#ainur answers

[cilil]

✧˖ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 °.

Are you looking to name a Maia or Vala OC or to write about an Ainu character, but aren't sure how to name them/refer to them? You've come to the right place! Here's a fun little breakdown of Ainur names (there's also a tldr at the bottom for quick answers). Hope it helps!

Level 1: What others call them (near, far, wherever they are)

Much like other characters in the legendarium, Ainur have different names in different languages and their identities may be seen differently depending on which culture they're currently interacting with.

One great example for this is Gandalf. His original name in Valinor was Olórin (related to "olos"/"olor" which means dream or vision), while the name Gandalf came from old northern Mannish and means "Wand-Elf". To the Dwarves, he was known as Tharkûn, which is Khuzdul for "Staff-man", and his Sindarin name was Mithrandir, which means "grey wanderer". These are just a few examples of his various names and nicknames, but you get the idea.

If you have other characters referring to the Ainu in question, consider which language(s) they would speak and see if a name has already been given to that Ainu in the specific language. Otherwise you can translate one of their existing names or give them a new one based on how you think the culture/group of people whose perspective you're currently writing would view the Ainu. An example to illustrate the latter: On Númenor Mairon was referred to as Zigûr, which means "wizard" in Adûnaic - fitting for a sorcerer.

As for the Ainu(r) character(s) you're writing, consider that they may also need different names in different languages depending on who they interact with. Ainur are omnilingual and will typically introduce themselves according to the language others around them speak. Depending on how open they want to be with their identity, they may simply give a slightly altered version of their name that reflects the other language (for example the Adûnaic version of Melkor is Mulkhêr), translate their name or make up a new one or accept one that was given to them. However, the name they identify with and use in their inner monologue may be a different one*... and this is where we move to the next level.

*Important side note regarding this: While Morgoth and Sauron are commonly used names for Melkor and Mairon, these names were given to them by other people and are intended to be derogatory, so even though it's not always explicit in the text, we can safely assume that they do not self-identify as such and stick to their more "flattering" original names.

Level 2: Quenya

When Ainur are introduced in canon, a Quenya name is usually given as their "real" name. Again, Olórin is an example (one among many) for this.

Having a Quenya name is pretty essential for every Ainu who lives in/has ties to Valinor and can be important for the ones in Middle-earth too depending on the time period and how they self-identify. Be sure to look up the Quenya names of existing Ainur characters and have a Quenya name ready for your OCs, unless they were never in Valinor and explicitly cut themselves off from their kin and culture. Gothmog might be an example for this, being an Ainu who is pretty much exclusively identified with a Sindarin name and seems to at least not object to the usage of his "evil Balrog name"/isn't mentioned to identify with a different name instead. However, even in such a case consider that other Ainur might still remember the character in question by their Quenya name and continue to use it.

Level 3: Valarin

As you probably know already, Valarin is the language of the Ainur that they created when they began taking physical forms. While they still use it among themselves and some Valarin words were adopted into Quenya, the alien and at times unpleasant sound of Valarin prompted them to learn Quenya instead to converse with Elves.

Would the Valarin name be a more "accurate" name of an Ainu, given how it was their first language and they only later translated their names? You could say that, and some authors have chosen to use Valarin names for that reason.

However, the main issue with Valarin is that so little is known about it and it can be intimidating and/or infuriating to even try using it aside from the few known Valarin names, which are:

Aȝūlēz (Aulë) Arōmēz (Oromë) Mānawenūz (Manwë) Oš(o)šai (Ossë) Tulukhastāz (Tulkas) Ullubōz (Ulmo)

Alright, don't panic. Valarin is, at least in my humble opinion, not a must. The texts themselves use Quenya, the Quenya names are a translation of the Valarin names and the Ainur in general are known to self-identify by their Quenya names a lot, for example Mairon liked calling himself "Tar-Mairon".

If this however isn't satisfying to you and you would still prefer to have Valarin names ready for the Ainur you're writing, but can't make much of what little is known (less than 20 words and names respectively), you can still "make up" your own Valarin rendition of the Quenyan names. Here's how:

If you look at the ones I listed above, you may have already noticed that there are strong similarities between the names. Manwë, for example, comes from the Quenya root "man" with the ending "wë", and you can see these elements being present in his Valarin name as well. So I'd suggest you take the Quenya root and simply... make up a name that sounds like it could be proper Valarin (yup, we cheese it). To give you an example I've seen floating around in fanon: Melkor's name comes from the Common Eldarin (common ancestor of all Elven languages) "melek"/"mbelek", which means powerful (root "bel"/"mbel"), and Valarin names people use for him are usually some variant of "(M)Belekorōz".

Level 4: "True Names"?

But wait, some of you may say, didn't you say that the Ainur only invented Valarin when they took physical forms? Yup, I sure did. The Ainur in fact existed before language was even a thing - as spirit beings who communicate telepathically (via good old ósanwë) by nature they don't need it among themselves.

And this why I think not even the Valarin names are technically the "true names" of the Ainur and that they in fact don't have "one true name". Given how the use of ósanwë, especially in an environment like the Timeless Halls where no physical barriers exist, allows them to pretty much project their entire identity, emotional state and being to one another, there should have been no need for names. Rather, they would have "titles" or "descriptors", a sort of summary of who their identity and function. You can arguably see that in Melkor's name still: "He who arises in might".

Now, again, what I'm saying in the paragraph above isn't explicitly spelled out in canon, but rather the conclusion I've come to after researching and thinking about it. I would also advise against giving various Ainur half a sentence as their original "name" for your Timeless Halls fics - I thought about it, but realized it would be both obnoxious to write and unpleasant to read.

[TLDR] To conclude my advice is this: Quenya as the original/default name is completely fine, you can create a Valarin version if you want to and otherwise you may need additional names in other languages depending on the setting and situation, as outlined in level 1. With that being said: Happy writing and character creating!

#ainur answers #ainur #maiar #valar #writing guide #tolkien oc #tolkien legendarium #silmarillion #silmarillion oc #ainu oc #it's a long way to say that you could theoretically just make a quenya name and maybe add a sindarin one and be fine in most cases #anyway uh #if you have further questions #feel free to send asks #or dm

[eunoiaastralwings]

I’d date Cala. His love languages are really important to me, I love that he is serious but following the rules and he honestly reminds of a more light hearted version of Erestor. Oh and his fears/regrets with his mother are sad/interesting and relatable. And the idea behind him being a guardian of the eclipse is a great idea. Overall I think he is a sweetheart.

Awe @batsyforyou hun - thank you this melts my heart 🥺. I have to say good observation on the light hearted version of Erestor 👀. He is serious mostly because he cares - your health is his biggest and no.1 priority.

Cala’s a blushing mess reading this xD

“Why my lady, I, thank you for your kind words - it fills my heart with great joy to hear these words coming you”

Cala said with a bow as his face blushed and his heart raced.

“Would you be you interested in watching the eclipse with me today?”

He asked with a kind and polite smile.

#— —☀️ Cala answers ｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ˎˊ˗ #Cala #ainur oc #silm oc #silmarillion #silmarillion oc #the silm fandom #eunoiawrites #maiar oc #maia oc #maia #maiar #feel free to interact with him anytime :) #Cala x reader

[saurons-pr-department]

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

if you havent yet answered!

Not quite sure if it counts as weird biology since their bodies are technically fake, but I really like the idea of the Ainur not bothering to actually simulate a body that functions. Their physical form really is just clothes, like wearing a costume. No breathing, no blinking, no heat, no sublte fidgeting to get more comfortable, those kinds of things. Just simulating the bits they find necessary and leaving it at that. I especially like this idea for Ainur who maybe don't have much contact with actual incarnates. They know what they look like but not how they work and just end up being a bit more on the uncanny side than they intended.

#answered asks #ask games #effervescentdragon #ainur

[chiliadicorum]

For the Ainur ask: 12, 17 & 20?

You picked some tough ones anon, wow. Not kidding, I spent two days this week at work thinking about the second one alone.

What would you like to create? Specifically, bioluminescent anything. I'd put it everywhere the light doesn't reach, deep in caves, in the dark woods, speckled along fields and under tree roots... (it's my hc that it already exists in the Outer Lands) Non-specifically, anything involving the sea/water - that's why I think Ulmo would be one of the Valar I'd serve

Is there an event in canon you'd (attempt to) influence (using your powers/foresight/etc.)? This took SO LONG to figure out and to finally decide, i opted to go with what still ticks me off when I think about it. Now we all know Turin is a walking trainwreck, but after much deliberation, I've decided, if given the chance, I would try to influence Turin to NOT go to Nargothrond.

He's the reason Nargothrond fell. Cirdan sent warning, he sent advice, and having grown up in Doriath YOU KNOW TURIN KNEW ABOUT CIRDAN AND HIS FORESIGHT. But no, bc of his crapfest life, bc of all his personal nonsense, he dismisses Cirdan, insults him (to the point it would've caused a severe diplomatic incident had Nargothrond survived to experience it) and pushes to completely ignore everything Cirdan said. I'm just as annoyed with Orodreth for being so weak-spined and caving to him when he should've known better but Turin....agh like I said it ticks me off thinking about it!

Just like Glorfindel shouldn't have died in his fight with the Balrog, Nargothrond shouldn't have fallen as it had. I still believe it would have - nothing could withstand Morgoth and his might - but not at the time it had and not in the manner it did.

Any scores to settle in Dagor Dagorath? Hmm...I'm thinking retribution for what Morgoth did to the Eagles back in the day (and the Ents for that matter)

Ainur ask (these are fun, hit me up!)

#thanks anon #these were good thinkers #and if you're the one who sent the last ask i still haven't answered i'm really sorry #i should just do it instead of letting awkwardness shy me away #anonymous #gwed asks #asks #ainur asks #valar #turin #nargothrond

[welcomingdisaster]

Ok so I’m rotating ideas about elves and mythology and decided to drop some ramblings in your ask box because of all the wonderful theatre-related thoughts you’ve been sharing!! The thing is that the silm is a mythology right. Like it’s written in that style, and the heroes of LoTR and the later Ages in general are always explicitly looking back to the stories of the First Age (see: Aragorn wanting to cosplay Beren and Lúthien with Arwen). But what were the myths, the cultural stories, of the Elves of the First Age? In Tirion what were the stories that Maglor might write a play retelling or subverting, that Elemmírë might make a new song about, that Míriel might have woven into a tapestry? All cultures have ancient myths – but these characters are a) living at the very dawn of the world, and b) are all going to become mythological figures themselves! It makes me a bit insane. My thoughts are that they told a lot of stories about the war the Valar made on Melkor, and also about Cuivienen and the awakening of the elves, but honestly I don’t KNOW. What do you think? (No pressure to answer this is very random I realise) ❤️❤️

NO I love these thoughts!!! My thoughts generally go along the same vein as yours in terms of the general themes of elven myths. Here are some possibilities I imagine:

Whichever continent the elves in question are not seeing is often the center of the stories. The Sindar and Avari in middle-earth myth-make a lot about the lands in the west; the Eldar in Valinor myth-make about middle-earth. Since we're talking about Elemmírë, Míriel, and Maglor I'll stick to the latter.

I imagine there's aways the pervasive idea of secret Ainur no one has discovered yet. No matter how many times the Valar go "no we promise we're all here in Valinor, there's no other Valar left" there's 100% an elf somewhere going "have you heard about the Vala of bogs? yeah they live in middle earth and they're in charge of all the bogs there and if you aren't careful you'll be stuck serving in their bog court"

Not to mention elves who know Aulë and have heard that his people sleep under the earth, waiting for their time to awake. I'm sure for some elves tell it as simply that, but over time another pervasive myth develops -- stories of great dwarven kingdoms under the earth, kingdoms they're barred from seeing, stories of seven great dwarven kings, each much like Aule in face, each possessing a specific sort of magic.

Imin, Tata, Enel, etc! Not only do we canonically get them as a counting story, I imagine their fates are also something that ends up being talked about? They do not seem like they ever ended up in Valinor -- what happened to them? I feel like elven stories can tend to go along the lines of "and then he turned into a tree" or "he still dwells by the sea where he was born" or "he fell into the cracks of the mountains during the war and became one with the earth."

Myth as a way to explore cultural taboos! Elves coming to Valinor, a land with no pain or crime, with the shadows of war and suffering behind them -- I imagine they must explore taboo and pain through storytelling. What happens to an elf that leaves his wife for another? What happens to an elf who poisons her sister? I imagine there's some gruesome/creepy stories that come out there, but are told with a naïveté to the actual truth of what violence looks like. Something along the lines of "and then the servants of Melkor hacked the elven king into bits, so his wife had to go looking for each piece of him in every corner of the world and sew them back together"

The sea!! Must I say more. The elves emerged from the sea, and they long for it -- yet they cannot go too far into the waves without drowning, and they do not know what lurks under the waves. I imagine myths centering around sea-creatures, around the souls of the drowned, around elves (mer-elves?) who never left the sea and make their kingdoms underneath the waters, etc.

Just some ideas!! If anyone else wants to contribute headcanons for early elf myths to his post, please do!

#lena speaks #theghostinthemargins #thank you for this ask this is something i think about a lot #one of my fave things to think about :)

[urwendii]

Question for Silm people. Do Ainur need any sleep?

What we know in canon is that:

Tulkas was tired after his wedding and slept.

It is quoted that Ainur would sometimes travel to Lórien to rest (does it imply full sleep or simple meditation?)

Melkor and Sauron both have been associated with "evil that never sleeps." figure of speech or actual fact? Pertaining only to them because they are corrupted or because of their very Ainurin nature?

There is no actual explicit answer in any of the works iirc, just little tidbits. But canon is a thing, headcanons are another, so I am simply curious about your thoughts on the topic.

As usual reblog for large sample.

Respect other's opinions and no anti-valar sentiment on this poll please.

#polls #the silmarillion #the silm fandom #the silm #ainur #valar #maiar #this is a poll about your headcanon #don't go and canon meta me I also have all the books and believe me i can read <3

[arafinweanappreciation]

so watching fotr with my roommates made me want to reread the book, so I checked out my university library’s 30-year-old, stained, extremely beat up copy when I went to get the two towers movie for us to watch on friday night (bc we’re such party animals) and I came across this while reading the prologue

and my question is: who are “The Authorities” (with a capital A no less)????

Is it the Valar??? I mean they note that these kinds of deals were “held sacred” in the old times. It could be the Valar. It seems like they would preside over metaphysically binding promises. are the Valar holding council over riddle games??? Does Aulë have an Opinion ™️ on “what is in my pocket?” has this debate given Manwë a headache that he as one of the ainur is not supposed to be able to get

I need answers Mr. Professor Tolkien Sir

#the really funny thing is that we made this our friday night plans to get OUT of going to a party #I think bilbo would be proud

[doodle-pops]

Let Me Put You In Your Place

[Elves and Ainur Brat Taming x reader]

A/N: I contemplated on whether to post this now or later, but to post it I must.

Warnings: smut, spanking, manhandling, mature themes

Ultimate brat tamers – they live to tame you, they love when you act up leaving you to run your mouth and carry on with your outrageous attitude, leading you to believe that you have the upper hand, that you can have your way and get away with it. How wrong were you? Your bratty behaviour was their number one kink. What triggered them into overdrive was the look you gave when you disregarded their warning stare. Waiting till it’s just you two in private, they walk right up to you and easily bring their hands around your neck, backing you against a nearby walk and bracing their other arm beside your head. Maintaining eye contact, they’d bring their face close to yours leaving only an inch of spacing between your lips before speaking. “Whatever gave you the impression that you could act like that…towards me, huh?” they’d apply a little more pressure around your neck causing you to resist the urge to roll your eyes into your head. “What do you have to say for yourself? Nothing, not so much of a talker now, huh? Why don’t you throw another one of your tantrums for me, right here and now? Don’t be shy, you clearly weren’t minutes ago.” it was a trick question because no matter how you answered, your punishment was booked. They would have a ball of a time punishing you – they want to see, make, and hear you beg for them. There were times when their patience ran thin and all they’d do was drag you off to a secluded area before bending your over to fuck the attitude out of you whilst making you cry and beg. You would learn your lesson, or maybe they expect you to repeat the same mistake so they could ravish you again. It’s their kink after all. “Oh no sweetheart I’m not stopping, you wanted this because you knew it would lead to this like every other time, so take it.”

FEANOR, Maedhros, CELEGORM, CARANTHIR, CURUFIN, Amras, FINGOLFIN, Argon, Angrod, ECTHELION, Maeglin, BELEG, Elladan, OROMË, TULKAS, Tilion

Sneaky brat tamers – OH, THEY ARE THE WORSE OF THEM ALL. They enjoy taming you, it’s a favourite activity in the bedroom that brings a bit of spice to your life. However, it’s not their ultimate kink like others, they don’t mind when you act up because they know that you know that they know your motives. Since that’s the case, they aren’t really in a hurry to tame you because they have their own trick up their sleeves. They’d sit and watch you throw your attitude from time to time, leaving you to carry on thinking that they’re not bothering you, truth is, they were making a silent list of everything you did over a period of time before they strike. Waiting for you to get comfortable and relaxed, falling back into your regular attitude, that’s when they’d strike. You’d walk into the trap without realizing it one bit, only when they asked you to try something new tonight that’s when you realized what they planned. “What’s wrong love? I thought that this was what you wanted from the beginning when you had thrown all those tantrums? You thought I didn’t notice? Oh, but I did, I mean look at the state you’re in…it’s all because I paid attention.” their hands would be gripping your cheeks as they spoke to you so sweetly while watching your fumble around for your words. “Shhh, you don’t have anything to say besides moaning my name tonight and apologizing...the moaning will come later though,” Flipping you over onto your stomach, they would pull your ass in the air, rubbing it lightly, “Here's what's going to happen...I'm going to fuck you into this bed and you're not going to cum unless I feel sorry for you, but firstly, you’re going to count and if you miss, we restart. So, let’s see how many times you’ve acted up? It's alright though, you can mess up if you'd like, we have all night.”

MAEDHROS, MAGLOR, Curufin, Amrod, FINGON, FINROD, GLORFINDEL, Ecthelion, EGALMOTH, ELROND, Elrohir, IRMO, MANWË, NÁMO

One-Time brat tamer – they’re a bit similar to the sneaky ones but the difference is that they really tend to overlook your attitude and tantrums and only strike when it’s overbearing. It’s not a build-up of all the tantrums you threw before, it’s just for that one you were performing earlier on thinking that you could get away with it. They wouldn’t even notice the other times, it was just this performance tonight that triggered them. The thing is though, you’d never know which performance of yours would be the right one to rile them up until you’re bent over or pressed down into the mattress having the life and the attitude being fucked out of you. Walking right up to you, they’d calmly speak informing you to step aside with them, not once would you pick up a hint of anything. It’s only when the door is closed and your back is slammed against the wood and you see the glint of arousal but displeasure in their eyes, you’d understand. They’d take their time to deal with you since you believed you had all the time in the world to act up. “The entire night you carried on and on ignoring the stares I’d cast at you, warning you to behave…too many chances were given and now all’s gone. What do you have to say for yourself? You’re sorry? I don’t believe so.” They wouldn’t be aggressive with their movements, but harsh to deliver their message, yes, they would. However, they do expect you to learn your lesson and let it be a one-timer. “Don’t ever let this happen again, understood? I don’t need to repeat myself, do I? Good, because if I were you, I wouldn’t want to keep this up love, you’d come to regret it,” with a small smirk on their faces which speaks that they enjoy the thrill of taming you.

Caranthir, CELEBRIMBOR, Turgon, FINARFIN, Aegnor, Galdor, ERESTOR, ËONWE

Masterlist

Taglist: @edensrose @cilil @spidergirla5 @eunoiaastralwings @aconstructofamind @mysticmoomin @lilmelily @noldorinpainter

#silm smut #beleg x reader #manwe x reader #irmo x reader #namo x reader #tilion x reader #eonwe x reader #orome x reader #tulkas x reader #feanor x reader #fingolfin x reader #finarfin x reader #elrond x reader #elladan x reader #erestor x reader #elrohir x reader #glorfindel x reader #maedhros x reader #finrod x reader #rog x reader #maglor x reader #celegorm x reader #turgon x reader #fingon x reader #celebrimbor x reader #caranthir x reader #gil galad x reader #silmarillion x reader #x reader smut #doodlepops writings ✨

[silver-grasp]

Narrative Power in Arda

An embarrassing number of months ago, I alluded to narrative as an in-universe force within the Silmarillion in my tags on a post I have since lost, which I feel merits further elaboration. The short version is that crafting a story carries meaningful weight and power in Arda, which is not much of a reach considering that 1) telling a story in a certain way has power even in the real world, and 2) music is already well-established as an important medium and means of magic in Middle Earth. I think it is relevant to consider this aspect when discussing the nature and weight of words in the Silmarillion, whether it be curses, dooms, oaths, or anything else.

To begin with, it is difficult to tease apart what I will call in-universe narrative from narrative in the sense that a guy called Tolkien wrote this whole story down, on purpose, with various story arcs that come to various narratively satisfying conclusions. The best illustrative example of in-universe narrative, thus, is Finrod’s duel in song against Sauron, because Tolkien could have had the song battle work however he wanted, but he chose to make it about storytelling. We joke about Finrod and Sauron’s rap battle, but their contest really is a battle of narratives – particularly cultural narratives. To quote:

Then sudden Felagund there swaying Sang in answer a song of staying, Resisting, battling against power, Of secrets kept, strength like a tower, And trust unbroken, freedom, escape; […] And all the magic and might be brought Of Elvenesse into his words. […] The sighing of the sea beyond, Beyond the western world on sand, On sand of pearls in Elvenland.

This is arguably the story of the Noldor, as told by Finrod – all the beauty and power of Aman, but brought by the Noldor to Middle Earth in their flight to escape the control of the Valar and avenge their king against Morgoth’s evil. This is his choice of story to wield against Sauron, and it makes sense. It invokes the Noldor’s heroism against Morgoth in maintaining the long siege, as well as their rejection of all the higher powers and his own faithfulness to his oath to Barahir that led him to this point. It’s a good story, but Sauron shatters it with a single invocation, because this narrative Finrod spins of the Flight of the Noldor cannot accommodate the atrocity that was the Kinslaying at Alqualonde.

The outcome of the song battle is not decided based on raw power, or skill in crafting magic or spells, or even singing ability. It is won on the merits of narrative: Finrod’s story doesn’t work; he cannot narratively reconcile the reality of the Kinslaying with “trust unbroken, freedom, escape,” and thus Sauron has the victory (1). Thus, we can conclude that “does the story work” is a legitimate part of how magic functions in Middle Earth.

This should not come as a surprise; Middle Earth (and the world itself) were created/predicted by the Music of the Ainur, which is itself a narrative work of music. It, arguably, puts the story in history (2). The narrative of the Ainulindale, moreover, is disrupted by Morgoth in much the same way Sauron disrupts Finrod’s narrative in their contest. But whereas Finrod’s story collapses under the contradictions introduced by Sauron, Eru incorporates Morgoth’s discord into the Music to create a new, greater theme than the one before. This is not an accident, and it shows that Eru, as God and Creator (read: Author), understands narrative better than Morgoth does: any good story has conflict of one sort or another. That’s what makes them stories, rather than a pleasant but boring account of a series of pleasant but boring events.

This is to say, Tolkien makes the necessity of having a plot arc into part of his theological worldbuilding. There is, frankly, a lot you could say about that, but I am not going to, because it is somewhat off-topic from the point I’m trying to make and also I really don’t know where to begin.

Additionally, while Finrod’s own narrative fails, the overall narrative of Middle Earth picks up where he left off and turns his defeat into a fourth-act crisis point, the abyss which makes way for Luthien’s subsequent victory over both Sauron and Morgoth and triumphant retrieval of the Silmaril. Finrod may not have known how to turn Sauron’s narrative disruption to his own ends, but Eru does.

Returning to the Doom of the Noldor, while Manwe is said to be the closest of the Valar to Eru in thought, I would argue that Namo, as the Vala of fate, is the closest of the God-as-Author aspect of Eru. His domain, fate, is closely linked with the Music. I said earlier that Middle Earth was created/predicted by the Music, and that blurriness between creation and prophecy is important for understanding the nature of Fate in Tolkien’s work - there is a careful tightrope walked between free will and determinism (3). I argue that the Music additionally suggests that fate in Arda is really Narrative at work.

So where does that leave, for instance, the Doom of the Noldor? Is it curse or prophecy? Punishment meted out by the gods or natural consequences of an unprecedented violent attack? Framing it in these binaries is reductive no matter which side you come down on. The Doom is neither a curse nor a prophecy: it is a narrative.

The soon-to-be Exiles, led by Feanor, kick off their narrative in maybe the worst way possible (murder). This is, objectively, a very bad inciting incident – stories that start with murder don’t tend to turn out well for the people doing the murdering. Within the Music, and the fabric of Arda’s fate, the Noldor have narrowed their narrative options significantly. “Slain ye may be, and slain ye shall be,” for have they not already slain their own kin? But it is very difficult to argue for the Doom as purely prophetic. The text itself indicates in multiple places the judgment or wrath of the Valar as something laid upon the house of Feanor and all who follow them, not simply natural consequences. There is a tangible weight to the Doom, and a sense after the War of Wrath that it is something that can be lifted.

Mandos says, you have chosen your story to be a tragedy by opening with a tragedy. But when this is spoken by Narrative himself, it takes on a weight greater than that of a mere prediction. The Doom defines the genre of the story that is to follow: Tears unnumbered ye shall shed. And they did.

The story, of course, is never truly over. But I’ll leave eucatastrophe for another day.

Footnotes: (1) As a side note, I am forever thinking about arrogantemu’s fic “Beyond the Western World,” in which Finrod says “I’d staked everything on an innocence I didn’t have.” Credit where credit is due for influencing my thinking on this subject.

(2) Tolkien as a linguist would undoubtedly be aware that the words come from the same root, and that other modern languages have not in fact separated the meanings of “work of fiction” and “account of real events” into separate words.

(3) To write a proper meta on this subject I would have to dig much deeper into other sources, but from my understanding fate in Tolkien’s works works very similarly to the Anglo-Saxon concept of wyrd – there’s a very interesting line in Beowulf, I believe, about how “for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked” (paraphrased). I highly recommend reading more about it for a better understanding of fate in Middle Earth.

#the silmarilion #the doom of the noldor #meta #dear god this has been. a long time in the writing #in my defense I had to move across the country shortly after starting this #and my copy of the silm was in a box. which made research difficult. and then I forgot about it

[silmarillion-dnd]

Rochir:

Masterlist

Rochir is a noun that means both knight and horse lord in Sindarin and it is the name of the Maia you can find in the woods of Núath, a forest in the north of Beleriand, where they call themself lord. They are a friendly enough Maia as long as you don´t attack them or are rude. If you befriend them, which doesn´t take a lot only feed their ego and keep them company, they´re lonely, they will travel with you and let you ride them.

Rochir is a former Maia of Orome of about the same power as Huan so he only has the form of a horse. They used to spend a lot of their time on the shores so they somehow got Manwe´s blessing and have the most power when it´s storming. Sometimes they will make it rain or thunder for fun.

If you ask them to wait for you they will become a bit angry but the only consequence will be to have to hear them complain about it for some time, also if you ask them why they left Orome or how they got Manwe´s blessing or anything about their name they will either not answer or get angry.

As with any other Maia they are territorial so it would make sense to make your champ at Núath, at least for some time. They can also sense other Ainur, no matter the size, although if the Ainur is powerful enough and doesn´t want to be known Rochir will only know they are close, not where they are, but that also means they can help you find magical items.

They don´t need to eat but do enjoy some fresh meat and sugar cubes at times.

You can find a special tack for them somewhere in their forest with protection spells on it and a few other things such as healing potions and some weapons.

Rochir can only reach level 5 since they are a lesser Maia.

Pros;

Rochir is faster than any other steed you can find and will help you in battle if you ask them to, you can also call on them even if they didn´t travel with you and they will teleport to you. Even if you become unfriends they will usually forgive you if you let them be for a day or two. Rochir can and will hunt for you when you have become good friends and even might give some of their ëalar if you are about to die since it can regenerate to its former size although it takes some time, this will make Rochir weaker than a normal horse and they´ll turn down each second turn in a fight but it will give you +4 on almost everything and make you able to cast thunderwave and misty steps as an extra turn, although only 15 feet.

Cons;

Rochis is pretty egoistic and self-centered, it would be best if you make a habit of telling them how pretty and wonderful they are. Although Rochis can forgive you fairly easily they find it harder to forgive others and will quickly turn to violence if they feel threatened or are afraid for you or think a peaceful negotiation won´t work. You usually have to roll Persuasion if you take them with you to a city or meeting, or happen to meet someone on your travels with them to make them calm down and see reasons, as they insist they are always right. A lot of people can see Rochis is not a normal horse which might cause problems for you. 

Strength; 10 

Dexterity; 18

Constitution; 16

Intelligence; 12

Wisdom; 10

Charisma; 10

Spells;

Misty steps 30 feet range (teleport)

Dancing light 100 feet range (bonus action, four lights will appear that can be used as torches and will light up 20 feet range)

Tunderwave 15 feet range (2d8 thunder damage, pushed 10 feet away) - enemies make a safety roll to see how much damage they take

Storm of Vengeance 360 feet range (2d6 thunder damage and deaf for five turns) can only be used once in between longest until reaching level 10 - enemies make a safety roll to see if they get damaged

Destructive Wave of Mutilation 30 feet range (5d6 thunder damage and 5d6 radiant damage) - enemies make a safety roll to see if they get damaged

#rochir #tolkien #jrr tolkien #silmarillion #silmarillion d&d #maiar #maia oc #oc

[cilil]

What would the Valar’s reaction be to a modern woman from our world showing them D&D? Who’s going to be really into the game?

𝓐𝓝 ~ Oooh very interesting question! Thanks a lot for the ask, I had so much fun thinking about this ^^

𝓕𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 ~ All the Valar! I couldn't resist... Enjoy!

In general, I think that all the Valar would be at least curious, if not excited to hear about the games modern humans play and try it out for themselves, considering how the Ainur have always been looking forward to interacting with the Children of Ilúvatar.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Manwë

As a poet and writer, he's immediately in love with the concept of collaborative storytelling. You can expect elaborate worldbuilding and character backstories from him (especially ones that involve reconciling with an estranged sibling) and he loves to write small side stories and fanfic about the cast. Manwë also wouldn't mind being the group's forever DM once he learns how to run a game.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Varda

Being less excitable than her husband and not always in a playful mood, Varda may choose to watch at first, but she's certainly intrigued by the concept of D&D and she enjoys the mathematical aspects of it, always calculating everybody's chance of success. Once she decides to play, she may surprise the other players with how ruthless and cunning she can be - a menace both in political intrigue and combat-heavy campaigns. Varda also loves seeing Manwë and the others having fun.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Ulmo

Ulmo in particular is always very fond of the Children and the things they come up with. He too may be hesitant to join in at first, but he's always down to do some voice acting or provide some tasteful background music. If he joins the group, he'll probably need the occasional explanation and reminder how things work on land and that his character might not be able to swim as well as he can (keep an eye on him especially if he plays a class that uses armor).

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Aulë

If he isn't sold on the game immediately, he will be once you tell him that he can play a dwarf. Aside from storytelling, combat and roleplay, Aulë swiftly becomes fond of everyone's favorite shiny math rocks and is more than happy to make custom dice for everybody's characters, satisfying all their dice goblin needs. Important note for the DM: Aulë is an inventor and (in)famous for creating his dwarves in his workshop - do not let him play an artificer if you value your sanity.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Yavanna

Whether she's aware of tree hugger stereotype or not, she has absolutely no shame and will indulge her preferences by playing nature-based classes such druids or shamans and finds it cathartic to bring nature's wrath into battle in ways she can't in real life. Aside from indulging the occasional destructive or vengeful impulse, Yavanna may default to being the party mom, fiercely protective and supportive of everyone involved in and out of game.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Vána

Vána loves the concept of the game and is eager to play. Once she learns the basics, she gets really into character and is excited to play with ideas that are very much unlike the flower girl persona people expect from her, always remaking and reinventing tropes and archetypes that catch her fancy. Like Manwë, you can expect her to never miss a game and be very passionate about it.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Oromë

Talking about and imagining slaying monsters instead of actually doing it isn't exactly to Oromë's liking, but he isn't opposed to indulging in a fun tale of adventure on cozy evenings at the campfire. After he's been sufficiently introduced to D&D culture, memes and inside jokes, he embarks on a personal side campaign to prove to everyone just how cool his personal brand of ranger can be.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Tulkas

Similar to his good friend Oromë, Tulkas isn't fond of activities that involve sitting still. His creativity and imagination isn't the best either, but at least he's always willing to play frontline and martial classes, which will come in handy especially in groups where most players have their sights on fancy casters and/or fun support builds. Tulkas is a fun guy to be around if you don't piss him off and so are his characters.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Nessa

Like her brother and husband, Nessa also enjoys being active. If she decides to give the game a try, she's very expressive, gestures a lot and may act out small scenes if given the chance. As fun as this is during roleplay, sitting close to her during combat segments while she shows you how exactly she's smacking her enemies is not recommended, especially if she plays a monk.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Námo

Námo isn't known for his playfulness, however this doesn't mean he's opposed to engaging with the game. In fact, he quite enjoys slipping into a different role and mindset for a while - having to be the impartial judge and observer all the time can be tiring after all. Another aspect of D&D he may enjoy is, surprisingly enough, the element of randomness: His foresight allows him to know the future, but not every little detail, and a couple of dice rolls in a roleplaying game are probably not important prophecies Eru gave him. It may feel refreshing for Námo to be surprised.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Vairë

No matter how casual any given session is, Vairë arrives in full cosplay, really getting into character creation like Manwë does as well, though as usual she's more practical about it. Additionally, she keeps a cute notebook as a campaign journal in which she records all the fun little details and great moments the players experienced together. She also enjoys creating fan content for the campaign.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Irmo

Irmo has quite a vivid imagination and has always adored roleplaying, so he's immediately on board. It's by far his favorite part of the D&D experience, though he quickly finds that he enjoys combat and puzzle solving sequences as well. He's the one to initiate and drive a lot, if not most of the character interactions, helps advancing their character arcs and is just a joy to have at the table. Class-wise, he's definitely a bard player and will happily perform his songs and flirtatious lines in real life too.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Estë

It may come as a shock and surprise to the other players that Estë categorically refuses to be the party healer, at least on her first playthrough. Like Vána, she's eager to explore other roles through her characters. No matter what she decides to play, her character may strike up an in-game rivalry with Irmo's character to spice things up and both of them have way too much fun bickering.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Nienna

She most likely takes a back seat at first, letting others play the game, observing to learn the rules and quietly enjoying the stories they tell. Encouraged by her family, Nienna joins in eventually, provided she's currently in the right headspace for it (being the Lady of Grief, she sometimes feels mentally and emotionally exhausted, in which case she prefers to just sit there, relax and unwind by being in the presence of her loved ones). As a player, she enjoys roleplaying the most, but also does well with puzzles since she's a keen observer and listener.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ Melkor

Well. Melkor is most certainly going to be that guy at the table. He likes to derail campaigns, especially if they're Manwë's, tests the limits of the rules (and everyone's patience) and wants kills and loot. Once he familiarizes himself with the game's mechanics, he exploits them and likes to powergame. The one concept Melkor has trouble grasping is that D&D isn't a game you play to "win". Simply put, he very much has fun, but isn't fun to play with for a lot of other players; however, if you want to play a meme or evil campaign, he's your guy.

Side note: If Melkor plays with his own friend group he may also chill out for once.

Side note 2: Don't let him DM unless, again, you want the kind of campaign he'll come up with.

Side note 3: Watch your shiny math rocks. Melkor likes shiny.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

taglist: @a-contemplation-upon-flowers @asianbutnotjapanese @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @bluezenzennie @edensrose @i-did-not-mean-to @melkors-big-tits @melkors-defense-attorney @singleteapot @wandererindreams

#cílil answers #headcanons #ainur #valar #manwe #varda #ulmo #aule #yavanna #vana #orome #tulkas #nessa #namo #vaire #irmo #este #nienna #melkor #silmarillion #tolkien #d&d

[a-world-of-whimsy-5]

This is a little something that came to life after some fun discussions on Discord. A big thank you to @cilil for helping me figure out the title, and details of how the chase that came after the feast could go. The first post featuring elements of the Feast of Horns will appear in tomorrow's Pre-Defection! Gothmog (Calinár) /Eönwë fic.

Warnings: mentions of drinking and sexual activity (very subtle)

Minors DNI | 18+ | You are responsible for the media you consume

Original image by Livin4wheel/Unsplash

🍃 This festival began after the first forests came to life on Almaren, and the Valar feasted to celebrate this new chapter in the making of Arda.

🍃 The feast ended in a great race through the woods, where some of the Ainur ran beneath the branches of mighty trees and encouraged the others that followed to catch them. It turned out to be a good way for them to enjoy themselves and free themselves of any inhibitions they may have had.

🍃 As the theme of the festivities involved both the hunter and the hunted, Oromë and his consort, Vána, took on the roles of Master and Mistress of Ceremonies, respectively.

🍃 When caught, the captured then granted their captor whatever they desired, including rewarding them with acts of physical pleasure. The Ainur believed in giving physical affection freely to whomever they wished, as it was only the act of spirits cleaving to each other that mattered when it came to marriage and fidelity among their kind.

🍃 Because the Ainur enjoyed that first race so much, Manwë issued a decree allowing it to become a festival that fell on the first day of every tenth Valian year. The only rule was that no one was to be forced into doing something they did not want to do.

🍃 The feast would begin with a sumptuous banquet within the halls Oromë and Vána call home. All present would dine on roasted meat, foul and fish, and cheese and bread and honey and fruits that grew wild outside the halls. There would be flagons of water and mead and ale and beer and even fine wine for anyone who wanted it. Then, after everyone had their fill, guests, more often than not, would indulge in singing bawdy songs before everyone had to go outside for the chase.

🍃 Oromë would make his way onto a dais made for the occasion and ask the hunters and the hunted if they were ready to begin. After they answered, he would invite Vána to bring him the Valaróma, which she does so on a velvet cushion. When he blew the horn for the first time, the hunted raced into the forest. After the second time, the hunters ran after them.

🍃 To separate the hunter from the hunted, a symbol that established the identity of each was. Hunters wore horns on their brow and amidst their hair, and the hunted wore chains and collars adorned with actual animal horns or horns wrought of gold and iron and other metals. For the Ainur, it was an easy thing to produce horns that adorned their physical forms, and the hunted kept Aulë occupied with their requests for necklaces and collars. In time, these horns, necklaces, and collars became quite elaborate.

🍃 Any Ainur, sprite, fay, or other spirit capable of flight could not fly during the chase. Just like the others, they had to run as well.

🍃 Both the hunter and, once caught, their captive, were allowed to invite others to join them if they wished.

🍃 While some pairs and groups indulged themselves in whatever way they liked within the forests, others returned to the halls and made their way to chambers set aside for them to use with their partner(s).

🍃 Once in a while, Manwë and Varda would also take part.

🍃 Eönwë and Gothmog (Calinár, as he was known before he swore himself to Melkor) first paired off during one such chase.

🍃 Very few beings know that Melkor first came across Mairon during one of the earlier chases.

🍃 Those who took on the role of the hunted would sometimes try to hunt those who chased them, and a contest of wills and skills would ensue.

🍃 After the destruction of the two lamps and Almaren itself, the feast and the chase that followed it continued after the Ainur migrated to Valinor.

🍃 In Valinor, the festivities always took place within the halls and forests of Oromë.

🍃 As the chase occurred within the lands he ruled over, Oromë and Vána once again returned to their roles of Master and Mistress of Ceremonies, respectively.

🍃 After the elves who undertook the great journey settled into life in Valinor, they were invited as well. Elves who served Oromë and Vána took part without fail. Those who served the other Ainur took part whenever possible as well.

🍃 After the first kinslaying, the Feast of Horns ceased for a while as elves and Ainur alike grieved the murder of a king, the destruction of the two trees, and the loss of life in Alqualondë. Festivities only resumed after the appropriate time for grieving had passed, and the elves themselves requested it to have some sense of normalcy return to their lives.

🍃 Those who only ever lived in Middle Earth and heard tales of the feast and what came after were shocked to witness it with their own eyes. Nevertheless, these elves soon grew comfortable with the notion of such a feast and took part also. 

tags: @asianbutnotjapanese

#the feast of horns #headcanon #world building #the valar #the ainur #the maiar #the silm #the silmarillion #the silm fanfiction #💫 a world of whimsy writes

[toskarin]

So elves are angels?

if you're going off my description, which I largely lifted from tolkien, the answer is "not especially"

tolkien style elves are beholden to the concepts of fate and prophecy, but that's not a trait unique to them. they're just kind of especially fateful guys

as a fair warning, you've triggered a fantasy infodump here and I've quarantined it below the readmore

this is all going off of like... loose memories of a time where I was more fresh off of reading tolkien when I was younger, so I'm abridging a lot here. don't cite me to anyone or you'll probably be wrong. also how literally this is intended to be understood depends on whether you take the elves' word for how the elves came into being.

which you might.

men* and elves are the children of ilúvatar, more properly eru ilúvatar, who you can here understand as the closest thing in the legendarium to the christian god

*: understood to mean humans, including hobbits for the sake of this explanation, although that's left a bit vague because hobbits are thematically the most normal guys possible. they don't even feel much of a drive to give themselves a creation myth

elves were given immortality, ethereal beauty, really good memory, and incredible talents for creation. they were the first type of incarnate, from the time when the stars were coming into being

men didn't come around for a while after that. men are mortal, but will inherit the earth and can break away from prophecy and fate, specifically as it pertains to the music of the ainur, which is kind of hard to summarise without just saying "it's the scheme of how things unfold that was laid out from the moment everything was created, destiny itself"

to skip over a bunch of more complicated details, this means that elves are a union of body and soul, like men. they're intimately bound to the workings of the world, but most things that aren't men are also bound to it, and being bound to it doesn't necessarily mean you're aligned with it

there are entities that directly serve the god figure on a few different tiers. the god figure's first spirit creations were ainur*, and then the ainur who descended into the song of creation became lower forms of divinity called the valar and maiar, with the maiar being the lower-ranked spirits that assisted the valar

*: same ones mentioned in the context of the song of the ainur, since they wove the world more or less as proxies for ilúvatar

the valar take the roles of sort-of-proxy gods, while the maiar work to assist them and occasionally incarnate into mortal form when something needs REALLY fine tuning. the valar and maiar are much closer to what you're looking for, as far as angels go! (assuming I understood the question correctly of course, which I might not have lmao)

elves and men are two different kinds of incarnate, with dwarves being a third. in some way, they all contain echoes of divinity, and while some are more beholden to the framework of its designs than others, everything in tolkien's writing is echoing out from divinity, carrying divinity within itself

[that-angry-noldo]

rest beneath thy fingers (yield beneath thy touch)

1.6k || T || AO3 || Finarfin/Eönwë

Eönwë designed his body to match perfection, and above all, his wings: the most magnificent, the most pride-worthy.

They were heavy and strong, aiding him in combat as well as any sword or shield might have had; wrapping them around his body, he did not need to fear the coldest night; the sight of them came to sow terror in the hearts of the enemies, only a fraction of terrible might their owner held. Great and golden, his pride, his symbol—Arda held no treasure that came close in worth to his wings.

It ought to have been troubling, then, how easily he yielded them beneath Finarfin's touch.

It was necessary, Eönwë tried to explain to himself; necessary, to keep himself grounded, to keep himself within his body, to slow his running thoughts. It was necessary, to feel Finarfin's touch and let himself get lost in it; necessary, to stop moving, stop thinking, drop his head to Finarfin's knees and listen to his quiet, soothing voice.

His wings glowed with faint golden light, and Finarfin ran his fingers through them. Eönwë closed his eyes, giving in to the sensation.

Finarfin's hands smelled of healing herbs, and his eyes were weary with sleepless nights. Eönwë ought to have felt selfish; ought to have felt guilty, for keeping the king away from his duty.

"There is no duty," Finarfin said, catching the edge of his thought, "there is no duty left for tonight, lover. Let me have thee."

Eönwë closed his eyes, leaned into Finarfin's touch. One by one, Finarfin undid Eönwë's braids, and Eönwë hissed when his hair fell, long and heavy, to his shoulders; his scalp ached, and it made him want to weep. Finarfin crooned soothingly, rubbing soft circles into the skin of his head, sang a quiet melody that made his fingers feel pleasantly cold against Eönwë's scalp; and when Eönwë no longer felt like he would cry, Finarfin brought a comb and a vial of scented oil, and Eönwë let him work them through his hair.

"Like a raven-wing," Finarfin murmured, letting a few strands slip from his fingers. "Like the darkest night."

Eönwë laughed, humourless. "Even darkest nights have stars," he sighed, turning his face to the side. "I have none."

Finarfin hummed. "That is because all of them are in thine eyes," he said, making Eönwë look at him, and smiled softly. "Sun and stars alike, dearest."

"Choose one. Thou compared them to gold yesterday."

Finarfin scoffed, tugged lightly at his hair. Eönwë's eyes fluttered shut, and he exhaled.

Finarfin caressed his face. The skin of his hands was worn and calloused; Eönwë resisted the urge to kiss it.

"Thou art troubled," Finarfin continued, making him look again at his face, running his thumb over skin where Eönwë knew scars would be, were he an Incarnate. "Tell me what ails thee, lover, so I might ease thy burden—or else share it with thee, if thou let me."

Finarfin's eyes were steady as he looked at him, but Eönwë could see his worry—could feel the way his finger's lingered at Eönwë's skin, could feel soft brush of Finarfin's thought against his own—but how could he begin to explain?

There was death, and pain, and desolation. lf not his own, for the Ainur knew not such things, then the one he carried through war; if not his own, then of those around him. It was a weight on his shoulders, one that he felt he would crumble beneath; a lord, a herald, a warrior—who was supposed to carry it if not him, who Beleriand had to cry to if not to him? Let me share it, Finarfin said, and Eönwë loathed it; Finarfin's face was weary with his own worries—Eönwë would not burden him with this, too.

He settled on an answer. "I cannot tell. I know not what to say." Then, softer: "Thou needest not know. Thou comfortest me even now."

He saw Finarfin's brow furrow.

Finarfin leaned closer to him, tipped Eönwë's chin. "Dearest," he said. "I have seen violence and bloodshed one cannot imagine; I have seen bodies mangled and minds broken beyond return. Let me see thee."

Eönwë held his gaze, green as emeralds, unyielding as steel—and, despite himself, felt his resolve waver. It would be easy, to give in to Finarfin's care. Would be easy, to feel his hands on his body; would be easy, to surrender himself, to let himself be held.

Something selfish in him wanted it. Something selfish in him wanted to leave his weapons and forget his duty, and stretch out the night as long as possible, nothing but Finarfin's touch and eyes and voice, nothing but the warmth of the furs and unsteady light of lamp.

Was it selfish, or was it merely a necessity, to keep him grounded, to keep him anchored to this land, broken and wounded and crying with each sunrise, with each battle, with each fallen?

Finarfin waited, ever patient—until Eönwë closed his eyes, leaned into his touch. "Thou art troubled," Finarfin said again, "and weary." He cupped Eönwë's cheek, searched his face. "Is there truly naught I can do to ease thy worry?"

Eönwë took Finarfin's hand; pressed his lips to his wrist, lowered his head on Finarfin's lap. "Simply—hold me, have me," he breathed, felt Finarfin's hand comb through his hair. "Bind me. It will suffice."

***

Eönwë's wings were his pride and glory; and yet there was nothing more glorious than surrender them to Finarfin's touch.

Finarfin was clever, and his hands—hands of a king, hands of a sailor—were smart with knots; and rope was not as hard to find. Eönwë kneeled. Waited until Finarfin's hands finished tracing the outlines of where he wanted the rope to be; until he placed the last kiss to his cheek before making his hands occupied.

There was something intimate about kneeling, and having Finarfin kneel beside him; something freeing, in closing his eyes and having his vision be taken away by a blindfold that Finarfin's hands tied around his head.

An illusion of vulnerability, maybe; a feeling that even he may be defeated and made surrender, though he knew it would take much more than a blindfold to rob him of sight—him, seeing everywhere and far beyond constraints of his eyes, and time, and matter. Still. He could allow to pretend; could sink into the darkness around him and believe it to be all that was left.

"I always wondered," Finarfin began, hand caressing Eönwë's feathers, "how would I go about thy wings, if thou let me wound a rope around them; thy arms might be easier, but wings puzzle me." He stopped, as if remembering himself; Eönwë imagined his features soften as his hands returned to Eönwë's face. "Dost thou wish to undress, dearest?"

Eönwë wished to have Finarfin's hands back on his body; wished to hear his quiet voice above his ear, carefully explaining him and commanding what to do. He put his head on Finarfin's shoulder, let him run his fingers through his hair. "No," he said at least, and it made doubt rise in his chest: if Finarfin would rather have him naked, he did not want to ruin it for him. "Unless thou wantest it, of course."

"I want nothing thou dost not." Finarfin tucked a strand of Eönwë's hair behind his ear, brushed his cheek. Eönwë felt him shift; straightened his back as Finarfin moved to his side.

"Lift thy wings," he said, "so I might go about binding thine arms."

Easy, the next few minutes. Finarfin did not hurry; and something in the confidence of his movements, in the tight hold of rope around Eönwë's arms made his mind pleasantly quiet; something in trying to move his arms and failing to after Finarfin was done was satisfying, and made Eönwë hum contently.

Finarfin rose to his feet. His hand lingered on Eönwë's shoulder; Eönwë turned his head to face him, to feel the soft brush of his touch on his cheek or chin.

Finarfin dropped a kiss to Eönwë's head. Straightened. His fingers combed through Eönwë's hair, slightly scratching at his scalp; Eönwë hummed, sighed into the silence of the tent.

"Thy wings," Finarfin said. "Wouldst thou like me to bind them? Or are the arms enough?"

"I want," Eönwë said. "I want."

Finarfin was silent for a while—before taking hold at one of the wings and starting his work again.

His hands worked carefully around the feathers; Eönwë almost poked at him for it—he did not need such care, was not as weak to be coddled so— but changed his mind when they gained confidence, when Finarfin tightened the first few knots.

Eönwë's wings were big. He tried to imagine how they looked now, with Finarfin binding them almost effortlessly; tried to imagine what sight he made, after Finarfin finished with each individually and pulled them back to tie them together. Bound, kneeling, hair loose—little it took him, to surrender so; little it took him, to part his lips when Finarfin kneeled to kiss him.

"Better," he breathed in answer to a silent question. "Better, this is better." Then, quieter: "Thank thee."

He heard, rather then saw, Finarfin's smile. Finarfin took his face into his hands, kissed him again; then kissed his jaw, his cheek, his forehead. "I am glad," he said. "I am glad, beloved."

He tugged Eönwë to rest his head on his shoulder; and then, Finarfin's hands combing through his hair, Finarfin's mind bright against his own—Eönwë finally breathed, and drifted, and surrendered in truth.

#finarfin #eönwë #silmarillion #silm fic #war of wrath #feather in your braid

[outofangband]

Hi i cant remember if i it was you or someone else who had the headcanon/au about Melkor stalking Maitimo in Aman but if it was you, did anyone else notice the creepy behaviour or was it not that obvious?

Hi anon! Im sure there were multiple people who have had this idea but one of them was indeed me!

cw: stalking, Melkor being creepy etc

I mentioned this here in something more generally but in my opinion Melkor really delighted in taking advantage of whatever grace he might have been afforded and working to have it denied to Fëanor

He says things to Fëanor that, if repeated, very few people would believe to be a threat or otherwise sinister or malicious, interacts with his children in ways that are perfectly innocent but when he knows this heightens Fëanor’s paranoia, that sort of thing

In this storyline, there’s very much an escalation and for a lot of it, much of Melkor’s behavior appears innocuous to the point where Fëanor, or Maedhros, could easily be taken as biased or overly cautious which is exactly Melkor’s intent. It’s things that are casual, appearing in the same places without even directly interacting, taking advantage of the fact that many of the Ainur genuinely do not understand the same boundaries as the Eldar to be too close for comfort (though Melkor absolutely does understand these boundaries), acting almost genuinely remorseful if anyone does comment.

Perhaps some of Melkor’s behavior is read as petty or strange but not yet sinister

Over time though, people start to notice especially as there starts to be a more obvious toll on Maitimo himself. Nerdanel absolutely starts to notice. She is more neutral about Melkor for much of this, not having or fully understanding the hatred that Fëanor has but absolutely not about to die on the hill of defending him either.

I hope this answers your question, let me know if I can clarify more, I’ve been having a strange morning so I’m not feeling particularly articulate:/

#the silmarillion #maedhros #fëanor #morgoth #melkor #musing and meta

[ettelenethelien]

Why don't the Valar count as Eruhini even though they arguably should?

The probable reason is that the term serves to distinguish between things belonging to the domains of the Ainur and beings they did not have a hand in making. The funnier answer is that as a certified Significantly Older Sibling™ I can vouch that the family very quickly puts up a distinction between you and "the children".

Who are you then? *shrug*. But your little siblings are teens and far older than you were when this started and the phenomenon shows no sign of ending.

#I mean I *cannot* actually vouch this happens in every family #but it certainly happens in mine #// #my post #Tolkien #Silmarillion #silm #valar #ainur #eruhini