#tolkien headcaanons

[growingingreenwood]

I think that by the time the end of the third age starts nearing, Legolas and the other Greenwood Elves would be able to say just about anything they wanted about their home and be immediately believed.

In the century leading up to the War of the Ring the other elven realms know for a fact that Greenwood has:

1) An enchanted river that immediately puts people to sleep

2) Spiders the same size or bigger than a horse, that also happen to be both venomous and carnivorous. That talk.

3) Huge Motherfucking Bats.

4) Countless Orcs, Wargs, and Goblins.

5) Until recently a Fire-Breathing Dragon vibing in the nearby mountain

7) The Real and Actual Devil’s favorite minion basically pitched a tent in their backyard. .

Legolas could look at Elladan and say: “At night, the Fire Bugs come out. Which are a lot like the Fire Bugs outside of the forest except that they have the power to set things on fire with their minds as a defense mechanism.”

As long as Legolas said it with a straight enough face, he could say literally whatever he wanted and Elladan would have absolutely no reason to think that he’s lying, and basically has no other choice than to be like “Damn that's crazy, so do you all just sit perfectly still at night not to scare them or what?”

#tolkien #legolas headcaon #legolas #greenwood #mirkwood #lotr #haleighs greenwood #tolkien headcaanons #greenwood headcanons #silvan elves #legolas headcanon #elladan

[growingingreenwood]

In your stories, only the silvans can talk to the trees right? So when oropher and the other sindars came by did it took them too long to trust them enough to teach them how to connect to the trees the same way they do? And how is this knowledge kept in greenwood?

The other Elven realms can HEAR the tree’s in extremely specific circumstances, namely, the tree’s themselves are very motivated to tell the elves something and just sort of ‘pop in’ long enough to get their message across and then vanish away again. But the elves can’t really create that connection of their own volition, and usually it's has to be a pretty ‘awake and aware’ tree to be able to accomplish speaking with them.

The Silvan Elves also do much more than simply speak to and with the trees, they’re 24/7 telepathically, emotionally, and ‘soul-lly’ connected to the forest. The information that's shared between the elves and the trees is often in the form of feelings and sensations, rather than just verbalized thoughts.

I don’t think it's necessarily a ‘skill’ that’s taught, but more something that naturally begins to occur once you start forming a strong enough bond with the Greenwood Forest, that you can then get guidance and advice about from other Silvan elves. So when Oropher and the rest of the Sindar arrived it wasn’t up to the Silvan elves to teach them how to speak to the tree’s, it was up to the Sindar to foster a positive enough relationship with the forest that it would be willing to open itself up to their minds and souls, and it’s up to the Silvan’s to patiently wait for that change to being to occur before offering advice or help in any capacity.

Once the forest trusted the Sindar elves, then so did the Silvans.

When a Silvan elf is born, the forest already knows that it loves and trusts them because it loves and trusts the people who made them, so there is no ‘buffer’ period to acquire the connection to the forest that the Sindar have. Similar to how (generally speaking) human children can begin to pick up a lot of the basics of language by simply observing those around them using it, the Silvan Children can do the same thing with speaking to the trees.

There are some specific elves that consider themselves a tutor of sorts when it comes to the different ways to utilize that connection to the forest, but most elves don’t need the extra help.

When it comes to their connections to the things that grow outside of the forest, plants can very often sense the leftover ‘soul’ of the tree’s that linger within the Silvan elves. Partly because they've just been connected for so long the Elves have absorbed some of the forest's specific magic, and partly because the Greenwood Forest purposefully leaves ‘markers’ in the Silvan elves so that they’ll get help from others when they leave the forest. The Greenwood Forest loves the Elves as much as the Elves love the Forest, and want to do whatever they can to help protect them when they're away from home. The ‘markers’ are the most efficient way of doing that.

So basically, its was largely up to the Sindar elves for how long it took for them to be taught how to communicate with the forest, depending on how much effort they put into getting to know the forest and getting it to trust them.

(I think that Thranduil was probably one of the first to begin to form the connection, his enthusiasm of having a new home and desire to know and understand it had him running around every single inch of the forest within a week of arriving. So the forest was very swiftly able to sense his intentions and his heart and decided that they liked him quite a bit. A lot a bit.)

I hope that answered your questions, let me know if you have any follow-ups!! Have a wonderful day and stay safe out there!! 💛💛

#answer asks #haleigh speaks #silvan elf headcanons #silvan headcanons #silvan culture #greenwood headcanons #greenwood elves #greenwood the great #tolkien #tolkien headcaanons #j.r.r. tolkien #haleighs greenwood

[growingingreenwood]

okay, but what WAS Ava doing in the misty mountains all alone in 'Expectantly'?

She was visiting with the Avari tribes that Greenwood befriended who live in the mountains. Her and the group she was with were traveling when she sensed Legolas ""nearby"" and decided to stop by and have a visit with them!

#anawered asks #haleigh speaks #tolkien ocs #Haleighs Greenwood #tolkien headcaanons #Avaleina

[growingingreenwood]

Tolkien mom!!💕 I was asked about woodelves and sadly could not give any answer (which may be silly of me, but like... I'm being silly sometimes). The question was: Why, for thousands of years, they do nothing but just... Fight... Can't they improve? Their skills??? Because that's what people do when they're trying to win, not doing the same useless thing.

I don't even know how to explain--- Maybe you can turn my random thoughts into words?

Hello Sweet Pea, you're not being silly don't worry and I'll do my best to answer the question!

I think that the relentless battle between Greenwood and the Necromancer/Sauron is the direct result of them trapping eachother in an ‘unstoppable force meets and unmovable object’ type of situation. 

Sauron is unstoppable without also destroying his Ring of Power, which, for most of the fighting between Greenwood and Sauron from Dol-Guldur is either at the bottom of a river or with Gollum. 

The Woodelvs of Greenwood are determined to stay with their forest, the only way that anybody is going to get them to leave is if they manage to kill each and every member of the Greenwood kingdom. They are unmovable. 

If what Thranduil and his Woodleves were doing was truly useless, they wouldn’t have been able to hold onto that stalemate for liter centuries, and they certainly wouldn’t have made it to the end of the War of the Ring. 

Exiled or not, Sauron is still a Maiar and still has most of the gifts, knowledge, and power that comes with that title. Even though the Greenwood elves would be constantly improving themselves, their skills, their teamwork, and anything else they can think of 

Their enemy is also extremely intelligent and creative in the art of war and suffering. 

No matter how hard the Woodleves worked themselves, Sauron (and by extension his minions) would be growing, changing, and evolving right alongside them. Keeping pace. 

Unless one of them decides to give up or surrender (which is extremely unlikely) there really isn’t anything else either of them could do but fight until one of them eventually won. 

I hope that answers your question!!

#tolkien #greenwood #silvan elves #haleighs greenwood #tolkien meta #sauron #the necromancer #thranduil #Greenwood elves #tolkien headcaanons #answered asks . #haleigh speaks #lotr #mirkwood

[growingingreenwood]

Greenwood gothic

It seems like the leaves press closer, feeling like in a moment you won't be able to push on. When you look behind you the pathway is wide and clear. 

Its said the elven king trapped some sort of monster deep in the lake. The elves laugh it off, call it a superstition. They never go near the lake.

You hear a sound, you think it's a scream. They tell you its the wind and you're suddenly aware you can't tell the difference between them anymore.

It's easier that way 

The stars look odd tonight, too bright, too close. They seem hungry in a way they never did before. Would you notice if they moved when you turned your back? 

If you see a flower field, don't make eye contact with it. There's something powerful fabricating that paradise, and the eye of the daisy isn't the only thing watching you. 

You cannot remember anything but trees. They keep saying you're almost there, all there is are trees. 

Be careful what songs the birds sing, not all of them are as nice as you. 

You've been starved since you entered the forest, but food can't ease the pain. You just ate dinner, you're still hungry. 

Be careful which trees you touch, because they can touch back. 

When you spend nights in the forest it will feel like there's thousands of eyes watching you at night. 

There are. 

If if feels like something is right behind you, don't turn and look at it. If it wanted you dead, you would be. 

If the river looks calm and peaceful, find another place to cross. She's hunting. 

Something is calling your name, but you know better than to listen. If only you could find out where it was coming from…. 

Deer hunt out men, ready to be slain. They cannot live with what they know. 

Sometime you'll see a house in the forest. Always the same one, never in the same spot. 

Every inch of the forest is bathed in beauty, but don't stare too long. Its shy; and senses fear. 

Don't ask questions; nothing is real here anyway. 

You don't travel through the forest, it decides if you're worthy of the world. 

Don't stare too long at the dark, or you'll start seeing things. There's always new things to see. 

Some say there are ghosts in the woods, but I know that's not true. Even the dead would not face this place. 

Time never seems real here, everything is reduced down to one feeling. You're never sure what it is or why you feel it, but you know that it isn't from you. 

The carved signs arn't meant for you. Don't look at them. 

The shadow isn't that big, its just much, much closer than you think. 

If you see a cave, don't go in. You never know where the exit will be. 

Suddenly, there are 13 in a group instead of 12. You can't tell who is new, you're not allowed to know. 

You stumble out of the branches, 100 miles from the border of the land 

#tolkien #greenwood #mirkwood #lord of the rings #tolkien headcaanons #tolkien headcanons #silvan headcanons #silvan culture #greenwood gothic

[growingingreenwood]

To the entire Greenwood fam, whoever wants to answer: what is your most favorite thing about living in the Greenwood and why? What makes it particulary special to you?

Galion: I really love the sense of community and family. Everybody is ready to help you in just about any way that you can, even if they don’t know you and have no idea who you are. Everybody has gone through so much loss and pain, and continues to go through it that they’re just so ready to step up and try to help fill the void. 

And I love the tree’s. I didn’t really know or understand why the Silvan Elves felt the way that they did about their home and their woods until I came here. It's like they’re a part of my soul and personality now, I can’t imagine living anywhere that I’m not constantly surrounded by so many loving friends. 

Plus, I love my family here. It's big and it's chaotic and sometimes there's lots of yelling, but nothing could ever replace or match up to it. I have no idea what I would do without them, and I don’t even want to think about the person I would have become without them either. 

Basically, I just really appreciate the openness and acceptance towards everybody in the community. 

#answered asks #haleigh speaks #galion speaks??? #incorrect galion quotes #tolkien headcaanons

[growingingreenwood]

Some random Silvan Headcanon I have: In their art, no matter what form, any elf represented is almost always smiling. They think that its an insult to depict an elf in a way that does not reflect their personality, and since they're such a happy people this mean they all smile in art!

So many dimples. So many.

#tolkien #thranduil #legolas #greenwood #lotr #mirkwood #lord of the rings #silvan elves #tolkien headcaanons #tolkien headcanon #tolkien headcanons

[growingingreenwood]

Ferdan spends all of his spare time fixing Avaleinas hair. It drives him nuts. The curls and waves in her hair make it nearly impossible for them to stay inside any sort of braid or ponytail. 0.08 seconds after he was done, at least 8 hairs at the front had spring free.

No matter how much time Ferdan spent doing her hair for her in the morning when she was young, ine like, ten minutes it looked like she had never seen a brush in her life was raised feral in the wood by badgers. 

He does something to her hair almost every single time he sees her, even if its just tucking some behind her ear, unless she wears it down. Which happens very rarely, usually only after she has washed it or during celebrations. He could probably have built an entire human village with the mound of twigs, bark, vines, and other natural things he had wrestled from the depths of her hair. 

Everybody in greenwood is soooooooooooooooo used to it they don’t notice anymore if Ferdan randomly starts to re-braid  and fix her hair in the middle of the day or dinner. 

The first time that Elonrd saw Ferdan spend, like, 4 hours on her hair for a yule celebration INCLUDING painstakingly braiding 300 individual flowers in her hair, he died for just like 2 seconds. 

This is actually such a common occurrence now that it appears in many many paintings/drawings/carvings and just general cultural knowledge. 

Similar to the Silvan makes in jokes about Thranduil never knowing when his begetting day is, they make jokes that "they'll clean the stables the day Ferdan isn't insulted by Ava's hair." 

#tolkien #greenwood #lotr #mirkwood #lord of the rings #Ferdan #Avaleina #Ava #tolkien headcaanons #tolkien headcanons #greenwood headcanons #Haleighs OC's

[growingingreenwood]

Hi!!!! I love you!!! Do you have any headcanons about Greenwood folklore or cryptids?? Or just ME cryptids in general???

Hi!!!!! I love you too!!!!

First and foremost I think that Greenwood has trouble with ‘used to be’ creatures. Creatures that used to be a deer, or an elk, or a bird but…..aren't. For either obvious or hauntingly noticeable reasons. Deer that don't move right, some of their joints moving too far forward or backward than they should, their heads hanging weird and antlers dripping with... something. An Elk that is minding its business until it sees you, then it attacks with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, jaw almost unhinging itself like a snake and occasionally they can wrap their limbs around a tree to try and shimmy up after you. Wolves that obviously used to be wolves….. But there is something terrifying about the way they are looking at you and holding themselves. Like they have something to say but won't say it, like they're only a few sunsets away from learning how to walk upright like a human. Like they know your name and do not like the taste of it. Creatures with eyes that are milky white but seem to almost see better than the elves. Creatures that are skin and  bones to the point they should have died months ago, but somehow didn’t. Creatures who walk like their limbs are broken, or with heads and necks held and weird and alarming angles. Sometimes, at night, the Elves swear they can hear some of these creatures whispering broken Westorn to each other in the forest. Their eerily human but distinctly not voices grating across every nerve the elves have.

On that note  -- ‘Used to be Elves’ AKA elves that were lost, caputed, or presumed dead that ended up back in the forest for whatever reason. Elves that are now too strange to the light to be elves, but unable to hold the darkness required for them to be Orcs. Wild, feral creatures. It seems entirely impossible to reason with them, and somehow they’ve gotten stronger and faster than normal elves. Can no longer verbally speak, the closest they get is some grunting and groaning sounds or inhuman screams when they attack. They eat their meat raw and will eat creatures alive, including other elves. 

I just think there would be other forms of various malcontent lingering throughout the forest. It’s pretty much the beacon of evil during the 3rd age, so I feel like all those dark weird creatures (Like the Barrowrites and Gollum and the Spides) would be drawn to Mirkwood over time. So whatever terrifying madness that shit entails in the Third Age.

Thranduil / Radagast / Yavanna - Pretty much lumped into the same pile of “Holey fucking shit I just saw the real and actual spirit of the forest walking around. What do you mean how do I know?? I could feel it!!” 

I have this headcanon that Saruon tried really hard to make a cat version of ‘Wargs’ like Cougars or Leopards but bigger and scarier since he already made Wargs and Werewolves. So there are little clans of all his failed attempts running around the forest, just a random assortment of Science Danger Cats. 

There is also theoretically ‘Monster like creatures’ that live in the river and streams of the forest. These look like nothing any fisherman has ever seen, including tentacle like appendages but the upper proportions similar to a shark. The legend says that these  creatures can learn to mimick the calls of their prey to lure them into the water where they can be snatched up. Particularly the sounds of drowning young. The elves have never confirmed nor denied this, but several human villages that live around nearby claim to have seen them. Laketown has remained removed from the debate. 

Death Munchers -- The elves have NO IDEA what they’re actually called, but they seem to come from the fortress so they don't’t really care. They’re sort of a weird combination of a rat and a lizard, but with longer legs. Like if you took a Lizard's normal legs and made them go up instead of out. These creatures come in varying sizes, and some have apparently mastered the ability to climb tree’s to drop on you from above. These little pesky creatures largely seem to be interested in finishing up somebody else's kills or just eating general dead things. 

There is also mmmaaannnnyyyyy theories suggesting that Greenwood is haunted by legit ghosts of either humans who died in the forest, Elves who refused to go to the halls, or Elves that somehow left part of their souls in the forest while the rest was taken to the halls. 

That's all I got for now, might add to it later.

#answered asks #tolkien #greenwood headcanons #greenwood the great #mirkwood #cryptid #middle earth #tolkien headcaanons #tolkien headcanon #thranduil head canon #mutation #mutated creatures #haleigh speaks

[growingingreenwood]

The Greenwood Elves call the humans who are entwined with Evils music in the world to hear its call and follow to its master are called the 'Hateful Chosen'

#tolkien #tolkien headcaanons #silvan elves #silvan culture