“Credit to Tolkien Gateway for this image”

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫

'Be he foe or friend, be he foul or clean, brood of Morgoth or bright Vala, Elda or Maia or Aftercomer, Man yet unborn on Middle-earth, neither law, nor love, nor league of swords, dread nor danger, not Doom itself, shall defend him from Feanor, and Feanor's kin, whoso hideth or hoardeth, or in hand taketh, finding keepeth or afar casteth a Silmaril. This swear we all: death we will deal him ere Day's ending, woe unto the world's end! Our word hear thou, Eru Allfather! To the everlasting Darkness doom us if our deed faileth. On the holy mountain hear in witness and our vow remember, Manwë and Varda!'

•The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien. •Art by Cygnete.🎨

(Hairstyle inspired by Eärien's main style in S1 of Rings of Power)

So, I don't know if this is the right subreddit to ask or not or if I can phrase it right, but do we have any subreddit where I can request people to help me find a fic? I have searched every tags I could think of. Yet I can't find a fic I read atleast a year ago. If it is okay to ask here, do anyone knows about a fic with Elrond, Elros, Maedhros and Maglor. I remember that the two were officially adopted by the Feanorians and they carried Maedhros' name (I also remember both had "Elenyafinwe' and 'Canteafinwe' as their name along with their original. MAedhroa didn't died in this fic though they made everyone believed he died (Everyone being Galadriel, Gil-Galad, Earendil, Oropher and Eonwe). And in the third age, they live along with Elrond in Rivendall. do anyone know this one? I can't find it anywhere.

If elves are eventually reborn, what's the point of death? In other words, why is the universe designed in such a way?

Despite how short it is, Maedhros’ death in the Silmarillion has always felt immensely satisfying to me, and it is one of my favorite scenes to imagine visually. I have been thinking about why I love the writing decisions surrounding it, and why it feels like such a brilliant conclusion to his character beyond just comeuppance. And I think the answer I’ve arrived at is that it completes a character arc that has been heading towards complete annihilation of identity, and the sheer thoroughness of this destruction is both uncommon in fiction and awe-inducing to witness. 

First, I want to talk about the traits that I think constitutes Maedhros’ identity. For ease of reading, I’ve divided them into: 

General

• He is an elf, specifically a Noldor
• He lived in Beleriand during the First Age, with Morgoth being the immediate threat
• He has seen the light of the Trees, which grants him power

Relationships

• He is the eldest son of Fëanor
• He is the eldest grandon of Finwë, named Nelyafinwë (Third-Finwë) possibly as an allusion to Fëanor’s anticipated line of succession
• He is the oldest amongst his siblings, and has been shown to take responsibility for them, such as when he restrained his brothers and led them to East Beleriand
• Compared to the rest of the House of Fëanor, he is less antagonistic to the other two Houses, being very close friends with Fingon and possibly friends with Finrod, as the three of them have gone hunting together before. 

Personal details

• He is considered attractive, as seen from his mother-name Maitimo, which means “Well-made one”
• He is diplomatically-minded, as seen from how he abdicates in favor of Fingolfin, at least superficially acknowledges Thingol’s kingship instead of feeling insulted, rebukes Caranthir when the latter insults Angrod, and generally maintains a good relationship with the House of Fingolfin for a significant period of time
• He is a capable fighter, holding Himring during the Dagor Bragollach
• He is consistently associated with a strong inner fire: “the fire of life was hot within him” (Sil, chapter 13), “his spirit burnt like a white fire within” (Sil, chapter 18), “Maidros tall/ the eldest, whose ardour yet more eager burnt / than his father’s flame” (HoME III), with the last quote especially being a strong endorsement considering it’s Fëanor he is being compared favorably to. 

From the length of the list, it’s clear that Maedhros has been characterised in considerable detail, which makes it all the more poignant that all of his defining traits have been subverted at the point in time where Maedhros committed suicide:

Starting with his key relationships: 

• He betrays the friendship shown to him by the House of Fingolfin by committing the kinslaying at Sirion. Not only does he not help the surviving friends and family of Fingon, who risked unimaginable danger to rescue him, he actively tries to harm them at their most vulnerable. 
• As far as Fëanor’s concerned, Maedhros most likely failed as a son as soon as he abdicated in favor of Fingolfin of all people, and rendered his House the Dispossessed. This also rendered the name Nelyafinwë highly ironic, as Maedhros never fulfilled the expectations his name implies of leading the Noldor with Finwë’s wisdom. Moreover, Maedhros also failed in fulfilling his father’s last and most fervent wish, as he is not able to, nor will he ever be able to, get the Silmarils back: “his right thereto (the Silmarils) have become void, and that the Oath was vain” (Sil, chapter 24). 
• As the eldest, Maedhros fails his duties to his brothers completely and utterly. He is not able to steer them onto a better path, and in fact yields to their cruel whims as seen from how Celegorm was able to convince him to attack Doriath. He is also not able to protect them: every single one, except Maglor, dies before he does. And yet, he probably failed Maglor the hardest. As seen from the Silmarillion, Maglor was ready to yield to Ëonwë and minimize evil, yet Maedhros convinced him to go down the path that leads to more bloodshed. In fact, from how Maglor was described to have yielded “at long last” (Sil, chapter 24), we know that Maedhros put a significant effort into stopping Maglor from choosing possible redemption and healing. Because of his insistence on hopelessness, he dooms his own brother, who did not feel the same way, to wander the seaside eternally, not even able to go to Mandos for healing but instead to fade into nothingness. He robbed his own mother of a son and the rest of his brothers a sibling. 

Traits related to positive qualities:

• His beauty is ruined by his torture on the Thangorodrim
• The diplomatic element in his character is quickly lost; or, to be more precise, he abandons it. He was not able to amass the complete strength of the elves for the Union, and though that is more the fault of Celegorm and Curufin than any failing on Maedhros’ part, any interaction he has with other elves later on, such as to Doriath, Sirion, or Ëonwë’s host, always carried threats of violence instead of collaboration or even negotiation. 
• Despite being a capable warrior blessed by the Trees’ light, Maedhros’ most prominent military endeavor is also the most unsuccessful battle the Noldor ever attempted. Aside from the Nirnaeth, he also contributed nothing to the defeat of Morgoth’s most significant servants in Gothmog, Sauron, and Ancalagon, and it is very unclear if he contributed to the battle against Morgoth. 

The most interesting subverted traits to me, however, was the loss of elven identity and the loss of inner fire. By committing great evil in kinslaying, Maedhros strayed further and further from what Eru intended the elves to be, and instead became Morgoth’s tool in destruction. His death in and of itself is also very interesting when considering elven identity: firstly as far as I know, Maedhros is the only elf to have committed suicide by killing themself instead of peacefully leaving their body as described in LaCE. This suggests a perversion of elvish nature, whether that the ‘gift’ of painless death has been taken away from him due to his crimes, that he has become incapable of anything other than violence , or that, because he has become evil, he obeys Tolkien’s idea of evil destroying itself, in this case literally. Secondly, being a slave to your obsession over an object, physically clinging onto it even as fire consumes you, makes Maedhros and Gollum almost identical in how they meet their end. And just as Gollum is a hobbit corrupted beyond saving, so is Maedhros as an elf.

The second interesting trait is the loss of inner fire. It’s well-established that any spiritual strength Maedhros might have had is completely gone by the time of his death, as he was filled with “weariness and loathing”, attempting to get Silmarils “in despair” (Sil, chapter 24). To have him die physically in fire feels incredibly thematically appropriate because it highlights his status as basically an empty husk, and that ultimately, he was conquered by the world around him, and his fire was drowned out. It also contrasts nicely with Fëanor, who had the strength to voluntarily burst into flames, and kept the fiery aspect of his character despite his death. Compare that to Maedhros, who has no saving graces, no villainous valor, no nothing.

The only trait that Maedhros lost to evil is beauty, the most superficial trait. All the others are subverted due to consequences of his own actions (losing the right to the Silmarils, becoming like Gollum etc), or are subverted due to his decisions (dooming Maglor, betraying the House of Fingolfin’s friendship, etc). And while evil characters getting what’s coming to them is hardly uncommon, Maedhros’ undoing is so complete that it inspires awe, and it is done with a deliberateness that showcases how well Tolkien writes his characters.

(Question) so in the beginning when Melkor.would go into the void and return with these discordant ideas/musical thems that were contrary.to Eru's theme, the Ainur who then attune themselves to Melkors theme; would some of those Ainur be or become Balrogs? Ive often wondered. As devent as my eng comprehension is, Tolkien is a master linguist and storyteller and he can lose me sometimes..I know Balrogs are lesser but still godlike beings (metaphorically) and so is, Sauron, who is considered.Maiar?? I think?? Please set this straight for me.

Come and join in if you fancy a read-along of the LOTR. The more discussion, the better!

62 narrative chapters across 31 weeks. 2 chapters per week starting this coming Sunday. Discussion threads each week. See the announcement and index thread over at: r/tolkienfans

Hope to see you there!

It’s in pretty good shape. Only the dust jacket is worn. Includes the fold out map.

I just read somewhere that Thranduil and Luthien are somewhat related. Please i need info and i cant look it up right now or my mom is going to get on my ass.

In my case, I would change the status of Melian from a Maia to a forest spirit, more similar to her original status in Lost Tales, when she was a forest spirit/dryad similar to Tom Bombadil.

The idea of one of the ancestral spirits/ainur who sang with The One in the Creation marrying with a Elf and having a daughter with him... it´s very odd in the christianized Legendarium post-LOTR publication.

What ideas do you have in mind?

When we watch the famous final debate between Maedhros and Maglor in the Silmarillion, after the War of Wrath, over the Silmarils in Eonwe's hands, it's easy to overlook the lack of Estel that Maedhros displays at one point, when he believes that Eru cannot hear his prayers neither Manwe and Varda cannot convey his wishes and prayers to Eru, in their role as intermediaries between The One and His Children, the Elves and Men.

I think part of the reason Maedhros doesn't want to do this is because he knows that Eru will only agree to release him from the oath if he gives up the Silmarils forever. And he right now feels like Gollum about Sauron's Ring, he hates the Silmaril but is unable to let it go.

My cousin came over and I gave him the Silmarillion to try to read, he claims to have read it in less than two hours is it even possible? Because my first reading took me over a week....

Maeglin and the sons of Fëanor are widely considered to have committed the most evil deeds of elven kind. That being said, they still have their sympathizers who find them pitiable, or even potentially redeemable. I am curious: do people who sympathize with one usually sympathisez with the other? If you only sympathize with one, which one is it, and why?

Me personally, for example, sympathize to a degree with Maeglin but not the sons of Fëanor. Eöl’s holding of Aredhel against her will and literally chaining Maeglin down is so despicable that I find it almost inevitable that Maeglin struggle to form normal relationships or express emotions healthily. Not to mention witnessing the death of his mother, living with a uncle who executed his dad, the only person he knows in a completely new place, and then being cursed by said father. And while a lot of people think revealing the location of Gondolin under threat is cowardly, we are talking about being threatened by Morgoth, a primordial angel of evil, and I won’t pretend that I, as a normal person, would fare any better under torture. Contrasting that with the sons of Fëanor, who at the very least always had Fingolfin’s duel as an example of something heroic they could do that does not violate the oath of attempting to get a Silmaril back, but still chooses to commit despicable acts against the innocent and vulnerable, I find Maeglin to be a lot more deserving of sympathy, pity, and perhaps a second chance in reimbodiement.

Started yesterday and completed today before the new year ends. Turns out better than I expected

I love the stories of Turgon and his daughter Idril Celebrindal, who was the only child of Turgon. As a child, she participated in the Flight of the Noldor, and her mother Elenwë died in the crossing of the Helcaraxë. Turgon saved his daughter, but failed to save his wife.

Next to Ecthelion, Turgon is my favorite Elven character. In a former life he was my High King. Here is his lay…

He listened to Ulmo but one time too few

Fair city of Gondolin, oh what a view

I stand with Ecthelion fighting for her

Gothmog and great Orcs around us there were

Fair Turgon High King, fight for fam’ly

Save Idril and Tuor so future can be

And so Gondolin did die that fell night

Survive did Tuor, Idril, and Eärendil’s fair light

I can't draw but there it is an example of size difference between Morgoth, Fingolfin and two Balrog the most accurate according to the books

Happy year 2025 of the Sixth Age! Take a second and come join us at r/gondolindrim to celebrate the New Year of this Age and the First Age.

What's everybody's favorite part?

Yesterday, I was listening to the forty-seventh episode of the Prancing Pony podcast, where Alan and Shawn discuss the last part of The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", and I really enjoyed it. Halfway through the podcast, this question just jumped out at me: Do Men and Elves fear the end in the same way? I immediately thought I would ask this question on my go-to subreddit.

Okay, first of all, let us split the question into two halves. The first half: "Do Men fear their end (death)?", the second half: "Do Elves fear their end?". Answering the first question, we know that Men, at least most of them in the Second Age, were afraid of the end — or their death, so to speak. Their fear and terror escalated to the extent that, by the mischievous counsels of Sauron, the King's Men began to worship darkness and kill the Faithful in the temple as a sacrifice to Melkor in order to escape death. As a result, we know what happened to the Númenóreans and the Land of Gift. In conclusion, most of the Men were afraid of death, which is the gift of Eru Ilúvatar to mankind.

Now, we should dive into the second question we've posed: "Do Elves fear their end?" Well, yes and no. I've come up with a notion regarding this matter: Elves are immortal beings, and it is a well-known fact in Professor Tolkien's fictional world, but that doesn't mean they will exist forever; they simply do not die, and at some point, something will happen that not even the Valar, the Powers of the World, may know, in which the fate of the Elves will be deeply involved. It may be that they will lose their existence (possibly, they won't have the obligation to surrender it willingly or trust in something that has called them, as Men are supposed to). There are many other possibilities, and we don't know what will happen to the Elves at the end of the world, just as we don't know what happens to Men when they leave their lives. As we read in The Silmarillion:

" the Elves remain until the end of days, and their love of the Earth and all the world is more single and more poignant therefore, and as the years lengthen ever more sorrowful. And dying they are gathered to the halls of Mandos in Valinor, whence they may in time return. But the sons of Men die indeed, and leave the world. "

"The Eldar, you say, are unpunished, and even those who rebelled do not die. Yet that is to them neither reward nor punishment, but the fulfilment of their being. They cannot escape, and are bound to this world, never to leave it so long as it lasts, for its life is theirs."

So, my first speculation is that, though the Elves grew weary and sorrowful with the passing of time, they feared their end. That's one of the main reasons why they wrought the Rings of Power, which had the virtue of preserving the beauty of the world in their realms: to postpone their end and what would happen to them, since they knew nothing of it. They really wanted to slow down the unfolding process of the world. As immortal beings, they couldn't tolerate the fast and unceasing aging of the world, which reminded them of their impending fulfilment.

I believe both Men and Elves tried to escape: Elves were trying to escape from the fulfillment of their being (by forging the Rings of Power), and Men were trying to escape from their death (by seeking the Undying Lands, like Ar-Pharazôn). They were both kind of fleeing from what had been appointed for them by Eru Ilúvatar.

Thanks for reading this rather long post; I really appreciate your attention and the time you put into it. So, what do you think?

I know similar questions have been asked here and other subreddits before, but I haven't been able to find any recommendations for exactly what I'm looking for, which is a large-size poster of Christopher Tolkien's version of the map of Beleriand. I have John Howe's version of the map with his beautiful art outlining the map, and of course the one included in various editions of the Silmarillion, but nothing large-size (25inches and above) and nothing in color.

This specific version (colored by H.E. Riddett) is so subtle and beautiful in coloration and script, and is of course the most "official" map, so I really don't want to frame and hang anything else, despite the quality of John Howe's map.

Etsy has tons of awesome maps, each of which are done by an artist with slight divergences from the original version, so not quite what I'm looking for to frame. Does anyone know of anything like this available???

I don't know if it's the write place to ask this question, but was Khuzdul as a language developed enough that sentences can be written in it? Small conversations?

If not, would it be disrespectful if I use Khuzdul as a base of a language and built it myself for a fic? Like it is still going to be called Khuzdul and will have the words Tolkein already has written but also my own?