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Thranduil personally writes down every single name of any elf who dies in his kingdom.
The names arnt in alphabetical order, but by date. He writes the name, the cause of death (usually) and then something everybody loved about them.
He’s certain that others are in charge of far more thorough record keeping but that isn’t his concern. He keeps this list for himself, and flips through the pages often enough he has started to memorize some of the names. Perhaps most of the names by the time he leaves Middle Earth.
He does this for two reasons.
1) inspiration and motivation. Trying to keep going relentlessly forward is difficult, but it’s a lot easier for him if he can look back on how far his people have already come. How much they believe in this fight. How much they need him to keep fighting it.
And 2) He plans to personally thank each and every one of them once they come back from the halls. He will not be satisfied until every single name is crossed out.
In the bottom corner of the cover page is a tiny little note written in code; A sort of enchantment thats meant to bring the attention of Lady Yavanna, and a plead (not a prayer, Silvan elves as a rule didn’t pray.) that his sons name would never stain the pages.
*Tour guide voice* And if you look above us, you’ll see the headcanon that led to this user writing perhaps the most heartbreaking fic she ever has
One of the many, many, things that confuses people about Galion and Thranduil’s overall relationship - and perhaps the most jarring of them all - is usually the way that Galion speaks to and with Thranduil. He isn’t aggressive or anything, but he also certainly doesn’t speak to Thranduil the way that somebody who’s entire job is to LITERALLY be at his beck and call. Around company he formalizes a bit, addresses him by a few fancy titles here and there, maybe a bow or two.
But when there is no company the only time that he refers to Thranduil with officality is when he’s mad at him. Like when couples fight and call each other by their first name instead of nicknames.
Also, generally speaking he is basically the only one who can speak to Thranduil with an attitude or disrespect. Except for Ferdan, but it’s physically impossible for him to NOT say something with an attitude.
Some of the various sentences Elrond has heard over time that nearly made him explode with anxiety at what Thranduil’s response would be only to be extremely underwhelmed each time include but are not limited to:
“What? Why would you do that? You’re so stupid sometimes.”
“Excuse me? Speak to me like that again and I’ll pour this entire pot of tea over your head.”
“Stop talking, I don’t care what you have to say.”
“You’re not the boss of me.”
“What is your problem? Huh?”
“Absolutely not, and if you try anything I’m gong to get your own army to lock you up in your own dungeon until you come to your senses.“
"If I didn’t hate starting new jobs so much, I would have poisoned you long ago.”
There’s a rumor that’s less of a rumor but more of a stretched fact that some sort of horrible River Monster lurking in the rivers of Mirkwood.
Many visitors claim to have seen it, as they stare desperately into the depths of the surprisingly deep waters. Occasionally it’s said that the great creature will leap up on some unsuspecting thing coming to the waters edge for a drink. Finding themselves snapped nearly in half by a powerful set of jaws quicker than they could blink
But for something so large, the creature is fast. Extremely fast. So while many people say they have seen the great beast, the do not know what it is.
Some say it’s some sort of old and forgotten water dragon, content to lay in its murky depths and ignore the world.
Some say its a different form of hideous beast that doesn’t have a name, but even if it did few would dare utter it for fear of summoning the great creature.
Some even whisper that it was some kind of evil creation sent from the poisoned walls of the old fortress.
The men of Laketown have the most stories of the massive, mysterious beast for sometimes it leaves the fast flowing rivers for the calmer waters of the Lake.
Even the Men can feel the shift energy in the waters beneath their feet, as the fish draw away quickly to hiding places unknown to any that don’t have gills. Children stand on the roofs of their houses eagerly searching for a glimpse of it, while the adults continue to try and convince themselves ita all just stories. For their own peace of mind if nothing else.
For none know the identity of the horrible river monster except for the woodelves that share a forest with it. Woodelves that could be persuaded to take a young inquisitive ranger to meet the creature of myth as long as he promised to keep the information within the confines of of mind.
Even the elves of Imladris has begun to whisper to one another about this powerful water creature, and Aragorn could not suppress his smile at listening to his own brothers debate the issue between them.
Knowing it was not some sort of dragon or a creature created and formed in darkness, but something much different:
Snip-Snap, the massive vegetarian Snapping Turtle who enjoys neck scratches, elvish music, blowing bubbles out of her nose, and trying to jump out and scare her elvish friends.
Whenever it’s reasonably feasible Thranduil always has Avaleina greet the elven visitors at their border, especially if it’s a Noldor elf, and not because he thinks she will always do the best job at being the ambassador between different peoples.
It’s because with her short stature, dark complexion, green eyes, and multiple tattoos Avaleina couldn’t physically look any more ‘Silvan’ unless she wrote “Hello, I’m a Silvan Elf,” onto her forehead. She also has a negative ninety-seven percent chance/intention of purposefully changing her mannerisms, personality, accent, or general presentation to appar less ‘Silvan’ for any reason.
Especially if the visiting Elves show any signs of disdain or judgment.
The reason this is important is that Thranduil likes to know how other elves treat his Silvan Elves when there’s nobody ‘equal or better’ around to see it. He likes to know their reactions to having to listen to every syllable commanded by a Silvan elf. He needs to know if they feel disrespected that it was ‘only’ her that was there to greet them, and it wansn’t at least Farlen (who is a Sindar elf) regardless of the fact that Legolas, Farlen, and Avaleina are essentially equal and interchangeable in the overall chain of command in Greenwood.
Thranduil wants to know each and every underhanded comment their visitors might make, or be pleasantly surprised by genuine respect for Avaleina and the rest of the Silvan people.
Avaleina is also probably one of the only elves that would send any visitor packing back to the border of the forest regardless of who or what they are outside of the forest if she feels their disrespect is enough to warrant such an action. She’s essentially a bigotry and superiotority sniffing bloodhound that filters out all the elves that Thranduil probably wouldn’t have the patience to deal with anyways.
Ava has 100% sent Celeborn and his escort back to the border because of something one of the warriors said and didn’t allow Celeborn back into the forest until he agreed to leave that warrior behind. One time she sent Elladan and Elrohir back to the forest edge four entire times before they finally learned their lesson.
She’s basically the Sphinx of Greenwood and you have to answer her riddles correctly to even step foot into the forest and especially to make it all the way to the stronghold.
‘He Would Suffer No More Loss’ A brief history of Thranduil (that may shed some light on his motives) summarised from the Unfinished Tales and the Appendices of LotR by JRR Tolkien; composed and Illustrated by Soni Alcorn-Hender
