"Of the Coming of the Elves" and "Of Thingol and Melian" Fanworks Post

[independence1776]

This post is for any fanworks relating to "Of the Coming of the Elves" and "Of Thingol and Melian." Feel free to link to your favorite stories, artworks, etc. Shameless Self-Promotions (SSPs) are allowed. Any works created for this event should be linked to, not posted, here.

Remember, all sorts of fanworks are welcome on this community and welcome to be linked to.* Please keep in mind the SWG ratings and warnings guidelines. Use caution which links you click on if you do not wish to view certain content.


Please use this format to post links (just copy/paste it and fill it in):

<strong>Title:</strong> <a href="http://YOUR LINK GOES HERE">DESCRITION/TITLE OF LINK</a>
<strong>Type of Fanwork: </strong>
<strong>Length (if applicable): </strong>
<strong>Rating: </strong>
<strong>Warnings: </strong>
<strong>Summary: </strong>
<strong>Why I enjoyed it (optional): </strong>

* If you don't want people to recommend or link to your fanworks either at all or without your permission, please let Lyra or Indy know so we can make a list for future reference.

Comments

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Two fantastic fics set in Cuiviénen:

Title: "Reembodied" by Dawn Felagund (http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/archive/home/viewstory.php?sid=1086)
Type of Fanwork: Fanfiction
Length (if applicable): ~ 10,000 words
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, some non-graphic sexual themes, non-graphic violence
Summary: Tata was said to be the first of the Noldor to awaken at Cuivienen, yet the histories never speak of him again. Uncomfortable and indecisive as a leader, he nonetheless rejects the summons of the Valar to Valinor, recognizing a fundamental wrong in the ideas they preach. This is the story of his life.
Why I enjoyed it (optional): Because it's a beautifully written story set in a time that's generally neglected by canon and fans alike, and offers a satisfying look at the "Avarin" view of things.

Title: "The Beautiful Ones" by Elleth (http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/archive/home/viewstory.php?sid=1749)
Type of Fanwork: Fanfiction
Length (if applicable): >8000 words so far (two chapters; WiP)
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Incomplete; Some sexual content, (Fem-)Slash
Summary: Before the discovery of the Quendi by Oromë, a young Indis and her lover try to make sense of each other and the world around them, while the threat of Morgoth upon Cuiviénen increases.
Why I enjoyed it (optional): Because it's an utterly fascinating look at Elven society and culture long before anything went "on record", written by a talented author with linguistic and archaeological training, and I seriously hope that it'll be continued at some point.

SSP-ish ETA: Oh right, I made an illustration for Reembodied once! So, once more...
Title: "Tata, there is something you should know" by Lyra (http://felaks-treasure.livejournal.com/1422.html)
Type of Fanwork: Fanart (Traditional, Watercolour)
Length (if applicable): N/A
Rating: I dunno. Teens for the US audience, I guess?
Warnings: Nudity of the non-erotic variety; awkward attempt to paint landscape
Summary: Tatië has an important warning for Tata. Also featuring Baby Finwë.

[ellfine.livejournal.com]

This story, though AU (or is it?), is set in Beleriand before the rising of the Sun and Moon.

Title: "Warriors Proud" by Ellie (http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=7013)
Type of Fanwork: Fanfiction
Length (if applicable): 30 chapters
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Character death, non-graphic violence, some non-graphic sexual themes
Summary: Being cut down during the Battle of Helm’s Deep was only the beginning of Haldir’s problems...
Why I enjoyed it (optional): This well-researched story compares, contrasts, and explores the cultures of the Galadhrim and the Sindar between the Third Age and pre-First Age times. You experience the pre-First Age (often humorously) through the unwilling eyes of Third Age elves.

[hhimring]

Title: Doriath, by kimberly80
Type of Fanwork: Fan art (painting, traditional, double portrait, head and shoulders)
Length (if applicable): n/a
Rating: General
Warnings: none
Summary: Doriath
Why I enjoyed it (optional): The most recent portrait of Thingol and Melian I have seen. Striking facial expressions and great colouring.

[tehta.livejournal.com]

SSP! Although I am not 100% happy with this story, it is VERY relevant to the Coming of Elves chapter.

Title: The Firstborn of the Firstborn (https://archiveofourown.org/works/720760)
Type of Fanwork: ficlet, written by me
Length (if applicable): 100 words
Rating: General
Warnings: Bad linguistics?
Summary: The future kings of the Eldar discuss Oromë's invitation. There is cake, and tea.

[dreamflower]

This is just a brief description of Thingol/Melian's encounter I wrote for the B2MeM Bingo challenge, for the "Canon Couples" card.

Title: While Long Years Were Measured by the Wheeling Stars Above
Type of Fanwork: Poem (dribble)
Length (if applicable): 55 words
Rating: G
Warnings: N/A
Summary: That famous encounter in Nan Elmoth

[kazaera.livejournal.com]

Aaaand the conversation in the discussion post has led to me actually finishing this!

Title: Ambassador (http://archiveofourown.org/works/1181061)
Type of Fanwork: Fic
Length (if applicable): 2930 words
Rating: Teens (PG, really)
Warnings: .......use of Primitive Elvish names. Er. There is disturbing stuff but it's subtle.
Summary: At Cuiviénen, Ingwë discusses his reasons for accepting Oromë's invitation to visit Aman and what he thinks the outcome will be with his sister. In Valinor, he learns how accurate those expectations were. (Or: in which Ingwë knowingly walks into a trap and what comes of it.)

Note: there's hints at Indis/Míriel in this, but not enough that I'd categorise it as actual femslash.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this! I've never really given much thought to Ingwë (he's one of those characters whom I normally dismiss as utterly boring *shifty look*), and you've given him a depth of character I wouldn't even have thought possible!
(Also, good job Míriel for discovering lye-based dyes! :D)

[kazaera.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D I used to dismiss Ingwë as utterly boring too, and then managed to fall completely and irrevocably in love with him over the past week or so. Things I was not expecting... anyway, I think it's tricky because during the time periods most people are interested in he's just chilling out at Manwë's feet and not apparently doing much. I'm honestly not sure what Ingwë was up to in Valinor myself, still trying to work that out, although I know he was pretty unimpressed by Fëanor's rebellion. But the Cuiviénen period? There's a lot to work with there! Waking up, meeting Oromë, going as an ambassador to Valinor - and then it struck me that Ingwë's later faith would actually fit in very well with someone who was extremely suspicious of the Valar to start, and then fic happened - convincing his people to come to Aman with him (and the fact that he managed to convince all of them), the Great Journey...

Also, for a completely different but also highly interesting look at Ingwë, check out Heget's post on Klingon style promotions among the Vanyar. (http://squirrelwrangler.tumblr.com/post/53925168294/klingon-promotions-among-the-vanyar) I'm kind of glad I only ran into that after I'd already started writing my fic, because it would have eaten my headcanon alive earlier on and I am quite fond of my headcanon at this point.

(Also, good job Míriel for discovering lye-based dyes! :D)

Ha, I hadn't even considered exactly what dye Míriel had invented, although I *did* look into textile production to figure out whether her weaving at this point would be plausible. (Answer: people were definitely weaving in the Neolithic Era, although I couldn't quite work out where the fiber was coming from - flax?) Glad it worked out despite skimping the research! Also, I didn't actually know this when I wrote the fic, but apparently there's a passage in HoME that says Míriel invented "the craft of needles". If we interpret that in the broadest possible sense, my Míriel-inventor-of-all-textile-work is actually CANON. :D

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Heh! I fell in love with Vairë that way... just pondering a loose end and then suddenly I was writing her POV. It's funny how it goes!

Also, thank you for that link; I shall never be able to see the Vanyar in the same Light again...

Hm, flax (and most other fibre plants) are quite tricky to turn into fine fibres (as opposed to rope-like stuff). Maybe they just collected the wool they found in shrubs and on tree trunks? (The sheep across the road don't get shorn, so they have to get rid of their winter fur by themselves. They do that by excessively rubbing their backs and sides against bushes, fence posts or trees. Maybe primeval sheep did the same?) Not saying they couldn't have worked out how to produce linen, but it's certainly not intuitive...

[kazaera.livejournal.com]

I knooow. I did it with Elwing just a few weeks ago, too - at this point I'm terrified that the next character my brain will fling at me will be some obscure Lost Tales character no one is interested in. /o\ (And if you've got a link to your Vairë fic, I'd appreciate it? She's another character I've never quite been able to figure out.)

Also, thank you for that link; I shall never be able to see the Vanyar in the same Light again...

Yeeaaah. /o\ Hence why I was quite happy my headcanon was pretty solid before I stumbled across that post... although my Vanyar have definitely taken on a more hunter/warrior-like role since. (Which tbh makes sense in the context of canon - not only the bit about how they fought quite successfully in the War of Wrath, but also things like how Indis, one of the few Vanyar who get talked about in much detail, is described in terms of her athletic ability and winning races and the like.)

Hm, flax (and most other fibre plants) are quite tricky to turn into fine fibres (as opposed to rope-like stuff). Maybe they just collected the wool they found in shrubs and on tree trunks? (The sheep across the road don't get shorn, so they have to get rid of their winter fur by themselves. They do that by excessively rubbing their backs and sides against bushes, fence posts or trees. Maybe primeval sheep did the same?) Not saying they couldn't have worked out how to produce linen, but it's certainly not intuitive...

Ah, Things I Did Not Know. Yeah, wool is probably a better bet in that case, although I'm not sure they'd have been able to gather enough that way for the amount of weaving I've been having Míriel doing. Maybe they *have* started some basic herding - sheep seem as if they shouldn't be too difficult, although I'm not sure how that works with Morgoth kidnapping people when they're away from camp (would he attack the herds)? Or maybe Míriel is using cotton - it's not as if I have any idea of what sort of climate Cuiviénen is, other than "not so cold the Minyar ended up freezing to death before they figured out clothes and fire".

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Vairë fic is here (http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/archive/home/viewstory.php?sid=1097), but it's unfinished, sorta experimental and just plain weird. Also, pseudo-Valarin names. Fair warning! ;)

(Which tbh makes sense in the context of canon - not only the bit about how they fought quite successfully in the War of Wrath, but also things like how Indis, one of the few Vanyar who get talked about in much detail, is described in terms of her athletic ability and winning races and the like.)

Oh, definitely! The fun thing is, I've pretty much accepted that - the hunter/warrior thing, that is - when I encountered it; but now you've actually made it the canonically sensible interpretation. Well done! :D

although I'm not sure they'd have been able to gather enough that way for the amount of weaving I've been having Míriel doing.

The thing is, you still need a lot less wool than you'd need plants. With wool (even if they discard the short or overly dirty bits), you can use a lot of what you find. And sheep are herd animals, anyway, so if there's one, there's gonna be some more. With plants, you have a lot of waste; they'd definitely need to do pretty intensive agriculture to get enough flax to make any significant amounts of yarn. Even nettles (which tend to grow pretty intensively all by themselves ;)) would require collecting a LOT of plants. (Though of course the Eldar could also eat the leaves and use the roots and waste greens for dying fabric, so on the whole, nettles would be reasonably useful...) Cotton needs a lot of light (on top of warmth ;)), so this would only work if you follow the Round World scenario.
Of course, Míriel might experiment with mixed fibres. Hey, if the Elves have enough time to waste, they could even collect spider silk...

[kazaera.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link! It's fantastic - I love your Vairë and her angle on events! Also, I say HOORAY for the pseudo-Valarin names - for one because I think I am no longer allowed to complain about obscure nomenclature used in fic ever again, for another because... well. It looks as if there will probably be more Cuiviénen fic from me (/o\) and the one I'm working on features Oromë talking about his fellow Valar and the fact that we only have a few attested Valarin names has been a bit of a problem there. So, er. Can I borrow yours? I'd give full credit. >>

Oh, definitely! The fun thing is, I've pretty much accepted that - the hunter/warrior thing, that is - when I encountered it; but now you've actually made it the canonically sensible interpretation. Well done! :D

:D Although to be honest, it's becoming a bit of a problem; hunter/warrior Vanyar now seem so obvious to me that I forget not everyone who reads my stuff will have thought of that interpretation before and I forget to present it properly in-text.

Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all that information on fibres and textiles, which I had no idea about! (Guess who views yarn as something that is spontaneously generated by shop shelves? ;)) Yeah, it really sounds as if wool found in the wild is the best bet here, with possibly a few experimental forays into other materials - and omg, I am now imagining Míriel telling people going out hunting and gathering to collect spider silk for her and them all being ".....what? What on earth would you use that for?" Míriel: Okay, who's the master weaver here? Is it you? No, it's me! Now shoo and get me some spider silk!

I will admit that I will happily handwave lack of sunlight, because as soon as I start down the "well, cotton needs light..." route I end up with but how is anything growing at all and also why haven't they all frozen to death. (Really, Round World is probably the sensible scenario, I just like my literal interpretations and nocturnal Elves too much.) But it sounds like wool would be easier, and this allows me to remain vague on Cuiviénen climate for the time being.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Feel free to grab the names! I have no clue just how accurate my interpretation of Valarin in general and those names in particular is, but I've applied the best of my linguistic intuition? >_>

Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all that information on fibres and textiles

Very glad I didn't bore you to death with that. I've become obsessed with fibres, particularly the plant sort, in the past year, so given the chance I'll ramble about the topic for ages.

I will admit that I will happily handwave lack of sunlight

I tend to do that, too, although occasionally I'll try to have only plants growing that would grow in deep shadows or in winter, anyway, in order to pretend that I'm looking for realism... (In a flat world with no sun! Yeah right! XD)

[hhimring]

Title: Apocalyptic Thingol joke (SSP)
Type of Fanwork: comment fic (joke)
Length (if applicable): very short
Rating: General
Warnings: language
Summary: too short to summarize
Why I enjoyed it (optional): nothing for posterity, but I finally managed to re-read the chapter on Melian and Thingol on Saturday and the same day the world failed to end in Jorvik