hey Silm fandom you do Not realize how fucking batshit insane we sound until you try to show one of your non silm friends a fic and then spend over half an hour compiling definitions for them bc you realized they have no idea what Ainur or Valar or Maiar or Balrogs are, who Aulë is, that Nelyo is still Maedhros, what the fuck’s a Silmaril, why are we upset about two Trees???
I was in the homestuck fandom as a teen and now into the Silmarillion and Deep Tolkien Lore ™
Homestuck was more openly unhinged but Silmarillion is worse when it comes to the complexity to the most basic things and how impossible it is to explain quickly.
also the complex family trees full of characters with similar-sounding names, each with multiple names and/or titles, color-coded (by hair)…there’s a part of the story where abruptly a bunch of people are killed (partly by each other) in quick succession…
I am inviting all authors and artists who love Tolkien to participate in my April Tolkien Challenge!
Every day, there will be a new object central, which is the object we will be talking about! Do whatever you want with this; Write a piece about it, share information about it, create something art-related about it….anything goes!
I’d love to see your work! Tag me in it, reblog this post with your piece or use #apriltolkienchallenge !
Glamdring, the Foe-Hammer, or the Beater, as it is known by orcs and goblins. The sword is famously known for being the one Gandalf carries with him throughout the events of The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, yet it was Turgon - the King of Gondolin - who first wielded it.
The sword was known for being used in both Nírnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears; the fifth great battle fought against Morgoth, and the Fall of Gondolin. During Nírnaeth Arnoediad the blade got its name ‘The Beater’, after many orcs fled from the sword, as it was wielded with much strength and power. As Turgon died, Glamdring remained.
Three Trolls must have stolen it shortly after, as not much is known of the blade between the Fall of Gondolin and the encounter of the company of Thorin Oakenshield and the trolls in Eriador. In the year 2941 of the Third Age, Glamdring , along with Orcrist and Sting, was found between the troll hoard.
Elrond identified the blade to be that of Turgon, and gave it back to Gandalf, who proceeded to wield it for the rest of his time in Middle-Earth. The wizard slew the Goblin-king with the blade, who recognized the weapon, once more referring to it as 'The Beater;.
Later, during the events of The Lord Of The Rings, he fought against the Balrog who had found a home in the Mines of Moria. After his staff broke, Glamdring was the only weapon Gandalf had to defend himself.
As Gandalf came back as Gandalf the White, he kept Glamdring with him. He held it with him until he sailed to the Undying Lands with Frodo and Bilbo. It is not known whether he had taken it with him or not, but as weapons were not needed over the sea, it was likely he left in Middle-Earth.
Smaug was a great fire-drake that had taken over the infamous Dwarven Kingdom Erebor in the year 2770 of the Third Age. As he attacked the mountain, Dale was left in ruins as well. While Thraín and King Thror managed to escape through a secret passage, many dwarves met their doom that day. Smaug managed to keep the kingdom for his own until the year 2941 of the Third Age. The gold, jewels and treasure the dwarven mountain had to offer him, were enough to drive him content to house there for two centuries.
It wasn’t until Thorin Oakenshield and his company set out to reclaim Erebor, that the dragon was properly seen again. Bilbo Baggins, who was supposed to get the Arkenstone from the treasure hoard, as to show Thorin’s royal title, found the dragon amongst the golden piles:
“There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; thrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps of smoke, but his fires were low in slumber. Beneath him, under all his limbs and his huge coiled tail, and about him on all sides stretching away across the unseen floors, lay countless piles of precious things, gold wrought and unwrought, gems and jewels, and silver red-stained in the ruddy light. Smaug lay, with wings folded like an immeasurable bat, turned partly on one side, so that the hobbit could see his underparts and his long pale belly crusted with gems and fragments of gold from his long lying on his costly bed.” -The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
After noticing the missing golden cup the first day the dwarves re-entered the mountain, Smaug grew angry, recognizing Bilbo as a thief. As Bilbo tries to sweet-talk him, Smaug ultimately loses his temper, his rage for the dwarves growing. Out of revenge, he flew to Laketown, burning down the village and its inhabitants.
Bard the Bowman finally managed to slay Smaug when he arrived at Laketown. The scales of the dragon were impenitrable, yet a single scale was missing. Bard managed to hit it with the Black Arrow, shooting Smaug from the sky.
It was said that even after his death, the Lakemen - and other travellers - did not dare grab the gold or jewels from under Smaug’s scales and wings. Even as the dragon had long been slain, now buried beneath the lake, the mere mention of Smaug scared the people, and they would not dare steal from him.
With the light of Eärendil, we are mostly talking about the Phial of Galadriel, which was gifted to Frodo by lady Galadriel upon the arrival of the fellowship in Lothlorien.
To discuss the Phial, the history of its contents are of high importance: As discussed in the Silmarilspost, the gems contained the light of the Two Trees, hence the name “Star” of Eärendil. The Silmaril known as the Star of Eärendil, is also the Silmaril that was once stolen by Beren, later held in the infamous Nauglamír. Elwing, who was the one to take the Silmaril with her as she cast herself into the sea, was also Eärendil’s wife. Having seen the despair of what happened by hand of the sons of Fëanor, Eärendil and his wife set out to find Valinor, or “The Undying Lands”.
Having ultimately found it, Eärendil promised to defeat the dark lord Morgoth, to which Manwë agreed on. He offered him and his wife a choice; both of them came from men and elven blood. They got the chance to decide whether to live the immortal life of elves, or the mortal life of men. After Elwing revealed she preferred the lengthy life of an elf, Eärendil followed her, and finally set out to fight Morgoth in the War of Wrath.
In the battle, he faces Ancalagon the Black in an aerial fight, accompanied by the Silmaril Elwing had saved: “Now fair and marvelouswas that vessel made, and it was filled with a wavering flame, pure and bright; and Eärendil the Mariner sat at the helm, glistening with dust of elven-gems, and the Silmaril was bound upon his brow. Far he journeyed in that ship, even into the starless voids; but most often was he seen at morning or at evening, glimmering in sunrise or sunset, as he came back to Valinor from voyages beyond the confines of the world.” -The Silmarillion, JRR Tolkien
Followed by: “Now when first Vingilot was set to sail in the seas of heaven, it rose unlooked for, glittering and bright; and the people of Middle-earth beheld it from afar and wondered, and they took it for a sign, and called it Gil-Estel, the Star of High Hope.” -The Silmarillion, JRR Tolkien
Becoming entranced by the light, the elves reflected the light in the fountain in Lothlorien, which is where the substance of Galadriel’s Phial comes from. Giving it to Frodo, she saved it would offer him light in dark places, and gratefully, the hobbit accepted the gift.
When struggling with containing the One Ring, Frodo touched the Phial of Galadriel in order to calm him down. The second use was shortly after, when being lured into Shelob’s lair by Gollum. Frodo used it to guide him through the halls and to keep Shelob at a distance. Samwise Gamgee took it from Frodo after he claimed he needed to cut down the webs in order to resume their path. When Shelob set out to kill Frodo, Sam forced the creature back, essentially saving Frodo from certain death.
After Frodo got taken to Cirith Ungol, Sam used the Phial twice to escape the eyes of Sauron. When the Eagles came to pick the pair up from Mount Doom, the Phial was still with them. It did not leave Middle-Earth until Frodo did, taking the ship to the Undying Lands with Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn.
Also known as the crown of Gondor, or the Silver Crown, it was said to have come from a Númenorean helmet, one that the great kings in battle used to wear. When it got crushed in the Battle of Dagorlad, the helmet of Isildur became the next Crown of Gondor.
When Atanatar II The Glorious became king, he refashioned ht helmet into the crown we know to have been King Elessar’s, or Aragorn. The crown was once more lost as Eärnur lay it in the lap of King Eärnil II, his father, in the houses of the dead, and it remained there for 969 long years, awaiting the next king.
It was Gandalf who eventually handed Aragorn, or Elessar, his crown on May 1st of the year 3019 of the Third Age. It was tradition that the helmet be passed from father to son, but as Aragorn had no family left, he let Gandalf bring it to him, to crown him as king of Gondor, reclaiming his title as the last heir to the throne.
Longbottom Leaf, Old Toby, Southern Star, Southlinch…. all different kinds of pipeweed. It was a plant used for smoking, particularly for the hobbits in the Shire. The small beings are known to have a huge love for the leaves, and use it multiple times a day.
Tobold Hornblower introduced the recipe to the world in the year 2670 of the Third Age, or the years 1070 by Shire Reckoning. The plant originally grew in Númenor, and was brought to Middle-Earth by the Dúnedain during the Second Age. For them, the plant was known as Sweet Galenas. In Gondor, the weed was known as Westman’s-weed, and grew there as a wild plant. Both people enjoyed the plant for its sweet fragrance and flowers.
Gandalf, who was often seen in or near the Shire, took up smoking as well, and even learned how to blow smoke rings and shapes. Saruman had criticized him for it and disdained the art. Yet, after years, he started doing it as well. In The Two Towers, Merry and Pippin found barrels of Southfarthing in the provisions of Isengard, making it known that Saruman had practiced smoking too.
At the end of the Third Age, when the War of the Ring had ended, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck had even written a book about the history and art of smoking Pipe-Weed.
But when they were landed, Maedhros the eldest of his sons, and on a time the friend of Fingon ere Morgoth’s lies came between, spoke to Fëanor, saying: ‘Now what ships and rowers will you spare to return, and whom shall they bear hither first? Fingon the valiant?’
Then Fëanor laughed as one fey, and he cried: ‘None and none! What I have left behind I count now no loss; needless baggage on the road it has proved. Let those that cursed my name, curse me still, and whine their way back to the cages of the Valar! Let the ships burn!’ Then Maedhros alone stood aside, but Fëanor caused fire to be set to the white ships of the Teleri. So in that place which was called Losgar at the outlet of the Firth of Drengist ended the fairest vessels that ever sailed the sea, in a great burning, bright and terrible. And Fingolfin and his people saw the light afar off, red beneath the clouds; and they knew that they were betrayed. This was the firstfruits of the Kinslaying and the Doom of the Noldor.
— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, “Of the Flight of the Noldor”
It is told that even as Fëanor and Fingolfin stood before Manwë there came the mingling of the lights, when both Trees were shining, and the silent city of Valmar was filled with a radiance of silver and gold. And in that very hour Melkor and Ungoliant came hastening over the fields of Valinor, as the shadow of a black cloud upon the wind fleets over the sunlit earth; and they came before the green mound Ezellohar. Then the Unlight of Ungoliant rose up even to the roots of the Trees, and Melkor sprang upon the mound; and with his black spear he smote each Tree to its core, wounded them deep, and their sap poured forth as it were their blood, and was spilled upon the ground. But Ungoliant sucked it up, and going then from Tree to Tree she set her black beak to their wounds, till they were drained; and the poison of Death that was in her went into their tissues and withered them, root, branch, and leaf; and they died. And still she thirsted, and going to the wells of Varda she drank them dry; but Ungoliant belched forth black vapours as she drank, and swelled to a shape so vast and hideous that Melkor was afraid.
–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, “Of the Darkening of Valinor”
On a time of autumn he came in the dusk of evening, and drawing near [Gorlim] saw as he thought a light at the window; and coming warily he looked within. There he saw Eilinel, and her face was worn with grief and hunger, and it seemed to him that he heard her voice lamenting that he had forsaken her. But even as he cried aloud the light was blown out in the wind; wolves howled, and on his shoulders he felt suddenly the heavy hands of Sauron’s hunters. Thus Gorlim was ensnared; and taking him to their camp they tormented him, seeking to learn the hidings of Barahir and all his ways. But nothing would Gorlim tell. Then they promised him that he should be released and restored to Eilinel, if he would yield; and being at last worn with pain, and yearning for his wife, he faltered. Then straightaway they brought him into the dreadful presence of Sauron; and Sauron said: ‘I hear now that thou wouldst barter with me. What is thy price?’
And Gorlim answered that he should find Eilinel again, and with her be set free; for he thought that Eilinel also had been made captive.
Then Sauron smiled, saying: 'That is a small price for so great a treachery. So shall it surely be. Say on!’
Now Gorlim would have drawn back, but daunted by the eyes of Sauron he told at last all that he would know. Then Sauron laughed; and he mocked Gorlim, and revealed to him that he had seen only a phantom devised by wizardry to entrap him; for Eilinel was dead. 'Nonetheless I will grant thy prayer,’ said Sauron; 'and thou shalt go to Eilinel and be set free of my service.’ Then he put him cruelly to death.
–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, “Of Beren and Lúthien”
But the watch of the great Eagles was now redoubled, and they marked Húrin well, far below, forlorn in the fading light; and straightway Thorondor himself, since the tidings seemed great, brought word to Turgon. But Turgon said: ‘Does Morgoth sleep? You were mistaken.’
‘Not so,’ said Thorondor. ‘If the Eagles of Manwë were wont to err thus, then long ago, lord, your hiding would have been in vain.’
‘Then your words bode ill,’ said Turgon; ‘for they can bear but one meaning. Even Húrin Thalion has surrendered to the will of Morgoth. My heart is shut.’
But when Thorondor was gone, Turgon sat long in thought, and he was troubled, remembering the deeds of Húrin of Dor-lómin; and he opened his heart, and sent to the Eagles to seek for Húrin, and to bring him if they might to Gondolin. But it was too late, and they never saw him again in light or in shadow. For Húrin stood in despair before the silent cliffs of the Echoriath, and the westering sun, piercing the clouds, stained his white hair with red.
Then he cried aloud in the wilderness, heedless of any ears, and he cursed the pitiless land; and standing at last upon a high rock he looked towards Gondolin and called in a great voice: ‘Turgon, Turgon, remember the Fen of Serech! O Turgon, will you not hear in your hidden halls?’ But there was no sound save the wind in the dry grasses. ‘Even so they hissed in Serech at the sunset,’ he said; and as he spoke the sun went behind the Mountains of Shadow, and a darkness fell about him, and the wind ceased, and there was silence in the waste.
–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, “Of the Ruin of Doriath”
‘Now news came to Hithlum that Dorthonion was lost and the sons of Finarfin overthrown, and that the sons of Fëanor were driven from their lands. Then Fingolfin beheld (as it seemed to him) the utter ruin of the Noldor, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses; and filled with wrath and despair he mounted upon Rochallor his great horse and rode forth alone, and none might restrain him. He passed over Dor-nu-Fauglith like a wind amid the dust, and all that beheld his onset fled in amaze, thinking that Oromë himself was come: for a great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar.
Thus he came alone to Angband’s gates, and he sounded his horn, and smote once more upon the brazen doors, and challenged Morgoth to come forth to single combat. And Morgoth came. That was the last time in those wars that he passed the doors of his stronghold, and it is said that he took not the challenge willingly; for though his might was greatest of all things in this world, alone of the Valar he knew fear. But he could not now deny the challenge before the face of his captains; for the rocks rang with the shrill music of Fingolfin’s horn, and his voice came keen and clear down into the depths of Angband; and Fingolfin named Morgoth craven, and lord of slaves.’
—J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, “Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin”
It is told that in their beginning the Dwarves were made by Aulë in the darkness of Middle-earth; for so greatly did Aulë desire the coming of the Children, to have learners to whom he could teach his lore and his crafts, that he was unwilling to await the fulfilment of the designs of Ilúvatar. And Aulë made the Dwarves even as they still are, because the forms of the Children who were to come were unclear to his mind, and because the power of Melkor was yet over the Earth; and he wished therefore that they should be strong and unyielding. But fearing that the other Valar might blame his work, he wrought in secret: and he made first the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves in a hall under the mountains in Middle-earth.
— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion, “Of Aulë and Yavanna”
Many jewels the Noldor gave them, opals and diamonds and pale crystals, which they strewed upon the shores and scattered in the pools; marvelous were the beaches of Elende in those days. And many pearls they won for themselves from the sea; and their halls were of pearl, and of pearl were the mansions of Olwe at Alqualonde, the Haven of the Swans, lit with many lamps. For that was their city, and the Haven of their ships; and those were made in likeliness of swans, with the beaks of gold and eyes of gold and jet.
A month ago when we first saw that the Elves have short hair in the new show I was like “ew not wtf this is an abomination” but then I cut my own hella long elven hair off irl and now look like Amazon Elrond and am nowlike
And am now accidentally all for the short hair elf thing
Elves born in the Second and Third Ages are used to having the ruins of earlier eras scattered around the landscape being Aesthetic, and are disappointed that there aren’t any in Valinor.
So they deliberately build cities, attack them with siege weaponry, and abandon them. It only takes around two hundred years to get that Haunted Vibe!
Okay, but. Just.
“The people who arrived on the boats last week are building a new city,” is not news that’s going to surprise anyone. They’re welcome in one of the established cities, of course, but sometimes they need their own space, and the other elves in Valinor respect that. This is fine.
What is very much NOT fine is when a traveller frantically runs up to you and informs you that New!City elves are building massive amounts of siege weaponry, and you are, by far, the closest city around.
So you get your heavily harmed, very twitchy fellow survivors of the First Age together and head down there to have a … word. Just a word, but a very pointed one.
Except the New!City elves are all very excited to see you and want to know if you’re here to join in the fun because apparently they’re attacking their owncity, which they emptied out for expressly this purpose.
You don’t know why. Maybe they’re bored?
It’s been a very long time since you operated a catapult. And it looks like such a funcatapult.
If the Valar show up, you’re not going to be the one who has to explain this, right?
The Valar do show up. Specifically, Aulë.
Someone convinces him to help them build a better catapult.
Aulë hasn’t had this much fun in literal ages. These elves are collaborating with him, in a way no one has since… well.
Before too long, the siege weaponry is far more elaborate than anything anyone would have come up with before, or on their own, and everyone is cheering as the first catapults and trebuchets and ballista begin firing at the completely empty city.
The Noldor’s new favorite sport: City Demolishing
Which team can completely destroy a city fastest, using any means necessary?
A points system where different buildings are worth more.
Categories based on the type of weaponry used.
This is a GREAT idea. I’m sure none of the Valar would have any kind of problem with it.
Signups for the 2022 Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang are now open!
For those who don’t know already, this is a Tolkien-fandom-wide event celebrating the talent of our fanwork creators. Participating artists create a piece of art to be claimed by one of our signed up authors. Authors will then write a 5k word fic based on the art they chose.
As well as signing up as an authorand/orartist, you can sign up as a beta, cheerleader, pinch hitter, or treat maker.
Explanations of what all of these mean can be found in the relevant section of our FAQ. Signups for these roles will not close and will get you access to the gallery; however, you must be signed up as an author to claim.
Want to suggest a prompt to our artists? Our suggestions formwill be open until May 15th.
Questions? Come and visit our website, which has our FAQs and timeline all set out.
Please be sure to familiarise yourself with the rules before signing up :)
We are open to all characters, genres and ratings, and all canons that fall under the Tolkien fandom umbrella. This includes movieverse (i.e. the LOTR and Hobbit trilogies), lesser known works by Tolkien (such as The Father Christmas Letters), and/or other works with a clear link to his life or creative output (for example, Tolkien’s translations and academic texts, the 2019 Tolkien biopic, fan-made films like Born of Hope, and game canons such as The Lord of the Rings Online). Crossovers between two or more Tolkien canons are permitted.
We hope you’re as excited as we are! We can’t wait to see what you make.
PS - for many of the mod team, April 15th and 18th are public holidays. As such, confirmation emails may be going out more slowly than usual. If you haven’t received confirmation of your sign up within 72 hours, feel free to send us an Ask or a follow-up email.
![On a time of autumn he came in the dusk of evening, and drawing near [Gorlim] saw as he thought a li](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8zsyrCvO21rtwlb5o1_540.jpg "On a time of autumn he came in the dusk of evening, and drawing near [Gorlim] saw as he thought a li")
