#i love gildor | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

actual-bill-potts · 9 months

Text

tiny little fluff ficlet because some people informed me i was making finrod suffer too much credit to @eilinelsghost for Gildor's Telerin name Elenaráto!

When Findaráto arrived back to Alqualonde and home at last, he was exhausted: he had been in Tirion far longer than expected. He had intended the visit as a short one, visiting at Turukáno’s request, for his cousin was having trouble in love and wanted a sympathetic ear. Then Finwë, dropping in unexpectedly one evening, had asked him to stay a few more six-days in the palace, for Maitimo had managed to wrench himself free of his considerable responsibilities at Formenos to visit the city.

So Findaráto had stayed, and when Maitimo had arrived he and Findekáno, Turukáno and Findaráto, had made a merry foursome, and then a very tired one. Findekáno was full of boundless energy, and Turukáno and Maitimo both would follow him anywhere, so Findaráto had been dragged on hike upon hike, to party after party, hunting trip upon hunting trip. Really, he had thought gloomily, Artaresto would have been a much better choice if Turukáno was going to drag him up so many mountains - but Artaresto was inseparable from Elenaráto, and anyway he and Turukáno did not get along very well. They were both, Findaráto thought, too serious.

The visit had nevertheless been delightful, and the parting hard, so that Findaráto arrived home quite late and fell asleep almost immediately. He was tired, and felt he had more than earned his rest. I wonder how my family has done without me, he thought hazily as he fell asleep. I hope they are all well.

His dreams were soft, silver-lit things. He was sitting on a hill, basking in the light of Telperion. Turukáno was flopped beside him. He was arguing passionately that ducks should be outlawed from Valinor.

“I don’t see why they should be cast out from the bliss of Aman,” Findaráto said in the dream. “What have they done?”

“They are very angry,” Turukáno explained earnestly, “and they disrespect Ulmo and Manwë.”

Suddenly a large duck waddled up to stand next to them. “Findaráto,” it croaked. “Well met.”

“Well met!” returned Findaráto, pleased to have made a friend.

The duck opened its beak to reveal sharp teeth. “Findaráto,” it said again. “Findaráto!” It snapped at him, digging into his shoulder.

“Turukáno!” Findaráto said desperately. “Help!”

Turukáno did not react; he smiled, and said, “You see?”

Findaráto flailed uselessly at the duck. It screamed his name again and tugged sharply on his braid -

His braid was being tugged. Findaráto’s eyes flew open to see an extraordinarily sticky face less than a handspan from his own, and extraordinarily sticky fingers wound in his hair.

Artanis beamed. “Findaráto!” she said. “You’re awake!”

“What?” said Findaráto. Then he said it again. “What?” He was just lucid enough to realize that he sounded idiotic. But, he thought with a groan, if Artanis was going to enter his bedroom just past the first Mingling, perhaps she did not deserve intelligent conversation.

Artanis giggled. She tugged on his braid again, and Findaráto winced. “Your hair is messy!” she said.

“It would not be messy if you hadn’t put your fingers in it,” Findaráto said, privately thinking that Artanis had no right to criticize. He blinked several times, trying to get his eyes to focus, and gently began to disentangle her little hands. They were very sticky.

“Artanis,” he began, hoping he was wrong, “is there jam on your hands?”

“No!” she said. “My hands are clean!”

“But there are purple stains on them - and on my blankets,” Findaráto observed. He finally loosed Artanis’ fingers from his braid, and inspected it. He groaned. “And in my hair! Artanis!”

Undaunted, his little sister squirmed downwards, kneeing him in the stomach as she threw her arms around his neck. “Then you will have to get up and wash!” she said cheerfully. “And then you can come play with me!”

Findaráto gasped for breath - how could someone so small have so many sharp corners? - and tried to drag his scattered thoughts into some semblance of order. “Artanis,” he began, reasonably. “It is lovely to see you -”

“I am happy to see you too!” Artanis squealed, burrowing closer. She was dangerously close to kicking Findaráto’s mound of blankets entirely to the floor, and he grimly hung on. “Missed you!”

“I missed you too,” said Findaráto - for he had - “but I am very tired. Would you perhaps let me sleep at least until the Mingling is over?”

Artanis pouted. “But that’s boring.”

“Can Atar not play with you?” Findaráto suggested. He briefly struggled with himself, then decided an additional span of sleep was worth tossing away his loyalty to his brothers. “Or perhaps Artaresto?”

“Atya is still asleep,” said Artanis, “and Artaresto never wants to play with me. He always says he is too tired.”

“Why do you listen to him when he says he is too tired, and not me?” Findaráto demanded.

“Because he often is too tired,” said Artanis with one of her startling flashes of insight, “and you just want to sleep. I am much more fun than sleep!”

Findaráto scrubbed at his eyes again. He could not really argue, and he had missed Artanis. It was nice to be loved so uncomplicatedly.

“Besides,” Artanis added cheerfully, “I made you yullas!”

Findaráto was suddenly wide awake. “You what! Alone?”

“I am old enough!” Artanis insisted. “I made it just the way you like it!”

Findaráto tried to scramble out of bed, forgot about the snarl of blankets Artanis had wrapped about herself, and tumbled straight onto the floor.

“Why did I come home from Tirion?” he enquired of the ceiling, resignedly.

“Because you love us!” shouted Artanis. She clambered down from his bed and tugged at his hand.

“All right. All right!” said Findaráto. He clambered to his feet and followed her downstairs, hoping against hope that she had not destroyed anything important in the kitchen.

The room was surprisingly clean, lit by the cozy shell-lamps that Findaráto always missed when he was away. For a moment he simply stood, drawing in a deep breath. It was nice to wander into the twilit kitchen, smelling of salt rather than stone. The light of the Trees, so close to Tirion, could be overwhelming. And it made him break out into freckles everywhere! He did not know how Turukáno stood it.

Artanis darted in behind him and picked up a mug from the counter. “For you!” she said proudly.

There was a scattering of dried leaves upon the counter, and a bit of water, but Findaráto was deeply relieved to see that nothing had been broken. “Thank you, Artanis,” he said, taking the cup. “But please do not make yullas without someone who is grown! You could have burned yourself.”

“I could not!” Artanis returned. “I was very careful.”

“Yes, but your hands are very small and I do not want you to get hurt. It was kind of you to make it, though, winicë.” Findaráto took a sip, then froze and tried to keep his expression neutral. The drink was so sweet his tongue felt like it might shrivel. “Ah - what did you add to this, Artanis?”

“Honey!” said Artanis. “And sugar! I know you like your yullas to be sweet.”

“I - yes,” said Findaráto. “That was quite - er - thoughtful.”

“Do you like it?” said Artanis.

“I like it very much indeed,” lied Findaráto. He took a very small sip and set the mug carefully down. “Let me drink some water, and wash my hair, and then we can see what there is to do.”

Artanis’ face lit up. “May I comb your hair?” she asked. “And braid it after? I have learned a new braid from Ammë.”

Findaráto sighed; then smiled. “You may,” he said. “Only you must give me enough time to wash and dress.”

“I will!” Artanis said. She leaped forward and caught him around the waist, small head pressed into his side. “I missed you, Ingo.”

“And I you, winicë,” returned Findaráto.

It was nice, after all, to be home.

#finrod #galadriel #silm fic #my writing #lsdkjflkds more fluff i even gave finrod blankets by popular demand

60 notes · View notes

middle-earth-mythopoeia · 5 months

Note

Top 5 favorite Frodo Baggins moments?

Oooh, thanks for the ask! This is such a good question, and it's so hard to answer! These are just the top 5 I can think of right now, because let's be real, every moment in the entire Lord of the Rings is my favorite Frodo moment!

5. When he's planning to leave the Shire and all his friends totally see through it, because he's been muttering about it to himself in a very obvious way for ages, and then he's actually SURPRISED that they know about everything AND they insist on coming with him! Also the entire Crickhollow part is just perfect. And the journey there.

4. When Gildor DOESN'T give him advice, and Frodo says, "Go not to the Elves for counsel for they will answer both no and yes." His sense of humor is so underrated! Also I love how in that part the Elves are so impressed by his ability to speak Elvish. As someone who is also fascinated by Elvish, I love that Frodo is canonically a nerd.

3. When he and Sam hold hands and sleep next to each other during the journey through Cirith Ungol. I don't know, I could pick literally any scene with Frodo and Sam, but those moments stand out to me because of what a horrifying place it is and how they take comfort in each other's presence.

2. When he has pity for Sméagol and spares his life. This is obviously a crucial element of the story for reasons I don't even need to explain... But on the same note, I think it's really important that he prevents hobbits from killing each other during the Scouring of the Shire, and it really exemplifies why he's such a good person. 1. And finally, when he volunteers to take the Ring. Is anyone surprised this is number one? I mean, it's THE bravest and most selfless thing you could pretty much ever do. I just love Frodo so much. I have to quote the scene here because it is SO GOOD:

‘I will take the Ring,’ he said, ‘though I do not know the way.’ Elrond raised his eyes and looked at him, and Frodo felt his heart pierced by the sudden keenness of the glance. ‘If I understand aright all that I have heard,’ he said, ‘I think that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will. This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck? But it is a heavy burden. So heavy that none could lay it on another. I do not lay it on you. But if you take it freely, I will say that your choice is right; and though all the mighty elf-friends of old, Hador, and Húrin, and Túrin, and Beren himself were assembled together, your seat should be among them.’

YES! YES! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I have nothing helpful to add just YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! His seat WOULD be among them!

#thank you so much for the ask <3 #this was a really good one #asks #Frodo #my writing

35 notes · View notes

corvidae-quills · 3 months

Text

Tagged by @thestateofardadreaming (thanks!)

How old were you when you were first introduced to LOTR?

My mom read me the Hobbit sometime before I started kindergarten, so probably around four or five. I first read the books when I was around eleven or twelve, and then I saw the movies right after.

Favorite LOTR character?

I love all of them! But at this point I think I'd have to say my favorite is Gandalf. He manages to be both one of the funniest and one of the most serious characters in the story. Also if the characters were real there's quite a few of them who would be very intimidating to meet, but I don't think Gandalf would be despite being the most powerful (on the good guy's side). I also like Theoden and (obviously) Pippin, and the entire Fellowship.

Books or Movies?

I do really love the movies, and think they're probably some of the best ever made, and all things considered an INCREDIBLY good adaptation, but I've gotta go with the books. There are some things the movies don't get quite right (looking at you Elrond and Faramir, though it's easy enough for me to insert my book-knowledge of them into the movies, you wouldn't get really the right impression of these two with just the movies), I don't like all the changes they made (I understand they wanted to give Arwen a bigger role but I'm really disappointed we never get to see Glorfindel. His appearance made a big impression on me the first time I read the books), and I REALLY don't like some of the things they cut (yeah, I understand why they cut the Old Forest, Tom Bombadil, and the Barrow-Downs - mainly I think they wanted to cut Tom Bombadil and you kind of have to cut the other two to do that - but those are some of my favorite parts. Also really disappointed they cut the Grey Company). So. Definitely books.

Favorite movie?

I don't know what you're talking about it's all one movie I honestly can't pick between Fellowship and ROTK. But the shot of the ship sailing west at the end of ROTK probably altered my brain chemistry, particularly after I finally read the Silmarillion (read the Silmarillion).

Favorite scene?

Everything in the Shire during Fellowship, but particularly when Frodo, Sam, and Pippin meet Gildor and company after hiding from the black rider. But overall probably the scene in the tower of Cirith Ungol where Sam sings:

Though here at journey's end I lie in darkness buried deep, beyond all towers strong and high, beyond all mountains steep, above all shadows rides the Sun and Stars for ever dwell: I will not say the Day is done, nor bid the Stars farewell.

As well as the scene in Mordor where he sees the one lone star in a gap in the smoke.

Oh, I also like the scene where the hobbits meet Aragorn for the first time, and the scene after Frodo wakes up in Rivendell and there's a feast.

Favorite Quote?

Too many to list. The song I just put above, for one. Other than that, I'll have to re-read the books to find more (planning to do that soon).

What Middle-earth race would you like to be?

Probably a hobbit, living a nice peaceful life in the Shire.

Favorite LOTR ship?

I'm not really into shipping. I like all the canon pairings.

tagging: @butterflies-and-bumble-bees @red-winters @thebluehoursofmorning @roccondil @greater-than-the-sword @frangipani-wanderlust

19 notes · View notes

i-did-not-mean-to · 5 months

Text

S&D Drabbles

Let's start with the actual drabbles.

(Yes, there will be 4 posts...I am endlessly sorry...)

For @sortumavaara

🐙 Fire Touch - Smith - G

🐙 Beloved companion - Seasponge - T

🐙 Tag, you're it - Anairë & Nerdanel - T

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @maglor-my-beloved

🐙 Hush now, don't say a word... - Fëanor/Nerdanel/Rúmil - T

🐙 Her feet never touch the ground... - Celegorm/Lúthien - T

🐙 A good time - Gil-Galad - M

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For Lferion

🐙 Stubborn light, immortal hope - Nerdanel & sons - G

🐙 A new star on the horizon - Finarfin & Indis - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @goschatewabn

🐙The best boy - Celegorm & Huan - G

🐙 A stable relationship - Rochallor & Asfaloth - G

🐙 Spill the tea... - Fëanor & Indis - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @kayleearafinwiel

🐙Uin's Delivery Service - Uin - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @scyllas-revenge

🐙 Fly you fools - Éomer & winged horses - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @welcomingdisaster

🐙 Motherhood - Indis/Míriel -G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @thedaughterofshadows

🐙 B-Art - Aulë & Mahtan - G

🐙 I know you... - Irmo & Námo - G

🐙 Would you be proud? - Maeglin & Rog - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @mulasawala

🐙 Very small heroes - Bagginshield - G

🐙 Shared Warmth - Bagginshield - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @maglorslostsilmaril

🐙 The things we do for love... - Erestor & Children of Elrond - G

🐙 Sanctuary - Tar-Ancalimê - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @mirkwood-hr-department

🐙 A brief glimpse - Fox - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For Anne Wolfe

🐙 Sunset - Gildor - G

🐙 I've got your nose - Amrod & Amras - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @searchingforserendipity25

🐙 Regrets - Daeron/Lúthien - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @elanna-elrondiel

🐙 In vino veritas? - Huan & Celegorm & Aredhel - G

🐙 Let me go - Aredhel/Eöl - T

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @ridiculoussquid

🐙 Leap of faith - Ori - G

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @cclumsyart

🐙 Forget me not - Melkor & Nienna - T

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @ruiniel

🐙 Forget... - Glaurung & Niennor - M

🐙 Freedames - Míriel/Indis - T

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @solmarillion

🐙 If I could hold you one more time - Daeron/Maglor - T

🐙 Wet - Silvergifting - M

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @niasfanspace

🐙 The world wide web - Ungoliant - T

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @the-red-butterfly

🐙 My last breath is for you - Oropher & Thranduil - T

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For @the-girl-with-the-algebra-book

🐙The Fallen Maia - Balrog - M

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆

For Ibissal

🐙 Harvest Moon - Celebrimbor/Narvi- M

Please keep in mind that I might have tagged the rating completely incorrectly. Heed the tags on every fic

@fall-for-tolkien

#og post #scribbles & drabbles 2023 #S&D 2023 #Masterlist #Drabbles #100 word fics #1/4 #So much gen...I wonder if I put this correctly

21 notes · View notes

mischieffoal · 8 months

Text

Rosie, Frodo and Sam, Now and for Always

Here it comes: Cici’s chaotic “review” of Lord of the Rings: a Musical Tale

(Spoilers for the musical: go and see it (it's running until mid-October 2023) and then read this)

“My emotions are a wreck, and now we must obviously discuss all of the musical’s shortcomings and its adaptational choices and the costumes, when I really want to stand in a field and yell. After a few hours on the train of actually very good discussions, I cycle home and yell in the park.

5 stars.”

Nothing like a bracing sprint through Reading station to forge fine friendships over somehow managing to get to Newbury and the Windmill Theatre in time. We unite with our friends, get a group photo in the designated Instagram spot and, most importantly, confirm that there will be ice cream in the interval.

It’s Mr. Bilbo’s eleventy-oneth birthday, didn’t you know? The hobbits make sure we are well informed, and someone on our picnic table is accosted by Fatty Bolger and made to play whack the rat. They all look lovely, waistcoats and sandals abounding, and some watching fauntlings are very gently introduced to hoopla. In general, if you are LARP-positive, sit at the left hand end - we were in the prime spot. Bilbo complimented my cloak and I derided my companions once again for being the only cloaked representative of our smial. Then, someone else approaches - she asks us if Mr. Bilbo said anything odd. Nothing odd at all, we reply, all a perfectly normal party. I think he’s planning something, she says. I’m worried about my spoons. I gasp. “Madam, may I ask, are you perhaps Lobelia Sackville-Baggins?” “I am!” “Madam it is an honour! I am honoured to be in your presence!” She shakes my hand. My life is complete.

Soon enough, the actual musical begins, narrated by partying Hobbits. Now and for Always had stuck in my head just from the soundtrack on YouTube, and it’s a worthy start to the show as Mr. Bilbo tells the same old stories that he always does. Hobbits sing and dance and every one of them plays an instrument. Someone has a piccolo, someone else has a lute. Bilbo has a harmonica and an accordion. Every single Hobbit has an unspecified country accent. The Brandybucks are loud, the Proudfoots are Proudfeet and Fatty Bolger moans at me about it. R says he knows who’s playing Gollum, because he’s bald. Frodo is very sweet, but I catch Lobelia’s eye across the garden and commiserate with her at her ill fortune. Sam asks Rosie to dance, and I fall in love with them (Sam is Sri Lankan, and sounds it, and Rosie has Afro hair, and they make me very happy). Bilbo gives his speech, “magically disappears”, and 17 years pass as we all get up and troop into the theatre proper.

We’re on the side of the balcony, in a wonderful wooden interior that J guesses might have been a church at some point. We return to the action with Frodo, Sam and Rosie, greeting each other with a little two step jump that I want to do with all my friends. Frodo sends them off to the Ivy Bush, because there seems to be some kind of trade mark problem with the Green Dragon. Gandalf enters bombastically, and Frodo and Sam leave as soon as they know their task, because they know that the show is only three hours long, including an interval.

The singing begins! Walking fast, singing and playing as they go - The Road does indeed Go On, the centre stage rotates as they dance-walk around it. Merry and Pippin assail them in a projected cornfield, because they’re his cousins and they’re not letting him do anything dangerous alone. Frodo is very put upon. Merry plays the cello, hanging round his neck, Pippin has a fiddle, and Sam a guitar. Also, Pippin is a girl, not just played by one. Good for you, Pippin Galadriel Moonchild. She’s also terrified of trees (Merry knows a less Tree-ish route and the Old Forest is resoundingly ignored.)

(Photo Pamela Raith)

And then! Elves! Gildor and Earendil sung with a Y! All the elves are wearing lovely blue tabards. Dark is the road ahead for Frodo, and danger follows their path. That’s nice and cheery.

(Speaking of costume, Gandalf and Saruman have very nice robes. Saruman is played by the bald one R assures me will be playing Gollum. They have a fun little stand off across the rotating stage, and Saruman isn’t hiding any of his schemes - army included. Uh oh.)

In the Prancing Pony, K says she’s going to play “spot the Strider” but Strider is in fact very very bad at being inconspicuous, as the only one wearing a hoody.

Strider makes himself known, and so does Pippin, and Frodo’s brilliant distraction plan is to sing a song. He’s not at all prepared for this and walks like a puppet, but the Brandybuck and Took contingent are raring to go with the Cat and the Moon, and soon Frodo is having a lovely time dancing on tables and all. Let’s pretend that Frodo’s smile will never fade.

The Ring goes on. Mari Lwyd black riders appear. Frodo looks like he’s underwater and it’s very funny. Stabbing ensues (no time for Weathertop today). Run! Run for Rivendell! (Costuming side note: Strider has a banging undercut and goatee situation going on). Arwen enters playing a harp, singing a Song of Hope in a bunch of elvish with no subtitles. Tolkien would approve. “The weary traveller returning… home.” It’s Strider, and we learn that this is the first time he’s returned since disappearing to be a ranger. He’s grown a lot, Arwen says. Strider mumbles something about not wanting any bigger destiny than her. Then Frodo wakes up and it turns out they’ve been having this lovely romantic discussion is his hospital wing. Ah, good, says Frodo, we successfully completed our adventure! Merry is very excited at the amount of books and maps, also did you know that Arwen is a half-elf, technically, and did you see the way she looked at Aragorn, and did you know that she’s thousands of years older than him?

(Photo Pamela Raith)

The council is called, Saruman the bald is also playing Elrond the bald, and is generally an old wise man. All of the elves are obsessed with hand gestures, and their hands are never below their waists. Everyone has so many problems, but Boromir (with another very cool undercut) wastes no time telling everyone Gondor has it worst. The steward is asleep, you say? And you had a dream and followed it here? But the sword that was broken is as lost as the One Ring. (Boromir has great dramatic timing.) Frodo will take the Ring to Mordor, though he don’t know the way. Gimli will go with him, and so will Legolas and Gandalf and Strider. (The Elf and Dwarf are Iranian and Black, and it really stands out amongst the otherwise white Men - I like it a lot). Strider asks Boromir nicely and Boromir says fine, he’ll come too. The fellowship of the ring! A rousing ensemble number with Earendil with a Y! Boromir is playing the trombone and singing at the same time and it’s the best!

Saruman learns of the Fellowship from his useless gas-mask orc minions. He deals with it himself - with menacing flute music. He flutes up a storm on Caradhras, and the Fellowship must go through Moria. Gimli reverently takes a guitar, and sings them a song of his people, as the fellowship and the audience have a chance for a rest. Then drums start in the deep, a balrog is come, and Gandalf is gone. They must continue - to Lothlorien. That horn player is a different elf now, you can tell because their tabard is gold this time!

They arrive blindfolded as Legolas waxes lyrical about the elves of the golden wood, and it turns out he’s not in love with Galadriel he’s just really patriotic. Galadriel tells Frodo they will both share a great loss, and also sings a power ballad.

(Photo Pamela Raith)

Everything falls apart after Lorien, as we all know. Boromir dances with the hobbits before the orcs get him - Strider appears seconds too late, and Boromir tells him he’s failed, the Fellowship and his people. Strider shows him his broken sword (he’ll show you his if you show him yours) and finally claims his birthright. Boromir begs him to save “our people” and Aragorn really can’t deal with that, especially when Boromir dies in his arms. Aragorn is the best actor in all of this and it’s mainly in degrees of how much he cannot deal with this. The three hunters reunite, honour Boromir, and finally pick themselves up for the road ahead - Aragorn can see the hobbits’ footprints…

In the interval we theorise on how they’re going to fit two whole books into a second act shorter than the first one. Are they just going to cut the entirety of Rohan? That’s the bit of the book I can never understand. The ice cream is very nice.

As the lights go up, Sam races after Frodo and berates his idiot upper-class master who thought he could do anything without him. They set out on their long journey, and from the other side of the stage, Pippin and Merry come charging in. They’ve already escaped from the orcs, as we really don’t have time for that. Pippin is confronted with her fear of trees. Entish is a very musical language which was beautiful to experience, and I think a far better rendition of trees talking than any realism could give. Musicians stood around the auditorium and plucked and strummed their discussion (Gimli was behind us drumming the plumbing).

(Photo Pamela Raith)

Saruman, meanwhile, directs a cool break dance number from the orcs. They’re going to crush Minas Tirith, and then Sauron will surely think Saruman is an ally, a massive victory for the Light.

The rest of the cliffhangers from act one get resolved in the next ten minutes. The three hunters can tell from the footprints that the hobbits are safe, so they race the breakdancing orcs to Minas Tirith. (No Rohan, I whisper to K). Aragorn demands an entrance to see the Steward (played by Bilbo, this company has one old wise man and one old father figure). The Steward is under Saruman’s spell! They call him Denethor but he’s serving Theoden’s role, with considerably less drama as it only takes Aragorn revealing himself as King to wake him up from the curse.

They agree to fight together to defeat Saruman! It’s another ensemble song and dance! Gandalf the White returns, and doesn’t come alone! The trees are marching! And Boromir’s actor is playing the trombone behind Denethor as he fights to defend their people, and that made me very emotional.

It’s Gollum time. Nearly naked bald man with full body dirt makeup scrambles around theatre and balcony, more news at 7. R seems unable to comprehend a theatre company having two bald men in it. This actor was so physical, my director brain was terrified of the risk assessments that must have been required for him to run along the balcony barrier.

Victory at the Pelennor Fields! TheoDenethor is slain, but the free peoples have won. They ride to Isengard. Saruman enters, and in a very dramatic and tense moment, I thought he greeted them with “Sup”. (Sadly it was actually “So”). Gandalf is sure that this will not be the end of Saruman’s mischief…

Frodo and Sam (and Gollum) are carrying on, but it’s hard going. They reminisce on the stories they used to listen to, and Sam gets out his guitar as they wonder what kind of story they’re in. Sam sings to Frodo, a reprise of Now and for Always from Mr. Bilbo, and his master tiredly joins in. He hasn’t smiled for days. “Tell us a story, of Frodo and the Ring”. Sam falls asleep, and it’s Frodo turn to sing about him - “no finer friend, now and for always”. Frodo doesn’t quite manage to finish the chorus before he falls asleep beside his Sam - but Gollum takes over in a horrifying corruption of their duet. It took me a while to realise it, but this Gollum’s voice reminds me of Voldemort from A Very Potter Musical - not at all a bad thing, but a specific niche of “very creepy and also pathetic”.

(Photo Pamela Raith)

Aragorn is crowned, and receives the reforged sword. Together, the representatives of the free peoples plan to storm the Black Gates, in a hopeless battle - for Frodo. Smeagol/Gollum finally decides to lead them to Shelob, and Frodo trusts him. “Well,” Sam says, “let’s walk into Mordor.” Cackles from very small pockets of the audience.

Shelob is a REALLY COOL PUPPET. Sam manages to stab her with the LED Sting as he is seconds away from his doom. Galadriel empowers them with ballads from afar, but Frodo can barely walk. Sam takes the ring to try and relieve his burden, and Frodo doesn’t even notice. Gollum returns and swears he knew nothing about the giant spider, what giant spider? She wasn’t there last week!

Aragorn, in the B-plot of the musical (we realised afterwards that in the books, destroying the Ring and saving the world is the B-plot), gives a rousing speech to get everyone gearing up for a battle they’re all going to lose. Arwen (I think, or is it Galadriel, I’m writing this the day after and I’ve slightly lost the plot) calls to Aragorn and starts off the ensemble number "out of grief, joy".

Meanwhile, tension is rising in the Frodo-Sam-Gollum-Smeagol polycule. Everything will change, when they destroy the ring. “The elves, Sam, they’ll disappear - all of the magic will be gone out of the world. But if I take the ring!” No one can resist the ring. Gollum and Frodo speak and move as one as they condemn Sam as a traitor and a thief. At some point in all of this Frodo gets the Ring back, Sam runs away, Gollum attacks Frodo, Sam protects him, and Frodo wakes up enough to cast Gollum out instead. I’m very tired and can’t remember when this all happens, but it was all very emotional.

The free peoples fight, and they all dance and stand so differently you can tell which peoples they all are even without the height differences. Legolas shoots from on high, Gimli is rooted to the ground with wheeling axes, Aragorn just stabs so many orcs. Merry has his cello and uses the bow to attack, and Pippin has her accordion. We love Pippin. She’s here for moral support.

(Photo Pamela Raith)

Sam and Frodo reach the top of Mount Doom and wrench open the backdrop doors. Sam can’t take another step and collapses behind Frodo as he tries once more to take it for himself - before Gollum appears. Gollum’s fall was beautiful and slow - he’s caught by black clad actors on a darkened stage and they gently let him down into the fire. And then it’s done.

The ensemble sings as Gandalf the White comes to save the two hobbits, and they reunite with their friends as Aragorn bows to the Shirefolk (and holds Frodo’s head so close that he re-awakened my inner Frodo/Aragorn shipper). Gandalf inexplicably says he’s off to have a chat with Tom Bombadil, who we had been ignoring, but that he’ll see Frodo again.

The hobbits return to the Shire, and Lobelia tells us Saruman has been there. We all have to work together to restore the Shire, including the audience - up you get, get outside and get LARPing again. We help the hobbits restore the battered garden to its former glory, and Rosie and Sam are married! Frodo never can return to the cheer he had at the beginning of this adventure. The actor had literally added eye bag makeup, I winced in sympathy when I saw him. Gandalf and the many elves of Middle Earth reach the Shire. They are going into the West. Frodo gives Sam the book in which to write their story. The hobbits do a very sad little dance jump greeting and Frodo hugs Sam tight, before he goes on his way towards the sails of the Grey Havens.

(Photo Watermill Theatre)

Rapturous applause! Everybody’s back on stage for a rousing final Cat and the Moon! Don’t worry about Frodo’s depression, we’ve got to sing a musical number for us all to go home to! My emotions are a wreck, and now we must obviously discuss all of the musical’s shortcomings and its adaptational choices and the costumes, when I really want to stand in a field and yell. After a few hours on the train of actually very good discussions, I cycle home and yell on my way through the park.

5 stars.

#lotr #lotr musical #lord of the rings #lord of the rings musical #watermill theatre #lotr fanart #tolkien #tolkien fanart

38 notes · View notes

aeonianarchives · 1 year

Note

Favorite elf + Reader have a date at a frozen lake and the reader is in a silly goofy mood and is slipping and sliding everywere and the elf catches them.

Anon why do you have to make me pick a favorite elf boy so Instead i pick top six which would work well with this and add the Valar I write for, because who doesn't want to be caught by them.

Taglist: @eunoiaastralwings | @aetherofthepen

Valar Tag: @edensrose

Finrod:

"Are you sure this is safe" The King Questioned as you stood on the frozen lake

"Not 100% sure but 20% sure it holds the weight I doubt it will break and we will catch each other if we slip" you said

"You pulled me out of Nargothrond for this" Finrod said as he took your hand and stepped onto the ice

"Yeah so" you questioned him

"It's so stupid and I love it" Finrod said

"You fell in a fountain for me of course you love it" you said getting further away from him you took a run up a very slippary run up and skidded the rest of the way to the middle of the pound maybe sliding on ice was better with knifes on your feet you though as you slipped around trying to stabilize yourself only to be caught in the chest of Finrod

"Thanks" You said as you feet slid away from you and Finrod set you down gently on the ice you span around to face him and ended going to far the rest of the day was full of him falling on the ice or you falling into him.

Maeglin:

"Are you sure I can impress Idril with this" Maeglin said crossing his arms

"Yeah totally" you said as if it wasn't a total ploy for you to slip into him and 'accidentally' kiss him as much as you hated to admit it to the Lord of the Golden Flower and the lord of the Heavenly Arch you had fallen for the Dark elf's son.

Given the cold weather the lake had frozen over, you managed to tempt him out of his hole given you happened to befriend him which shocked all the Lords of Gondolin and the King, it was actually quite easy.

You almost slipped when you stepped onto the ice but you caught Maeglin's hand which he reached out for you "Be careful idiot" The dark haired elf grumbled you helped him onto it, he managed to walk pretty normally on it compared to you

"Stop sliding around you'll fall and hurt yourself" Maeglin said only for you to slid into him toppling you both over and you ended up kissing him you both heard a squeal from the edge of the ice and laughing.

"This is not what it looks like Idril" Maeglin said as he pushed you off him

"But you are so cute together I am glad you finally found someone and gave up on me you are unaware of how long Y/n has been hiding their feelings for you I am glad you both finally found eachother" Idril said

"If you would have me can we" You questioned

"Fine" Maeglin said finally giving up on Idril you grinned and kissed him again

Glorfindel:

"Come on" you said pulling Glorfindel with you

"Wait for a second I wish to be warm" Glorfindel said

"You will be warm you will be moving around you don't need that many layers don't over do it, don't blame me if they make the ice crack beneath you and you fall in" you said as you dragged Glorfindel down to the lake

"What if I tie blades onto my shoes" Glorfindel said

"Please don't be that stupid, I love you but that is way to stupid" you said as you got onto the ice, Glorfindel happened to join you in your antics but when he caught you in return you missed catching him back making him land on his ass you both stayed awefully still as a concerning crack formed before the ice below Glorfindel started tipping and dumped the blond into the water you managed to get away with nothing but one of your legs falling in once when running away from the cracks Glorfindel pulled himself out making you laugh

"You looked like a soaked rat" You laughed

"Come give me a hug Meleth" Glorfindel said

"OH HELL NO" you said running the blonde chased after you

"ELROND HELP ME I WILL NEVER INSULT YOU AND YOUR HALF ELVEN HERITAGE OR ADOPTED PARENTS AGAIN" you yelled as you ran into the house

"ERESTOR, ELLADAN, ELROHIR, GILDOR ANYONE HELP ME FROM THIS DROWNED RAT" You yelled

"It's your own fault, deal with your consequences" Erestor said ignoring you the blonde did managed to capture you in a hug but you got a warm bath with him out of it so it didn't end badly

Erestor:

You grinned as you tempted the advisor onto the ice "This isn't very safe" Erestor muttered under his breath

"Oh come on you promised to take me to the frozen lake" You said

"I was unaware you ment to get on it for entertainment" Erestor grumbled as he came to you you grabbed his arm and pulled him to you

"But you love me so you don't care" you said as you watched fear flash across his face as he slid towards you

"yes but this is dangerous, the ice could crack and we could fall in, one of us can gain a concussion" Erestor said you kissed him to shut him up

"Shhh, just stop thinking and have some fun, relax a bit" You said as you skid away Erestor followed you cautiously and slowly you skid around him before slipped right into him.

"As I said this is dangerous lets get off the ice" Erestor said as he lead you of the ice before he slipped he let go of your had and slid into a pile of snow at the edge of the lake you held in a laugh as he poked his head out and shook the snow off him

"Can we just get back to house now please" Erestor grumbled

"Sure" you said before joining him in the snow

Elrond:

Elrond watched out of his window as you slipped and sided up and down the pound every so often coming dangerously close to injury the Lord decided to join you by the pound side to make sure if you do get injured he was there to help you.

You didn't need to slip anywhere sure ice was slippery but you could easily walk across it fine "Elrond hey" you said as you slid passed him

"What brings you here" You questioned

"You" Elrond said catching you from having your face colid with the ice

"Play times over Meleth time to go inside and warm up you are not fully elven and your mortal traits outweigh your elvish ones I do not wish for you to gain a cold" Elrond said

"My only elvish trait is immortality" You said

"Exactly my point you get get sick if you are out in the cold to long"

"Fine" You said allowing Elrond to Bring you Inside

Manwë:

When you first came to Manwë with the idea of 'playing' on the ice he was fully against it he was still fully against it but you had taken his no and ignored it somehow making it a yes he would join you he had almost slipped a few times but his wings saved him.

"You are going to hurt yourself, do not come crying to me when you inevitably do" Manwë said as you slid passed him

"You got to admit this is fun" You said back to the Valar

"Sure if you want to say it is" Manwë said as you collided into him making him lose his balanced his wings manically flapped so neither of you fell down onto the ice which somehow worked you glanced up to the king who was giving you an I told you so face.

"Don't say it" you said looking down in shame

"How about we get back and cuddle if you wish" Manwë said making you grin and agree

Irmo:

"So you are saying I am your third choice" Irmo said

"Hey it would of been funny if the other two agreed that's the only reason why you are third my love" you said

"Fair I am still offended you didn't think I would also like to see Manwë and Namo slip on ice" Irmo said you laughed

"I would of come and got you" You said

"So now i am the subject of your prank" Irmo said

"No don't twist my words" you said funnily enough you never slipped on the ice with Irmo because he made an illusion of it as he though the real thing was far to harmful and knowing your clumsy self you would fall

Mandos:

"No" Mandos said

"Come on why not" You questioned

"I have elves to watch I can't take a break from them" Namo said pointing to the Fëanorian's

"Plus it's dangerous you will just hurt yourself" Namo said

"Fine" You pouted but set yourself in his lap

"You can't move until you say yes so if they do anything to bad you have to say yes to me" You said

"You are not going to make me say yes with Black mail" Namo said

"uh huh sure" You said.

Namo frowned at how he got here he had pushed your black mail to the side of his mind and got caught of guard, you attempted to spin but ended up knocking into Mandos

"So you can't leave my arms for long it seems" Namo teased you which made you frown

"Oh shut up" You groaned as he carried you off the ice

"Hey go back right now" You said

"No I can't leave the Children or you unsupervised" Namo said

"Did you just call me a child" You questioned

"You are child sized" Namo said it was true you were the height of his 'problem children' elves

"Your so mean" You groaned lightly punching his chest

"Sure I am" Namo responded with

101 notes · View notes

sillylotrpolls · 8 months

Text

(Relevant reading below the poll)

From the glossary of the Silmarillion:

Elf-friends - The Men of the Three Houses of Bëor, Haleth, and Hador, the Edain. In the Akallabêth and in Of the Rings of Power used of those Númenóreans who were not estranged from the Eldar; see Elendili.

From The Fellowship of the Ring:

'Courage is found in unlikely places,' said Gildor. 'Be of good hope! Sleep now! In the morning we shall have gone; but we will send our messages through the lands. The Wandering Companies shall know of your journey, and those that have power for good shall be on the watch. I name you Elf-friend; and may the stars shine upon the end of your road! Seldom have we had such delight in strangers, and it is fair to hear words of the Ancient Speech from the lips of other wanderers in the world.'

Suddenly he stopped and stammered, overcome with surprise to hear himself saying such things. But Goldberry laughed. 'Welcome!' she said. 'I had not heard that folk of the Shire were so sweet-tongued. But I see you are an elf-friend; the light in your eyes and the ring in your voice tells it. This is a merry meeting! Sit now, and wait for the Master of the house! He will not be long. He is tending your tired beasts.'

'How many are you?' 'Eight,' said Legolas. Myself, four hobbits; and two men, one of whom, Aragorn, is an Elf-friend of the folk of Westernesse.'

From the appendices of Return of the King:

Gimli Glóin's son is renowned, for he was one of the Nine Walkers that set out with the Ring; and he remained in the company of King Elessar throughout the War. He was named Elf-friend because of the great love that grew between him and Legolas, son of King Thranduil, and because of his reverence for the Lady Galadriel.

#lotr #lord of the rings #poll #polls

29 notes · View notes

welcome-to-my-bullshitery · 1 year

Text

Things that i've noticed that no one ever talks about in LoTR

This is a huge post by the way so im putting it under a cut

you have been warned

TFotR - Book 1

'A day or two later a rumor (probably started by the knowledgeable SAM) YES. SAMWISE GAMGEE. OUR LITTLE CINNAMON ROLL STARTED A RUMOR. idk it's so funny to me

The entire paragraph about hobbits and gift giving is too ADORABLE.

Bilbo put INSTRUMENTS in PARTY CRACKERS. AND LIKE NEW ONES.

Bilbo calling Gandalf 'an interfering old busybody'

Bilbo: "You'll keep an eye on Frodo, won't you?" Gandalf: "Two eyes as often as I can spare them."

All the gifts Bilbo gave out and they all had meaning AND ITS ADORABLE

Lobelia, to Frodo: "...you're no Baggins - you - you're a Brandybuck!" Frodo: "Did you hear that Merry? That was an insult if you like." Meriadoc (Merry) BRANDYBUCK: "It was a compliment, and so, of course, not true."

Gandalf, shoving his head through Frodo's WINDOW: "If you don't let me in, Frodo, I SHALL BLOW YOUR DOOR RIGHT DOWN YOUR HOLE AND OUT THROUGH THE HILL."

That one Hobbit who had seen Ents IN CHAPTER TWO. HAL. HAL SAW ENTS AND IT WAS MENTIONED IN CHAPTER TWO. TWO.

"Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?" GANDALF. WHAT THE FUCK.

Sam, freaking tf out about just being caught 'dropping eaves' by Gandalf: "DON'T LET HIM HURT ME MR. FRODO!" Frodo, hardly able to keep from laughing: "He won't hurt you."

Sam being all excited about being able to go on the adventure and then he just. bursts into tears. like.

Gildor (AN ELF) calling Frodo ELF FRIEND. ITS TOO CUTE.

Frodo, in elvish: Thanks for the food :). The Elves: HERE IS A JEWEL AMONG HOBBITS

Pippin just flat out saying he didn't want to leave Frodo any food but Sam insisted.

Frodo, about who's taking a bath first: "Eldest or Quickest first? You'll be last either way PIPPIN." GEE

Pippin, talking about Sam: He would jump down a dragons throat to save you, if he did not trip over his own feet." GEE

The ridiculous bath song. And it's Bilbos favorite. Of course it's ridiculous if it was Bilbos favorite.

Gandalf, writing in a letter to Frodo: If he forgets, I shall roast him. Frodo, four seconds later: He deserves roasting.

Sam getting mad at Ferny or someone and throwing an apple at him. AND AFTER IT KNOCKS THE IDIOT FERNY SQUARE IN THE FACE AND HE FALLS DOWN CURSING SAM JUST GOES "Waste of a good apple." AND KEEPS WALKING.

Sam, an intellectual: "What do they live on when they can't get hobbit?" AND REFUSED TO CALL THEM THEIR ACTUAL NAME AND JUST CALLS THEM 'NEEKERBREEKERS' BECAUSE ITS THE SOUND THEY MAKE

They found the trolls from The Hobbit. About the middle of Chapter 12, Flight to the Ford. The whole group thought they were real until they saw they were actually stone.

Frodo, after discovering more about Sam: "He'll end up by becoming a wizard - or a warrior!" Sam: "I don't want to be neither." OF COURSE YOU DON'T YOU JUST WANNA LIVE IN THE SHIRE AND GARDEN ALL YOUR LIFE. OH SAM.

TFotR - Book 2

At the very beginning of chapter 1 - PF COURSE SAM WAS ALWAYS THERE AND OF COURSE HE HAD TO BE TOLD TO GO AWAY AND REST. YOU ADORABLE LITTLE SHIT.

Frodo calling the Big People 'Big and rather stupid' Accurate though.

Sam holding Frodo's hand and then blushing and thEN JUST SAYS 'It's warm! Meaning your hand, Mr. Frodo. It has felt so cold through the long nights!" SAM YOU GAY LITTLE SHIT I LOVE YOU.

Aragorn: Gollum is safely kept by the Elves of Mirkwood. Legolas: *sweats*

Elrond, to Sam: "It is hardly possible to separate you from him (Frodo) even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not!" Sam, blushing (ITS SAYS IT IN THE BOOK THE LAST SENTENCES OF COUNCIL OF ELROND): "A nice pickle we have ourselves in, Mr. Frodo!" Me: Does Samwise is gay? Does SamwISE IS GAY??

Pippin, hasn't even done anything remotely wrong yet: "There must be someone with intelligence in this party!" Gandalf: "Then you most certainly won't be chosen, Peregrin Took!" Pippin: D:

Gimli: "His (Sauruman's) arm has grown long indeed if he can draw snow down from the north to trouble us here three hundred leagues away." Gandalf, channeling his inner sassy bitch(bilbo): "His arm has grown long."

>TBC im not even close to being done yet< ^^

#lord of the rings #lotr #tfotr #the fellowship of the ring #samwise gamgee #frodo baggins #bilbo baggins #gandalf #merry brandybuck #pippin took #aragorn #legolas #gimli #gimli son of gloin

120 notes · View notes

tolkiens-middleearth · 4 months

Text

Topics & Themes in Tolkien’s Legendarium

The Perilous Realm

“Stories that are actually concerned primarily with ‘fairies,’ that is with creatures that might also in modern English be called ‘elves,’ are relatively rare, and as a rule not very interesting. Most good ‘fairy-stories’ are about the adventures of men in the Perilous Realm or upon its shadowy marches.” – J. R. R. Tolkien. On Fairy Stories.

Tolkien called it the Perilous Realm, Faery or Faërie, and for me these words represent one of the most fascinating theme in Tolkien’s Legendarium. It is both a narrative and a world-building element that can be found in all his major Middle-earth stories and is in a way essential for understanding Tolkien’s approach to his own created world.

Yet I feel it rarely gets talked about, so I want to briefly highlight what it is, how it functions in the narrative, and give a few examples from various stories. Unfortunately can’t go into a deep analysis because doing so would require me to write a book – which I would love to, but I don’t have the time or qualification). Quote sources and further reading recommendations are given at the end.

WANDERING INTO FAERY

“It is common in Fairy tales for the entrance to the fairy world to be presented as a journey underground, into a hill or mountain or the like. [...] My symbol is not the underground, whether necrological and Orphic or pseudo-scientific in jargon, but the Forest […].” – J. R. R. Tolkien. “Smith of Wooton Major” essay.

The core of this theme is the mortal wanderer who comes to or crosses the borders of Faërie, the land of fairies or elves. This idea has been part of legends and myths for a long time, one of the most prominent examples probably being the island of Avalon in the Arthurian legend. Depending on the story, Faërie can occupy a different time and space than our own world, or share the same space or time “in different modes”. Getting into Faërie is not always possible and many things can stop someone from entering: it may be completely inaccessible, it may be hidden and people have to find it, or it may be accessible only to those who know the secret on how to enter it. Once you are there, it may be difficult to leave, or it may take some time. Being there could turn out to be dangerous, but it also doesn’t necessarily have to be. Tolkien wrote that “in it are pitfalls for the unwary and dungeons for the overbold”.

In The Lord of the Rings, there are many examples of such a realm, some barely noticeable and some very clear and detailed.

It starts subtle when Frodo, Sam and Pippin meet Gildor and his Elves near Woodhall. It is no specific realm that they enter, but just wandering with the Elves already lets the Hobbits experience something they are not used to. They have trouble finding words for it afterwards or remembering it clearly, with Tolkien describing it that for Pippin it felt like he was in a waking dream. The next example is then already more direct: the four Hobbits enter the Old Forest. This time it really is perilous for them, they get lost and cannot find a way out. Tolkien describes it as follows:

“They began to feel that all this country was unreal, and that they were stumbling through an ominous dream that led to no awakening.”

Frodo almost falls asleep near an enchanting river, Merry and Pippin almost die. Without the help of an unexpected inhabitant of this forest, they never would have gotten out.

Reaching Rivendell is another less clear example. Rivendell itself is easier accessible than the Old Forest and less perilous for the Hobbits. But reaching it also includes a river, a river that is under Elrond’s command and that rises “in anger when [Elrond] has great need to bar the Ford”. And within Rivendell, Frodo experiences another kind of “Faërian Drama” as Tolkien calls it: the stories and songs told in Rivendell hold him “in a spell”, and “the enchantment became more and more dreamlike” until in the end Frodo falls asleep once more. Bilbo comments that it’s difficult to stay awake “until you get used to it”.

The most prominent example is of course Lothlórien, a land of Elves that is rarely visited by mortal beings and where the flow of time is indeed different than that in the outside world. It’s also well defended against wanderers, and both in the world and the narrative the fellowship has to pass through: there are guards at the boarders that have to be convinced, there is a river that has to be crossed, a hidden path that has to be taken blindfolded. Tolkien is in no rush to get the fellowship to Galadriel – the reader, together with the wanderers, have to experience this journey.

The purest form of this theme in The Lord of the Rings is, of course, Frodo and Bilbo leaving for the island Tol Eressëa at the end of the story. It is the longest journey into Faërie, a journey that only a few are allowed to take and that you won’t come back from. Tol Eressëa is no longer in the space of the human world, and it’s very telling that Tolkien named the haven on the eastern shore on the island Avallónë.

More examples can be found in Tolkien’s other stories, and I will mention them less detailed when talking about the actual centre of the theme:

THE MORTAL VISITOR

„It seemed to [Frodo] that he had stepped through a high window that looked on a vanished world. A light was upon it for which his language had no name. All that he saw was shapely, but the shapes seemed at once clear cut, as if they had been first conceived and drawn at the uncovering of his eyes, and ancient as if they had endured forever.” – J. R. R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings.

All of Tolkien’s major stories have one thing in common: they have someone human at the core who is unfamiliar with Faërie and able to experience it as new and from an outside perspective.

In The Hobbit it is Bilbo who stumbles into a world he is not prepared for at all, and while it is less clearly shown in the narrative of a children’s book, the journey of Bilbo and the Dwarves clearly show signs of this theme – a dangerous forest, an enchanted river, a white deer, and Elven fires that suddenly vanish.

For The Lord of the Rings I have shown above that all four Hobbits experience this in one way or another, although Frodo is probably the one given the most focus.

“This is a history in brief drawn from many older tales; for all the matters that it contains were of old, and still are among the Eldar of the West, recounted more fully in other histories and songs. But many of these were not recalled by Eriol, or men have again lost them since his day. This Account was composed first by Pengolod of Gondolin, and Aelfwine turned it into our speech as it was in his time, adding nothing, he said, save explanations of some few names.” – J. R. R. Tolkien. Quenta Silmarillion.

The Quenta Silmarillion is a different type of story, so here the theme also takes a different form: it’s not a narrative as The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings and more a historical chronicle in style. It’s written as such, but also given the corresponding context: when Tolkien was first writing the Book of Lost Tales and later the Quenta Silmarillion, the framework he had built for it was that of a mortal men coming to Tol Eressëa and learning of these past events. The one wandering into the Perilous Realm is Eriol or Ælfwine, listening to the stories of the Elves and writing them down for other humans to read. When Tolkien eventually started writing The Lord of the Rings, he was able to change his framing story. There was no longer a need for Ælfwine to reach Tol Eressëa to learn about these tales – now it’s Bilbo who wrote it down in three volumes called “Translations from the Elvish” that he had added to his private diary when he handed it over to Frodo.

This concept applies to the Quenta Silmarillion as a whole, but the main three stories within the Quenta Silmarillion still have a similar mortal visitor as The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. In Beren and Lúthien, it’s the mortal Beren who wanders into the Elven Kingdom Doriath and gets enchanted when he sees Lúthien dancing and singing. In the Children of Húrin, it’s Túrin who enters Doriath as well, but also the Elven Kingdom Nargothrond. Both times, Túrin is unable to find the entrance himself; he is lead there by Elven guides – first Beleg, then Gwindor. And in the Fall of Gondolin, Tuor is led by an Elven guide to through many gates under a mountain to the Elven Kingdom Gondolin – one of the rarer cases of a "journey underground, into a hill or mountain".

And even the Akallabêth incorporates this theme, although in a different way than the previous stories. The story of the Fall of Númenor is about wanting to go to Faërie, and not being allowed to. There are other aspects to this as well of course, but looking at it with this theme in mind, that is the core of the story. Ar-Pharazôn is the mortal man who desires to reach Faërie, but when he tries to get there by force it ends in his death.

The mortal visitor as the protagonist in their story is essential for this theme to work. To experience Faërie as a visitor, to enter a “dream that some other mind is weaving” in such a way, it is a uniquely mortal experience that the reader could imagine to have, but that the immortal Elves can almost never share – after all they create their realms, they are the creator of a dream that the mortal wanderer, Tolkien as the writer, and we as the reader are dreaming.

THE CREATOR OF THE DREAM

“Faërie contains many things besides elves and fays, and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants, or dragons: it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted.” – J. R. R. Tolkien. On Fairy Stories.

The immortal creators are not irrelevant of course, although they cannot be the centre of any story about wandering into the Perilous Realm. The outsider experience, essential for this theme, cannot come from the one living inside the Perilous Realm. The inhabitants in Tolkien’s stories are Elves most of the time – near Woodhall, in Rivendell, Lóthlorien, Mirkwood, Gondolin, Doriath and Nargothrond. But they are of course not the only creators of such realms. Dwarves come in and out of these stories, and in the case of the Old Forest the implication is that Old Man Willow is the main force behind the spell:

“His grey thirsty spirit drew power out of the earth and spread like fine root-threads in the ground, and invisible twig-fingers in the air, till it had under its dominion nearly all the trees of the Forest from the Hedge to the Downs.”

And of course the Valar and Maiar have their part in the story. Especially Tol Eressëa and Valinor are mainly built by the Valar, and in Middle-eath the magical boundaries of Doriath were set by Melian. In moments where Fëarie is not solely or not at all made by the Elves, they may enter the dream of another mind as well. It happened when the Elves first came to Valinor, and a more personal example is Thingol meeting Melian for the first time, where “an enchantment fell on him” in which he was caught for years without moving. This is only possible, however, when Elves meet someone with a creative power far greater than them – one of the Maia or above is required.

However, this was never Tolkien’s focus. In Tolkien’s stories, the Perilous Realm is often a place inhabited by the Fair Folk – but I have also mentioned that sometimes Faërie exists in another mode. Throughout the examples given, dreams have been an important element of the experience of Faërie, and it’s one that Tolkien also thought a lot about. In our own world, we cannot reach Faërie in our space, but it may be approachable in another mode – through dreams. This becomes especially apparent in his texts The Lost Road and The Notion Club Papers, and it was also a part of how Tolkien saw his own relationship with his work: a mortal entering a dream of Faërie.

ENDING THOUGHTS

There are many aspects of this that I haven’t touched on, and that I would love to explore or discuss. There is for example the case of Frodo, a mortal who has been in touch with something that belongs into the world of Faërie, that he cannot properly come back: when coming back to the Shire, Marry comments on how it feels like a dream is slowly fading, like he is waking up. Frodo however says: “To me it feels more like falling asleep again.” Already, it is clear he can never fully return.

Then there is the case of reversing the idea of Faërie in the case of Túrin – he is trying to bring Nargothrond closer to the outside world so that he can use its force in war. In return, he makes it accessible and the kingdom falls. In general, it’s a fascinating thing to see Túrin’s relationships with the Perilous Realms.

Or if we talk about dreams, what about the nightmares? Is Mordor basically an anti-Faërie, inhabited by Orcs instead of Elves, where the path leads through a spider lair instead of over a river, and where any mortal being can only end up as a corrupted slave if they stay there for too long?

What about including such an essential theme in adaptations? In Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies, flawed as they may be at times, the experience of Faërie through the eyes of the Hobbits is notable – especially in Rivendell and Lóthlorien. Meanwhile in Amazon’s The Rings of Power, this theme is completely absent and the Elven realms in Middle-earth have no more mystery than a Harfoot camp or a random human village in the South.

I hope I get to explore this theme more, I’ve been eager for month to write at least a tiny bit about it and it’s already way too long for tumblr again. But there are other themes that are also very interesting, so we’ll see how it’ll go…

If you have read up to here to the end I would like to thank you for your time and attention – both is much appreciated!