of an idea. Sorry If it’s not completely what you wanted, but this is what I came up. I went exploring a bit.)

Requested by anonymoys

Warnings; mentions of fighting, death and wars.

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-You were known as (Name), or Shiva, the god of sand.

-You resonated with the power of geo and were considered one of the most powerful divinities.

-You were a peaceful god until the archon war began, and it took your close friends. You shared no interest in having a seat in the Celestia, but when other gods turned their back on you and began fighting, you didn't have a choice.

-You fought once to defend the people of your friend, Havria, who was dear to you, but then they turned their backs on her and killed her, which caused their downfall.

-Losing her caused you to lose trust in humanity and go mad with grief.

-The war turned you against everyone, even Morax, who you once held equal.

-He had sealed away Osial, who was once your friend, so you grew hatred toward him.

-You hated everything about him. You both wielded the powers of geo, and you both were dragon Adepti.

-You ended up in a violent battle with him, and the fight lasted many days, causing destruction with its storm of sand and earth.

-The battle ended when Morax threw his spear at you and pierced your heart. Your body fell limb, and you got lost in the storm of sand.

-It meant to seal you away, but the battle which conflicted elemental magic had ripped open a portal, and you fell through it.

-Your large Dragonoid body fell into the sand, and the last thing you saw was the stars you did not recognize but adored as you fell into a deep sleep.

-Thousand years later, you awoke when the people of the east found your body under the sand. They took the spear out from your chest, which allowed you to awaken.

-You held no hatred for them since they released you from Morax's seal and became their guide.

-You learned you were no longer in Teyvat but in a world called Arda with no Celestia or wielders of visions.

-Finding no way back or desire to return, you decided to immigrate yourself as a god to the people of the east.

-Since they were awakened and possessed little knowledge. You taught them to build houses and farmlands and even forge weapons to defend themselves.

-You taught them how to find cold and riches from the earth and make silk they wove into clothes.

-You even gave knowledge of how to make glass from the sand, which enhanced their houses and became part of their culture.

-Your greatest gift to them was how to tame and live peacefully with the animals such as desert foxes, leopards, and the great beast Mumakil.

-You guided them and taught them everything you knew. You took time and flew over the skies, learning about Arda, so you knew what to tell them, good and bad.

-The lands of Harad were a wast desert, so you took your domain there.

-The people of the east, especially the Haradrim, praised your knowledge and took you as their ruling deity.

-They praise your name and leave offerings to your abode whenever they sought for your guidance and wisdom.

-Only on special occasions because they respected your wish for silence and time for meditation.

-They made your dragon form and the mark of geo as their sacred sigils and worshipped your greatest gift, the mumakil.

-They made some temples and paid tribute to Havria, appreciating the salt and spices you taught them to find and make.

-It was to make you happy when they learned the tragic fate of your friend.

-You sometimes watched from the sidelines as a human as your people grew and created great cities, living in prosperity.

-You sometimes went to markets wandering and buying their stuff. Even though; you had a bad habit of bringing any money.

-Your people made you think of Havria, who always pushed you to guide people of your own, telling what a great god and mentor you would make.

-It felt bitter, but you considered this an honor to your dear Havria.

-The haradrim practiced peace and made trades with the lands of the north and west. The stories of a dragon god would reach the ears of many, which many would choose to believe or not.

-When some people try to oppress the Haradrim or the people of the east, they would shout out your name for victory since you have trained them in the arts of war, making them one of the strongest armies.

-When you entered the battlefield with a storm of sand by your side, your enemies would quiver in fear, and the battle would be over before it even began.

-Your influence became stronger over time in the east and south, and the people only considered you as their ruling god, and by following your teachings and rules, they lived in peace.

-You were called the god of sand, wisdom, and time. You were also the guardian of the innocent and the children.

-Your fondness for the children allowed them to become sacred. Mistreating a child was considered a sin and a bad omen. Sons and daughters were both treated equally and with love.

-Your people avoided angering you because you would become the god of destruction and wrath. Sandstorms would rise in your rage, causing havoc upon the earth.

-Elves possessed little knowledge of you, except those who traveled to your lands as scholars.

-They called you the unknown valar of the east, or the great beast of Harad when regarding your dragon form. Your people referred to you as their golden valar.

-You took rest for every hundred years, restoring your elemental powers and taking rest from the world.

-The haradrim always lived peacefully and celebrated whenever you returned.

-Until one battle during the first age. A beast of Morgoth was sent to your land to conquer your home and enslave your people.

-You took it upon yourself to defend them, and a fierce battle was issued.

-Your people knew how to handle the opposing army, so you took care of their leader, and as a warrior god, you conquered the monster and rose victorious.

-Your people were safe, but you suffered grave injuries and a loss of elemental power.

-You bid your people a goodbye because to fully heal and regain your powers, you would rest a much longer than hundred years.

-Your chosen leaders made their vow to honor your name and teachings, so you went to rest with an easy mind.

-The haradrim and the people of the east lived in prosperity and peace during your rest. They even welcomed their Easterling kin, who escaped from the final battle of the war of wrath and returned to their distant kin.

-The Easterlings were confused and frightened about how their kin had chanced.

-The cities your people built were far greater and that they lived with no conflict baffled the Easterlings greatly.

-You had given the haradrim and the rest of the people knowledge and gifts, which allowed them to live in peace and wealth.

-The Easterlings would slowly integrate and adapt their kin's lifestyle and culture, taking you as their new god,

-In their eyes, you were truthful, unlike Morgoth, who had been deceitful from the beginning and permitted the lands and riches of Beleriand he had promised to them.

-Morgoth's influence would have vanished, and your people lived together with the Easterlings in peace and harmony, even making bonds with the people of middle earth.

-The peace of the east would slowly end when Sauron came and influenced people into havoc.

-Sauron's corruption would be effortless at first. He was surprised by how much more developed and different the people of the east were, especially the haradrim.

-He always thought the unknown vala of the east was a made-up story, but now he saw some truth.

-When he heard you were asleep, he didn't seek your abode and slowly turned some of your people away from your faith.

-Some of the Easterlings would still be possessed by the influence of Morgoth and have greed in their heart, which allowed Sauron to turn them and start a conflict in the east.

-Haradrim and most people stood against the traitors, and a long-lasting conflict began.

-The blue wizards, who came to assist the good Easterlings and the people of the east who resisted Sauron, felt your presence and were concerned but considered you a possible ally when the times came rough.

-When the time became desperate, Sauron's influence became greater along with the numenorians who started harassing the haradrim from the west. The blue wizards finally decided to seek out your abode and awaken you to help them.

-You would hear the call of the blue wizards and the prayers of your people who were losing hope, and finally, awaken from your thousand years of rest.

-When you heard about the situation of your people, you were furious and decided to join the blue wizards to help resist Sauron.

-You had no dealings with the Easterlings before, but since some of them still considered you as their god and were close kin to your people. You decided to show the traitors why you're a god.

-It was time to remind your people and Sauron, who was the real god of the east.

-Your storms of sands engulfed the lands of the Easterlings, and they were rendered helpless.

-Your people fought beside you and gained many victories.

-Even the leader of the Easterlings, Khamul, stood nothing against you and the power of the geo. He couldn't repel you even with the ring he received from Sauron.

-You faced Sauron in close combat, and he didn't stand a chance against your might. You banished him with the spear Morax used to take you down, restoring the peace.

-You rescued your haradrim from the numenorians and their oppressors. They fleed in horror when you appeared in your dragon form, but the haradrim celebrated the return of their god.

-They stood strong against all oppressors and with your guidance, made an alliance with the people of the middle earth, standing united against Sauron.

-The people of the east made peace with the people of the west and all the conflicts that happened were forgiven.

-Elves and those who had a chance of meeting you told stories and marked you as the valar of the gold.

-When Sauron was defeated, you were curious about the world and remained in your human form to wander it.

-Your people were skilled enough to care for themselves without you, so you had faith they would last without a god.

-The world was big but piqued your curiosity. You didn't mind remaining in Arda and seeing what would happen next.

#silmarillion x reader #silmarillion #silmarillion headcanon #middle earth x reader #middle earth #haradrim #sauron #morgoth #silm fic #elves #blue wizards #geo archon reader #archon reader #Silmarillion fanfiction #easterlings #teyvat #tolkien

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