#fengel's daughters

[brigwife]

My most recent rabbithole of research tells me that in Tolkien's world, twins are significantly more common among Elves than Men. In fact there are only two known pairs of twins in the race of Men:

Haleth and Haldar, who crossed the Blue Mountains at the beginning of the first age.

Folcred and Fastred, brothers of King Fengel (and great-great-uncles to Eowyn, Eomer and Theodred

So naturally, I'm taking this information and creating a headcanon that Theodred had a stillborn twin sister. Because he's my Special Little Guy and I wanna give him more Special Little Guy points :)

(p.s - this sister would have been named Idis, as a nod to the daughter of Theoden who appeared in earlier drafts of LOTR)

(p.s.s- Elfhild died in childbirth, so in a way it kinda follows that the pregnancy would be more likely to have complications if it as a multiple one, right?)

@from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras tagging you because i thought you might appreciate this thought :')

#lotr #lord of the rings #headcanons #theodred #twins

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

Hello! i saw the ask game and i wanted to ask your opinions about my best guy Theoden!

Love your blog!

<3 <3 hello hello! Yess, he is the best!

First impression

I always loved him. It's the soft dad vibes that he gives off in the film and I always transposed those onto book version of Theoden as well, even if they aren't as front-and-centre.

Impression now

As you all know I have a soft spot for imperfection and Theoden is very much an imperfect leader who is trying his damndest in an impossible situation.

I love his fear of being like his ancestors (sure "lesser son of greater sires" but in the immediate memory Fengel and Thengel weren't anything to write home about and I'm sure Theoden had the "don't be like your grandfather" running in his head), which is a nice parallel to Aragorn's own fears and concerns. That certain weaknesses are "inherited" or you're somehow doomed to repeat the failings of your forefathers.

I also really appreciate Theoden's practicality and realism. This is definitly shown way more in the books than in the films.** But he is so pragmatic and realistic about what is happening and has a strong, stable workman-like air to his leadership as king and general. It's very grounding and a nice compliment to the high fantasy that is happening around them all.

--

**I have Views & Opinions on what PJ did with Theoden in the films in relation to Aragorn

Favorite moment

In the movies, I love all of his speeches. My favourite, favourite scene is "but do you trust your king/where is the horse and the rider" bit with Gamling. Second up are the paralleling scenes of "I know your face" with Eowyn. Soft dad vibes <3 <3

In the book, I naturally have my favourite scene is when he's missing Grima and having those complex feelings of "I'm angry at this man for what he has done and his betrayal, while at the same time I'm grieving the relationship we used to have/the man he once was." It's so very human.

I just love Theoden's deep humanity. A feature so often missing in the race of Man who are usually more High Arthurian, for lack of a better way to phrase it. Not that the likes of Aragorn and Faramir don't have their deeply human moments, they for sure do, but Theoden is consistently the most deeply human of the leaders, aside from Denethor, and I really like that.

Idea for a story

There's a part of me that's a secret Theoden/Grima shipper, so you know. Anything utterly tragic in that department with some bittersweet hope(?) at the end. Kill me where our love hurts most, my liege.

Otherwise, I would love an exploration of Theoden and his father's relationship and how he positions himself within the frame of his father and grandfather's legacy. Also his changing views on what it means to be Rohirrim - considering I am sure he has a complex relationship with that. He's more comfortable in Westron and Sindarin than the language of his own people! That's got to have some complexity to it.

Unpopular opinion

I'm not sure I have one on Theoden? I feel like most of my opinions are pretty par for the course.

Favorite relationship

Definitly Eowyn. I love the father-daughter vibe happening with them. I wish we saw more of it.

Favorite headcanon

When Theoden adopted Eomer and Eowyn he went around to everyone in Meduseld apologising in advance. People were like "?? your niece and nephew seem charming and lovely ??" and Theoden was like "ok but you don't understand: They are the Children of Eomund. This is going to be INSANE."

He always loved them, of course, but they were little terrors. You know that dual thing of dealing with grief of losing parents/being orphaned at a young age and how that can lead to lashing out plus natural peronalities being on the fiery side.

Theoden just like, put everyone on High Alert.

(lol Grima would have been like mid-late twenties and Theoden is like: New Guy, do you like children? And Grima is all: Abso-fucking-lutely not. Why? Theoden: No reason. Gamling, I was wrong, we can't put the new guy on baby-sitting duties.)

----

Thank you!!! Theoden is just, ah, one of my top tier faves. And thank you, I'm glad you enjoy my wee lil' tumblr :D

#ask meme #ask game #lotr #lord of the rings #theoden #rohan #grima wormtongue #reply

[neechees]

Tolkien either names female characters but doesn't involve then very actively in the narrative while making them sound like the coolest bitches on earth (Andreth, Nerdanel, Dís) or he doesn't name them even though the info we DO have on them or who they're related/married to sounds like they're important & relevant enough to have names (Aragorn & Arwen's daughters, Fengel's wife, Lothiriel's mother, the names of the 6 first Dwarf mothers)

#lotr

[arofili]

men of middle-earth ♞ house of éorl ♞ headcanon disclaimer

          Fengel was the son of Folcwine, and the fifteenth King of Rohan. He was the third of his father’s sons, and became his heir after the death of his elder brothers Folcwine and Fastred in the Battle of the Crossings of Poros. Yet Fengel was never given the same kind of attention as his siblings: his mother doted upon him, but his father ignored him, and his sister Layrun treated him with outright disdain. As a result, Fengel grew up both spoiled and starved for attention, manifesting into an adult greed and love of gold.           As king, Fengel dallied about with many women, neglecting his wife Bledwyn, who bore her fate with her head raised high. Fengel was unloved by his people, but they respected Bledwyn, who took care of most of Rohan’s day-to-day business in her husband’s stead. Bledwyn also bore Folcwine three children, two daughters and a son. The elder daughter, Wilfled, took after her mother and aided her in managing Rohan’s state affairs; the younger, Cwenswith, left Edoras to become a shieldmaiden in her youth. Thengel, Bledwyn’s only son and Fengel’s heir, quarrelled often with his father, and left for Gondor as soon as he was old enough to enter into the service of Steward Turgon.

#tolkienedit #oneringnet #lotr #lotredit #rohan #rohirrim #fengel #fengel's wife #oc bledwyn #fengel's daughters #oc wilfled #oc cwenswith #thengel #my edit #my writing #edit writing #headcanons #tefain nin #men of middle earth #house of eorl

[morwensteelsheen]

Morwen Steelsheen

Morwen Steelsheen, also known as Morwen of Lossarnach, married Thengel of Rohan in Gondor, though she was seventeen years younger than him. She bore three children in Gondor, of whom Théoden, the second, was her only son. When his father Fengel died, Thengel inherited the Kingship of Rohan, and travelled with Morwen back to his own land. Morwen bore him two more daughters in Rohan; and the last, Théodwyn, was the fairest; she would become the mother of Éomer and Éowyn. [x]

#trying to push my byzantine gondor agenda lmao #morwen steelsheen #it's been probably close to a decade since ive done a shitty tumblr edit i forgot how hard it is!! #lotr #rohan #gondor #sorry the gratuitous tagging is so i can keep my blog vaguely organised #mine #also all the colouring tutorials i used to rely on have all been deleted lmfao brutal self own on my part for never learning this stuff

[thegirlwhohid]

She bore him three children in Gondor, of whom Théoden, the second, was his only son. When Fengel died the Rohirrim recalled him, and he returned unwillingly. But he proved a good and wise king; though the speech of Gondor was used in his house, and not all men thought that good. Morwen bore him two more daughters in Rohan; and the last, Théodwyn, was the fairest, though she came late (2963), the child of his age.

Thengel’s daughters moodboard

Legendarium Ladies April: (28/30)

‘The Lord of the Rings’ characters: (53/?)

Characters’ moodboards: (440/?)

#thengel's daughters #legendariumladiesapril #legendarium ladies april #lotr aesthetic #lotr characters #lotr moodboard #lotredit #lotr #thengel's daughters aesthetic #thengel's daughters moodboard #characters #j.r.r. tolkien #aesthetic #moodboard #mine

[lesbiansforboromir]

Family tree of all Boromir’s large extended family including names for unnamed woman and filler characters that I just made up for flavour.

This has a little extra than the timeline like the Steward’s connection to Pinnath Gelin and some more of Rohan’s royal line. 

Timeline pertaining to Boromir and his extended family and Gondor and Rohan as a whole below the cut. 

Begins with Turin II becoming the ruling Steward of Gondor. If you see inaccuracies then please give me a bell.

2882 Death of Thorondir, Turin II becomes ruling Steward of Gondor. 2883 Birth of Lord Faelon the Fisher, Lord of Pelargir. 2886 Birth of Ecthelion II, son of Steward Turgon. 2899 Death of the unnamed eighteenth Prince of Dol Amroth. The eighteenth Prince's son, Aglahad, becomes the nineteenth Prince of Dol Amroth. 2901 Most of the remaining inhabitants of Ithilien desert it, owing to the attacks of Uruks of the Morgul Vale. The secret refuge of Henneth Annûn is built. 2903 Birth of Mesgiel of Pelargir, Wife of Ecthelion II, sister to Faelon. Death of Folcwine, Fengel takes the sceptre of Rohan. 2905 Birth of Thengel, son of King Fengel of Rohan. 2907 Birth of Gilraen, mother of Aragorn. 2911 The Fell Winter, Wolves invade Eriador. 2912 Devastating floods in Minhiriath and Enedwaith, death of Argonui, Arador becomes Chieftain of the Dúnedain, Tharbad deserted. Saruman discovers Sauron is searching the Gladden Fields. 2914 Death of Túrin II, Turgon becomes Ruling Steward of Gondor. 2917 Birth of Prince Adrahil of Dol Amroth. Birth of Cardir, Seneschal of Tumladen. 2920 Prince Thengel leaves Rohan’s court due to a break with his father and is welcomed in Gondor. 2921 Lord Faelon the Fisher weds Tinnoril of Pelargir. Birth of Sirgon, son of Faelon. 2922 Birth of Morwen Steelsheen. 2924 Birth of Lady Arasser of Lamedon. Mesgiel of Pelargir weds Steward Ecthelion II. 2925 Birth of Lady Terenis, eldest daughter of Steward Ecthelion. Birth of Laegeth of Cair Andros. 2927 Birth of Lady Vanyalos, youngest daughter of Steward Ecthelion. 2929 Arathorn II weds Gilraen. 2930 Death of Arador, Arathorn II becomes Chieftain of the Dúnedain. Birth of Denethor II 2931 Birth of Aragorn. 2932 Death of Prince Aglahad, Angelimir becomes Prince of Dol Amroth. 2933 Death of Arathorn II, Aragorn becomes Chieftain of the Dúnedain. 2935 Birth of Forlong, Lord of Lossenarch. 2939 Saruman discovers that Sauron's servants are searching the Anduin near Gladden Fields, and that Sauron therefore has learned of Isildur's end. He is alarmed, but says nothing to the White Council. 2941 Sauron driven from Dol Guldur, Battle of Five Armies. Dáin II becomes King of Erebor. 2942 Sauron returns in secret to Mordor. 2943 Prince Thengel of Rohan weds Morwen Steelsheen. 2944 Birth of Princess Eadoina, eldest daughter of Prince Thengel. 2945 Birth of Princess Éadwara, second eldest daughter of Prince Thengel. Prince Adrahil weds Lady Arasser of Lamedon. 2946 Birth of Princess Aldwyn, third eldest daughter of Prince Thengel. 2947 Death of Faeron, Sirgon becomes Lord of Lebennin. Birth of Ivriniel, first daughter of Prince Adrahil.  2948 Birth of Théoden, Son of Thengel. 2950 Birth of Finduilas, second daughter of Prince Adrahil. 2951 Sauron declares himself openly and gathers power in Mordor. He begins the rebuilding of Barad-dûr and sends three Nazgûl to reoccupy Dol Guldur. Gondor. 2952 Aragorn discovers his true name from Elrond and goes into the Wild. 2953 The Dark Tower rises again. Last meeting of the White Council. They debate the Rings of Power. Saruman feigns that he has discovered that the One Ring has passed down Anduin to the Sea. Saruman withdraws to Isengard, which he takes as his own, and fortifies it. Being jealous and afraid of Gandalf he sets spies to watch all his movements; and notes his interest in the Shire. He soon begins to keep agents in Bree and the Southfarthing.. Death of Steward Turgon, Ecthelion II becomes Ruling Steward of Gondor, Saruman begins to fortify Isengard, death of King Fengel, Thengel returns from Gondor to take the throne of Rohan, Theoden accompanies him. 2954 Mount Doom bursts into flame again. The last inhabitants of Ithilien flee over Anduin. 2955 Birth of Imrahil, son of Prince Adrahil. 2957 Sirgon weds Laegeth of Cair Andros Aragorn begins his great journeys as Thorongil. 2960 Birth of Siriel, daughter of Lord Sirgon. 2961 Birth of Lorvegil, eldest son of Lord Sirgon. 2963 Birth of Théodwyn, youngest daughter of Thengel. 2964 Birth of Falathran, youngest son of Sirgon. Lady Vanyalos weds Lord Forlong of Lossenarch. 2967 Birth of Tathrenes, eldest daughter of Lord Forlong. 2969 Birth of Lothuial, second eldest daughter of Lord Forlong. 2970 Lady Terenis weds Cardir of Tumladen. 2973 Prince Theoden weds Elfhild of Rohan. 2974 Birth of Collas, youngest daughter of Lord Forlong. Birth of Eradan II, eldest son of Lady Terenis and Cardir of Tumladen. 2976 Denethor II weds Finduilas 2977 Birth of Halas II, youngest son of Lady Terenis and Cardir of Tumladen. Death of Angelimir, Adrahil II becomes Prince of Dol Amroth.  2978 Births of Boromir and Théodred. Death of Elfhild in childbirth. 2979 Death of Falathran in the sudden increase in Corsair hostilities. 2980 Attack on Umbar. Death of Thengel, Theoden takes the Throne of Rohan. Adventures of Thorongil end and Aragorn and Arwen are betrothed. About this time Gollum reaches the confines of Mordor and becomes acquainted with Shelob. 2983 Siriel weds Beinor of Minas Tirith. Birth of Faramir. 2984 Deaths of Ecthelion II, Denethor becomes Ruling Steward of Gondor. Denethor II begins to use the Anor-stone. 2985 Birth of Hirgon, son of Siriel. 2988 Death of Finduilas after a period of illness.  2989 Éomund weds Théodwyn. 2990 Saruman begins breeding Orcs. Birth of Erchirion son of Prince Imrahil. Birth of Belegorn, son of Tathrenes out of wedlock. 2991 Birth of Éomer, son of Eomund. Lady Tathrenes weds a Knight Barahon of Imloth Melui. 2992 Death of Cardir, Seneschal of Tumladen, killed defending the fords of the river Sirith. Eradan II becomes lord of Tumladen. 2993 Birth of Cúlalf, second son of Lady Tathrenes. 2994 Destruction of Balin's colony, birth of Amrothos, son of Prince Imrahil. 2995 Births of Falasser, son of Lorvegil. Birth of Eowyn, daughter of Eomund. Birth of Cordover, third son of Tathrenes. Lothuial weds Lord Rondil of Arnach. 2998 Siriel killed whilst helping evacuate the city, Beinor leaves Pelargir and raises Hirgon in Minas Tirith. 2999 Birth of Lothíriel, daughter of Prince Imrahil. Birth of Cúdulus, youngest son of Lady Tathrenes. 3000 The shadow of Mordor lengthens. Saruman dares to use the palantír of Orthanc, but becomes ensnared by Sauron, who has the Ithil-stone. He becomes a traitor to the White Council. His spies report that the Shire is being closely guarded by the Rangers. Birth of Celebros, daughter of Lorvegil. (79) Birth of Rhossolas, daughter of Lady Lothuial.  3001 Bilbo's birthday feast.  3002 Easterlings attack the Eastemnet of Rohan aided by the orcs of the White mountains. Death of Éomund battling Orcs at Emyn Muil. Death of Théodwyn, Eomer and Eowyn are adopted into King Theoden’s house. Bilbo comes to Imladris. 3006 Birth of Pelilas, youngest daughter of Lady Lothuial. Death of Rondil of Arnach during a corsair siege. Death of Collas, daughter of Vanyalos, killed in an ambush whilst tending to the wounded refugees. 3007 Death of Lorvegil in ship combat, Sirgon takes in Celebros and Falasser. 3009 Gandalf and Aragorn renew their hunt for Gollum at intervals during the next eight years, searching in the vales of Anduin, Mirkwood, and Rhovanion to the confines of Mordor. At some time during these years Gollum himself ventured into Mordor, and was captured by Sauron.  3010 Death of Adrahil II, Imrahil becomes Prince of Dol Amroth. 3012 Eradan II weds Gladhriel of Lamedon. Death of Arasser, mother of Prince Imrahil, at the age of 88. 3014 Théoden begins to fall ill after a wound and his counselor, Gríma Wormtongue, begins to gain power over the King. Birth of Faeleth, daughter of Eradan II. Death of Mesgiel, mother of Denethor II, at the age of 111. 3015 Prince Elphir weds Síloril of Dol Amroth. Death of Morwen Steelsheen at the age of 93. 3017 Birth of Lenneth, Falasser’s daughter out of wedlock. Her father claims her. Birth of Thorondir II, son of Eradan II. Birth of Alphros son of Prince Elphir. Gollum is released from Mordor. Aragorn captures Gollum in the Dead Marshes. On his way to Mirkwood, Aragorn crosses the Anduin assisted by the Beornings. Gandalf visits Minas Tirith and reads the scroll of Isildur. He then leaves for the Shire. On his way northwards, Gandalf gets word from Lothlórien that Aragorn passed by with captured Gollum, and changes his course to meet him. Aragorn brings Gollum to Thranduil in Mirkwood. Gandalf comes to Thranduil and questions Gollum. Gandalf leaves Mirkwood and resumes his course west for Hobbiton. 3018 Boromir and Faramir receive the riddle in their sleep. Sauron attacks Osgiliath. Death of Eradan II and Cúlalf, killed defending the bridge of Osgiliath beside their cousins Boromir and Faramir. Thorondir II becomes lord of Tumladen with his mother acting as his regent. About the same time Thranduil is attacked, and Gollum escapes. Boromir sets out from Minas Tirith for Rivendell. Gandalf imprisoned in Orthanc. Sauron learns of the treachery of Saruman, Frodo reaches Rivendell, the Council of Elrond is held and the Fellowship of the Ring formed. Belegorn, son of Tathrenes, engaged to a healer of Arnach. Birth of Alwed, son of Rhossolas out of wedlock.  3019 Deaths of Gollum, Boromir, Denethor II, Dáin II, Brand, Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Saruman, Théoden, Nazgûl destroyed, One Ring destroyed, End of Sauron, Bard II becomes King of Dale, Thorin III Stonehelm becomes King of Erebor, Aragorn takes the name Elessar, Aragorn takes the Sceptre of the Reunited Kingdom, Mirkwood renamed Eryn Lasgalen, East Lórien founded. 3020 Drúedain destroy remnant of Saruman's Orcs, Faramir and Éowyn wed. 3021 Éomer and Lothíriel wed. Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf, Bilbo and Frodo pass over the Sea.

#gondor #lotr #lord of the rings #tolkien #boromir #denethor #erran vs tolkien #soap operas in mannish sindarin #text post #timeline

[rolandfontana]

‘He’s Not Just a Number’: Are Gun Deaths Eclipsed by Opioid Crisis?

On Oct. 30, 2018, Trevonte Kirkwood, 27, of Bloomington, Illinois died of multiple gunshot wounds. He was one of nine people shot and killed in the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area in 2018.

That’s up from one gun death in 2017, and zero in 2016.

For Trevonte’s mother, Dameca Kirkwood, the official silence surrounding the deaths, in a community rocked by the deadliest year for gun violence in its recorded history, is almost as awful as the tragedy itself.

Trevonte Kirkwood was shot and killed in October. 2018. The 27-year-old had two young children. Photo courtesy Dameca Kirkwood via The Pantagraph.

“Someone has lost a life,” Kirkwood said, fighting back tears. “I feel empty that as a community we have to come to this, where we’re not talking about it. Where we’re not coming together about it.”

Seven others were wounded by gunfire last year. Neighborhoods and businesses are being traumatized by shots-fired calls and armed robberies, even when no one is actually hit.

In early February when Trevonte Kirkwood’s daughter celebrated her 6th birthday, four months after her father’s death, children took cover after shots rang out outside an apartment where she now lives with an aunt, Neise Kirkwood, who adopted her.

“We can do better than this,” Neise said.

The community’s muted response to gun violence stands in contrast to its full-throated reaction to the opioid crisis. Forty people overdosed in McLean County in 2017, and another 28 last year.

A task force was created for the opioid crisis, bringing together law enforcement, public health officials, and social service providers. A new program called Safe Passages made it easier to get addiction treatment without fear of repercussion.

Local officials welcomed input from state and national leaders on solutions to a complex problem, with numerous press conferences and public forums.

But for gun violence, reaction has come from unelected community members—like Kirkwood—as well as faith leaders and newly formed grassroots organizations such as Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense and BN Youth Activists.

There have been vigils after each shooting but, other than the arrests in eight of the nine gun deaths, no broad response.

There’s no McLean County Gun Violence Task Force.

Karen Irvin, a retired teacher and co-leader of the local Moms Demand Action chapter, said the group would welcome being part of an ongoing community-wide effort.

“I can’t wait to be part of a conversation that goes deeper than vigils and monthly meetings and canvassing for elected officials,” said Irvin, who lost one of her former fourth-graders, Egerton Dover, to gun violence in December.

“We had a unique year in 2018. And we don’t know if that’s an outlier.”

The different reactions trace back to two of the thorniest issues in American life—a constitutionally protected right to own a gun, and race—according to more than a dozen interviews conducted by The Pantagraph and GLT.

The gun lobby has successfully made guns a central part of what it means to be American, said Julie Webber, a professor of politics and government at Illinois State University who has studied gun violence.

That’s despite nearly 40,000 people killed by guns in the U.S. in 2017, the highest number in decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“They’re just very good at telling that story,” Webber said. “Gun control advocates have not been able to find something equally compelling.”

The Factor of Race

Race is another factor explaining the different reactions to gun violence and opioids, Webber said.

Dameca Kirkwood sees it too.

If Trevonte had been white, his unsolved murder would be all over the news every night, she said. All nine of the people killed last year were black or Hispanic, in their 20s and 30s.

“He is not a case number,” she said of her son. “He is not just an African American…He was my son. And as his mother, until I take my last breath, I will do whatever. I will keep preaching. I will keep speaking. Until the bastards who done this have been brought to justice.”

The local, state, and federal response to the opioid epidemic has been a rare bipartisan one, triggering an outpouring of resources, such as more doses of the opioid-overdose antidote Narcan for police officers.

The focus on expanded opioid treatment differs from what those addicted to other drugs experience: a path to the criminal justice system.

“It’s because of the amount of people it’s touched, and the fact that it’s not just one socioeconomic group,” said McLean County Sheriff Jon Sandage, who launched his Safe Passages program last year.

“It touches everybody from all walks of life. It’s just a devastating disease. Politically, who would be against that?”

The demographics of those killed locally by guns versus opioids illustrates that race is a factor here too. Those who overdose in McLean County tend to be white, with an average age of 42, across all income and education levels, said Coroner Kathy Yoder.

“The politicians know that for every one of these people that are going to be helped by having an understanding approach to the opioid crisis, they’re related to some middle-class Caucasian-American who’s going to vote somewhere,” said Webber.

Not everyone sees the difference between the two responses. Bloomington Police Chief Clay Wheeler pointed to last summer’s summit at Miller Park, attended by police, convening community leaders and local youths to talk about solutions to the rise in gun violence.

 Wheeler said the guns-opioid comparison was unfair.

“Police departments looked toward community partners,” he said. “There were several events where community partners (and) social service agencies looked at what services they had available. There were discussions publicly and behind the scenes about the issue.”

Added McLean County Sheriff Sandage: “I think we’re giving just as much attention to the guns as we are the drugs, because when you find drugs you find guns and vice versa, usually. .

Nevertheless, part of the response to the opioid epidemic has focused on the supply, with efforts to stop doctors from over-prescribing painkillers that can be stolen and sold illegally.

There’s no parallel for the supply of guns in America.

Local elected officials and law enforcement are reluctant to tread into what could be Second Amendment territory. That’s despite evidence that stolen weapons are often used in crimes, including homicides.

In July, Bloomington Police arrested a 17-year-old woman who allegedly stole three guns from a friend’s apartment in Normal and sold one to Hammet Brown. He’s accused of using it to kill Taneshiea Brown, 20, and Steven Alexander Jr., 18, on Bloomington’s east side in June.

“By and large, all of our gun owners in McLean County are responsible. We’ve not had any cases of those being irresponsible,” Sandage said. “There are the burglaries that happen and guns get stolen. It’s always a message we have out there to lock up your weapons, and hopefully people listen.”

That reluctance to talk about easy access to guns may be changing. The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) is considering creation of a new subcommittee focused on gun violence, to help inform policy debates in Springfield.

“With guns in general over the years we’ve really had no opinion on it, no response to it, unless it affected law enforcement. So it’s time we need to have the conversation,” said ILACP President Brian Fengel, who is chief of police in Bartonville.

Other communities have been more proactive to stop gun violence. Champaign, Peoria, and Springfield all have task forces on the issue. Champaign’s Fresh Start and Peoria’s Don’t Shoot initiatives are both “focused deterrence” programs, using a U.S. Department of Justice model that brings community stakeholders together and reaches out directly to at-risk youth.

The U.S. attorney’s office, based in Springfield, the Illinois capital, is often a partner in these initiatives. Sometimes it convenes the stakeholders; sometimes it’s just one of the partners. John Milhiser, the U.S. attorney for central Illinois, said he’s willing to be a partner with McLean County too if asked.

“Quite frankly, I don’t think there’s a community that couldn’t benefit from the more comprehensive approach to gun violence, violence in general,” said Milhiser, whose 46-county district includes Bloomington-Normal.

The McLean County Juvenile Justice Council (JJC) recently appointed a subcommittee on the issue of gun violence, said JJC chairman and Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner. Camille Rodriguez, director of the McLean County Health Department, will chair that subcommittee.

Reaching Out to At-Risk Youth

Youth outreach will be key, Bleichner said.

“Although not all the people involved are juveniles, they didn’t just pick up a gun when they were 25,” Bleichner said.

Rodriguez said her department has researched the effectiveness of outreach programs on gun violence. She said one approach might be messaging that targets kids using YouTube.

“The jury is out as to the best approach. Sometimes it’s reaching out to parents. Sometimes it’s reaching the young people directly. And we want to meet and decide which is best,” Rodriguez said.

Sandage said he’d be open to a more comprehensive approach to gun violence.

“We do have a lot of different groups trying to get their message out. Maybe it would be a good idea to get them all together, in one unified message,” Sandage said.

Other things are happening more informally. McLean County State’s Attorney Don Knapp recently teamed up with Pastor Andrew Held from Bloomington City Life, a youth ministry based on Bloomington’s west side, to work directly with at-risk youth.

Last month, they took a group of 17 kids to play virtual reality games and mingle with police, prosecutors, and Public Defender Carla Barnes.

In the short term, Knapp said he hopes it makes them less reluctant to talk to police if they witness a crime.

“In the long term, whatever I can do to change what I believe to be a false narrative of distrust of law enforcement, that’s what I want to do,” Knapp said.

In the decade he’s been working in youth ministry, Held has seen a change in the attitudes of teens, many of them on the brink of committing their first crime.

“Today’s youth are apathetic. They’re not really motivated towards work or an education,” said Held.

The numbers of teens in Held’s program dropped last year as the gun violence escalated. Fear and trauma kept youth close to home, he said.

Separately, Not In Our Town, Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal, and the United Way of McLean County are working with a small group of at-risk youths in hopes of keeping them on the right track. That grew out of last summer’s summit at Miller Park.

For Dameca Kirkwood, her role of unwilling advocate took her to the steps of the McLean County Museum of History earlier this month, for an event marking the one-year anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

She connected one of the country’s worst mass shootings to how everyday gun violence snatched away her son—a 27-year-old father of two who loved fashion, music, and was nicknamed “Goof Troop” because of his infectious smile.

Kirkwood said stopping gun violence will require a multipronged approach, including laws that make it harder to get a gun and keep them “only in the right hands.”

Stronger family structures and better mental health services are also needed, she said.

“If you know better, you do better,” she said. “And if someone knew better, they would’ve done better, and maybe my son would still be here.”

This is a condensed and slightly edited version of a story completed for the John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Justice Reporting fellowship, which appeared in The Pantagraph and was broadcast on GLT, an NPR station in Bloomington. GLT’s  Eric Stock also contributed to this report. The full version can be accessed here.

‘He’s Not Just a Number’: Are Gun Deaths Eclipsed by Opioid Crisis? syndicated from https://immigrationattorneyto.wordpress.com/

[arofili]

men of middle-earth ♞ house of éorl ♞ headcanon disclaimer

        Thengel was the son of Fengel, and the sixteenth King of Rohan. He quarreled often with his father, a greedy and incompetent king, and left Rohan in his youth to serve under Steward Turgon of Gondor. There he met and married Morwen Steelsheen of Lossarnach, a descendant of an offshoot branch of the Princes of Dol Amroth, a proud and noble woman whom he loved greatly.           Morwen bore him five children in all, four daughters and one son. The eldest was Frithild, a gentle woman whose heart remained always in her birthplace of Gondor. Then came Thengel’s heir Théoden, likewise born in Gondor, but raised a prince of Rohan with the understanding of his place in the line of succession.           Shortly before the birth of Thengel and Morwen’s third child, Mereliss, word came to Gondor of Fengel’s death. Reluctantly, Thengel returned to his land of origin and was crowned King of Rohan. Despite his yearning to return to Gondor, Thengel was a wise and firm king, much more respected by his people. During his reign, the wizard Saruman took full control of Isengard and began to fortify it, which troubled Thengel for a reason he could not name.           Then appeared the ranger Thorongil, a mysterious warrior who entered into the king’s service for a time. Thorongil rode at Thengel’s side against any enemies that dared cross into the borders of Rohan, earning the king’s trust and friendship before he heeded the summons of Steward Ecthelion II and went to Gondor.           Thorongil remained in Rohan long enough to see the birth of Shadufled, fourth of Thengel’s children, and with his foresight guided Thengel and Morwen in how best to raise the babe he Saw would chafe against the expectations of a Lady and wish sometimes to be a Lord instead. True to his predictions, Shadufled grew to express both masculine and feminine qualities, and remembering Thorongil’s advice, their parents were able to support them as they discovered themself.           The last of Thengel and Morwen’s children was Théodwyn, fairest of their daughters and kindest of heart. She and her siblings were raised with the customs of Gondor, the land of their mother’s origin and of their father’s heart. Sindarin was the daily tongue of Thengel’s house, along with Westron, and his children used Rohirric only to converse with their friends outside their home.

#tolkienedit #oneringnet #lotr #rohan #rohirrim #thengel #morwen steelsheen #morwen of lossarnach #oc frithild #oc mereliss #oc shadufled #theoden #theodwyn #my edit #my writing #edit writing #headcanons #tefain nin #house of eorl #men of middle earth

[arofili]

men of middle-earth ☀ misc. dúnedain ☀ headcanon disclaimer

          Asdihil was the sixteenth Prince of Dol Amroth. He wed Lady Lômihirî of Lossarnach, who bore him four children: a son, Aglazôr, two daughters, Rûkhilî and Karasindil, and another son, Imrahad. In his ninetieth year, Asdihil and his sons were called upon by Steward Beregond to defend the White Mountains, where orcs fleeing their war with the dwarves had recently established themselves. Asdihil led a valiant attack, flushing many orcs out of the dales, but was laid low by a poisoned arrow. Aglazôr and Imrahad carried him back to Dol Amroth where he died surrounded by his family.           Grieving the loss of her beloved husband, Lômihirî found she could no longer bear the sight of the sea and removed herself to the land of her birth. With her were her two youngest children, Karasindil and Imrahad, though Aglazôr took up his inheritance with the aid of his sister Rûkhilî and his wife Gimilzâirî, both wise counselors. In Lossarnach, Imrahad found love and happiness with the maiden Azrurôth, who had never before seen the sea whose name she bore. Imrahad was glad to bring her to his home and wed her in his brother’s castle, though after their marriage they returned to Lossarnach to raise their children.           The eldest of these was Nilûzôr, a man of great cheer and confidence who expressed his true self at a young age by refusing the title of “little lady.” Nilûzôr wed the mason Ûrîbatân, a quiet and gentle soul, and bore him one child, a daughter by the name of Minluphêl. She became a scholar, often visiting the libraries of Minas Tirith and Dol Amroth, where she befriended her cousin Prince Aglahad and married one of his retainers, Abralêth, who returned home with her to Lossarnach.           Minluphêl and Abralêth’s son Aglazagar was, despite his fearsome name, a man devoted more to cultivating the beautiful flowers and orchards of his home than he was to war. Still, he took up his sword when the need arose, and for his valiance in battle defending the new outpost of Henneth Annûn, Steward Turgon named him the Lord of Lossarnach, now a fiefdom in its own right. Aglazagar wed Zimrupânî, a handmaiden of Turgon’s wife Mírdholen, and together they had two children: Arnubên and Morwen.           Arnubên was in many ways unlike his father, delighting in contests of strength and eagerly meeting Gondor’s foes in battle. His husband Hiruzîr was no less valiant, and the only thing that took him from the field was the birth and rearing of his son Forlong, raised by his fathers to be a mighty warrior. Arnubên’s sister Morwen was an iron-willed woman with an interest in politics. She often visited Minas Tirith, and it was during her residency there that she met Prince Thengel of Rohan, an honorable young lord whom she quickly grew to admire. In time they were wed, and when Thengel was called back to Rohan upon the death of his father Fengel, Morwen returned with him as his Queen. The Rohirrim loved their Gondorian queen, naming her Steelsheen for her grace and pride, and from her line sprung many of the greatest heroes of the Riddermark.

#tolkienedit #oc asdihil #oc lomihiri #oc aglazor #oc rukhili #oc karasindil #oc imrahad #oc azruroth #oc niluzor #oc uribatan #oc minluphel #oc abraleth #oc aglazagar #oc zimrupani #oc arnuben #morwen steelsheen #oc hiruzir #forlong #my edit #headcanons #tefain nin

[arofili]

men of middle-earth ♞ house of éorl ♞ headcanon disclaimer

         Folcwine was the son of Folca the Hunter, and the fourteenth King of Rohan. In his time, the Dunlendings once more overtook the lands between the rivers Adorn and Isen, but with the aid of Steward Túrin of Gondor he was able to drive them out and reclaim the area.           The wife of Folcwine was Cynefled, a gentle woman who bore him four children. The eldest of these were the twins Folcred and Fastred, followed by a daughter, Layrun, and another son, Fengel. Folcred and Fastred were mighty princes who planned to rule jointly as brothers when Folcwine died; they were supported in their vision by their sister Layrun, a sage and wise-woman who commanded much respect among their people. Fengel, the youngest, was more of an afterthought in his childhood, doted upon by his mother but never truly acknowledged by his elder siblings or his father.           When Steward Túrin called upon the Oath of Círion and Éorl, requesting the aid of Rohan to defeat the Haradrim armies invading Gondor, Folcinwe sent many riders to his aid in memory of the support Túrin had given to him against the Dunlendings. This force was led by Folcred and Fastred his heirs, who were tragically both slain in battle. They were laid to rest where they fell, at the Crossings of Poros, and their burial mound became known as the Haudh-in-Gwanûr, the Mound of the Twins.          Upon this tragedy, Folcwine grew and weary, neglecting to properly train his remaining son in the ways of kingship. Layrun, devastated by the loss of her brothers, retreated with a small group of followers into Fangorn Forest, where they became known as wood-witches, feared and respected by those who believed in their powers. Meanwhile, Fengel was raised solely by his mother Cynefled, who spoiled him irreparably.

#tolkienedit #oneringnet #lotredit #lotr #lord of the rings #rohan #rohirrim #folcwine #oc cynefled #folcred #fastred #oc layrun #fengel #my edit #my writing #edit writing #headcanons #tefain nin #men of middle earth #house of eorl

[morwensteelsheen]

Okay also some Morwen ones because (laughably) I still haven’t actually written anything about her yet.

“Kin to the Princes of Dol Amroth” is, like, a loosely true interpretation of the facts: her grandfather was Aglahad’s second son (Abrazimir 1), who married the daughter of a middling lord of Lossarnach (Gelrohel 2), and settled along the Anduin-coast side of Belfalas.

They had a son, Rílothon, who moved to Imloth Melui in Lossarnach and there wedded the daughter of its lord, Megilien.

Megilien and Rílothon had two children, Mesgrîn and Morwen. Mesgrîn became the Lord of Imloth Melui (through matrilineal descent, thanks Númenor!!), and Morwen married Thengel, son of Fengel, and became the Queen of Rohan.

Thengel was living out his self-imposed exile by serving the steward Turgon, which basically meant a lot of gallivanting about the place not doing an enormous amount, because the world was strangely calm during Turgon’s rule. Part of this Hard And Serious Deployment was a trip to Pelargir where, coincidentally, Morwen was staying with her maternal aunt.

They met, and Morwen was impressed with Thengel’s history as an Actual Warrior (aka the kill count he racked up in Rohan before he fucked off to Gondor); she had been raised in Gondor to think very highly of warriors, but hadn’t really been around anyone who’d seen actual action given the whole calm-before-the-storm environment she’s living in.

They marry and have five (no, this is not a joke, canonically it is literally five!) children, including Théoden and Théodwyn. Théoden and their eldest daughter, Théofled, were born in Gondor. Théodwyn was the first child born in Rohan, after Fengel died and Thengel was recalled to the Mark. There were two subsequent daughters.

Morwen’s reticence towards learning and using the Rohir language was as much about practicality as snobbery—she was educated and fluent in Westron and both classical Gondorian (ie. Minas Tirith’s) Sindarin and the Belfalan, Silvan-informed Sindarin. More on that here.

Her “Steelsheen” epithet came not because she was particularly unique in her mannerisms, but because Fengel had been such a fucking nightmare even a literal tornado would have looked calm in comparison. Still, she got the Steelsheen title early in her reign, and basically made a meal out of it.

She was well keen on Thorongil when he came to Rohan, but had a basically jealous/territorial streak and, after all the work she and Thengel had to do to restabilise Rohan after Fengel’s multi-decade meltdown, she began to worry that Thorongil was too well liked.

Thengel disagreed, and was basically right, but it does form a common theme in Thorongil’s early career—Finduilas of Dol Amroth and Denethor, son of Ecthelion II would also be wary of Thorongil when he passed through Gondor.

Sorry to end on a bummer but: Morwen died of breast cancer in TA 3000, twenty years after Thengel died. Éowyn, then, really only grew up with the legend of her grandmother, not the woman herself.

1 — “Abrazimir” is an Adûnaic name meaning “steadfast jewel.” This is partly a pisstake on the dumb mistranslation of Faramir’s name as…that.

2 — “Gelrohel” is a Sindarin name from “Roc”, meaning horse, “gell” meaning joy, and the feminine suffix “–el”. This is also a pisstake— Éowyn’s name translates as “horsejoy”.

#lotr #morwen steelsheen #e hc tag