Valinor - Blog Posts

The final project for my Spanish class was to make a piñata, and, seeing as the brain rot has fully consumed me, I made my piñata to be the flag of Gondor on the back and the Trees of Valinor, Laurelin and Telperion, on the front.

I am very happy with the results!

Modern AU Silm fic idea

So you know how if something is frozen, it's kinda preserved? And you know the elves who died in the Helcaraxë were... well... frozen?

So imagine, if you will, in modern times of Middle Earth, when the dwarves are no longer prevalent (maybe they live in the Middle Earth equivalent of El Dorado?) and the hobbits have gone elsewhere to do who knows what (they become forest cryptids in the Ered Luin AKA, the Middle Earth Appalachia), and humans have created modern technology.

As in RADAR, SONAR, all that jazz. And humans, who we all know are very curious by nature, go exploring the ocean.

Human scientists explore the northern oceans, where the Helcaraxë is/has been, and they find bodies in the ice; nonhuman, but bipedal and human ENOUGH bodies. Sure, their ears are pointed, their teeth are strange, and they have a different bone structure, but the likeness is uncanny.

After a while of simply observing, the scientists get the go-ahead from their respective governments (Gondor, if it's still there, maybe Rohan; all of those civilizations have forgotten the might of the Eldar, though) and they manage to carve one of the bodies out of the ice.

After bringing the body back to land and in a laboratory, they discover some things.

1. The body is female.

2. She has different DNA and tissues than the average human.

3. She is still living.

(They find this out when someone is trying to get a tissue sample but almost gets strangled in the process.)

She speaks an archaic language, one that no linguist can decipher. However, when she tries to communicate via writing, she writes in an ancient script similar to the letters and words found in some of Gondor's ancient artifacts---swords of olden kings, the runes on a stone crypt with a king and two (supposed) children beside him.

All the while, the news coverage is all over, and some people are panicking. Who is this woman who was found ALIVE in the ice? Why are her ears naturally pointed? How old is she? More importantly, what is she saying?

We, the readers, will know that this woman is one of the Eldar, and who is the last elf left in Middle Earth? After the sons of Elrond have sailed, after Legolas and Gimli headed West, and after Celeborn finally saw the shores of Alqualondë? Who is left?

Maglor.

Maglor sees these shocking images of a golden haired woman, obviously of the Vanyar, and recognizes her. That is Elenwë, the wife of Turgon and mother of Idril.

That is Maglor's kin.

And Maglor, who now works the most boring 9-to-5 teaching job in all of Eä, longs desperately for any kind of relative, whether they hate him or not.

So Maglor goes to the scientists, the elf that had evaded all suspicion of him being anything other than human, and wants to see his cousin. Of course, they ignore him; that is, until he shows them his ears and sings a haunting verse of the Noldolantë.

They let him inside and Elenwë sees him, speaking ancient Quenya.

"Where is my daughter, Makalaurë?" She demands. "Where is my husband?"

Maglor knows where Turgon and Idril are; they are in the Undying Lands, far, far away.

Maglor tells her, and Elenwë screams. Maglor, who has had hundreds of centuries to process his grief, tries to comfort her, but is dragged away by security. The scientists question him, and Maglor, who has not spoken of his family history in centuries, finally tells the story of burning ships, shining jewels, kidnapped twins, and the war that was supposed to end all wars.

Maglor, who is technically a citizen of whatever country this is, willingly allows himself to stay in the laboratory. He goes to Elenwë again, and after much screaming and weeping, tells her the story of a hidden city and a tortured son of Aredhel and all that followed.

Elenwë is distraught. Obviously. After, she knows that she needs to sail back to Valinor, Doomed or not. She WILL find her daughter and husband again, even if it means she has to cross the sea to do it.

After a few years, Elenwë is released to Maglor's care. She speaks the common tongue well, knows her history and geography, and, well, they can't keep a sentient being in a laboratory forever, now can they (A few want to. Maglor threads his voice with Song and they never speak of that idea again)?

Maglor returns to his job teaching at a university (he teaches linguistics and music theory) and helps Elenwë learn her way around the modern world.

"Yes, that picture is moving," Maglor explains. "No, it is not a palantír."

"I'm not stupid, Makalaurë," Elenwë hisses. She still has a shred of animosity in her heart for all the harm Maglor and his brothers had caused her family.

"And we don't list our genealogies when meeting new people," Maglor told her when Elenwë introduced herself to a bank teller and told them her lineage.

"I could tell by the look on his face, Makalaurë," Elenwë replied bitterly.

Elenwë always had the heater on, and Maglor could not blame her; millenia stuck in ice would make a person long for warmth.

One day, Elenwë points to the drawing on Maglor's mantle and asks, "Who is that?"

The ellon had lines on his forehead, just like her dear Turukano; she always said they were from dealing with Findekáno's oddity.

Maglor was hesitant. "That Itarillë's grandson, your great-grandson."

Elenwë is delighted to hear that her daughter found love in Beleriand, but there was something that Maglor did not tell her.

So he told her, of course; Elenwë always knew if he was lying. He told her about the fire-haired twins' death, the burning camp of refugees, and her grandson's children left at the hands of two kinslayers.

"And love grew between them," Maglor told her. "They were Elrond and Elros, and... I see them as my sons."

Elenwë wanted to be angry. Scream at her cousin for causing so much grief for her daughter's family, but she couldn't. Makalaurë was oathbound to find that silmaril, but he still sought to do good.

"He sailed with Galadriel, Artanis as you know her, a few Ages ago," Maglor said. "He was as kind as summer."

After a while, Elenwë got her own job, an apartment nearby. She gets a degree and finds a stable job. She lives by the coast, like Maglor, and feels the sea tug on her heart every time she hears the rushing waves.

Then, Elenwë buys a boat.

Elenwë buts a boat and asks Maglor to go with her.

"It has been millenia, Makalaurë," she says. "Will you not go to Valinor? Will you leave your family thinking you are dead?"

Maglor refuses. He thinks that he cannot leave Middle Earth. "I am Doomed, Elenwë, but do not let my choices prevent you from going. See your husband, your daughter, your grandchildren and so on. Do not dwell on the past as I have, Elenwë."

"You hypocrite of hypocrites!" Elenwë cries. "You tell me to go and see my child when you will not go and see yours?"

Maglor goes with her.

He takes his favorite pillow, his silver harp made by his father, Maedhros's copper circlet, Elros's wooden toy horse, and leaves behind a copy of the Noldolantë.

Elenwë and Maglor sail.

They think that they will aimlessly wander the Sundering Seas, but they are wrong. Eru smiles at them, and they see the banks of Tol Eressëa. The dock is long gone, but homes dot the sandy shores, still littered with pearls and white gems.

Maglor and Elenwë sail, and they are welcomed.

Maglor is welcomed by six brothers, all released from Námo's halls. He is welcomed by a guilty father, who begs for his son's forgiveness on his knees. He is welcomed by a grieving mother, who had never thought she would see her son again.

He is welcomed by a son that was not his, and a daughter-in-law that looks suspiciously like Galadriel.

Elenwë is welcomed by a husband who has grieved for millenia, who is guilty for not saving her. She is welcomed by her daughter, now grown, and a human man she calls her husband. She is welcomed by a woman with bird-like features, who is her granddaughter-in-law. She is welcomed by her great-grandson, whose picture sat on Makalaurë's mantle for all the time she'd been in Middle Earth.

Maglor returns to his family. He is not exiled, or Doomed to the Everlasting Darkness. He is called home for tea and to play games with his brothers. He is not a ghost story to tell children on rainy nights. He is not a warning to those provoked to anger. He is an elf; an elf who wanted to go home.

Elenwë returns to her family. She is not a casualty listed among the fallen of Helcaraxë. She is not a wife who was not named. Elenwë lives.

Elenwë lives, and she was not forgotten.

Family Discussions

BFF: Elrond is such a dad, does he have children?

Me: oh hoho he has children

BFF: who’s his spouse

Me : oh you won’t see her she already went to Valinor (explains what that is)

BFF: oh so are they divorced or do they like exchange letters?

...

BFF: What about Galadriel does she have kids?

Me: Galadriel is Elronds mother in law

BFF: wait what!!!! How!!?!?!

A Very Long Thought about Elrond's Names and Titles

This is the product of at least 15 hours of work, ok, so please be nice.

Scene: Tirion, Valinor. Elrond Peredhel has arrived at his first formal diplomatic meeting. Eönwë looks at the guest-list, does a double take, takes a deep breath, goes through all five stages of grief and starts inventing new ones, shoots a quick prayer to Manwë, and clears his throat.

Elrond’s names and titles in Quenya: Aþëafinwë Elerondo Pereldar, Nelyafinwion Canafinwionyë, néya Orrósurë Taurénë, Eärnedilion Elenvingionyë. Heru Fëanálië, Sánendoredainion, Hísilómedainion, Indor Arcimbele, Aryon Lestanórë Ondolindyë, Tercáno Hildyë Aranion Ílë-Calima, enquëa Noldóran.

(Also Elros’s names in Quenya: Arafinwë Elerossë, Andúsírë Taurildë)

Elrond’s names and titles in Sindarin: Athaefin Elrond Peredhel, Maedhrosion a Maglorion, ni Sûlamrûn Taurín, Gaerdilion a Elwinion. Hîr Nost Fëanor, Bar Beorion a Hadorion, Hîr Imladris, Hîl Dóriath a Gondolin, Taicyll a Hîl Erenion Gil-Galad, enchui Golodharan.

(Also Elros’ names in Sindarin: Arafin Elros, Sîrannûn Tauréd)

If, like me, you're just gonna skim right over all that - try plugging the elvish into Google Translate and getting it to read it aloud for you. Spanish or Italian for Quenya and Welsh for Sindarin. It's not 100% correct and some sounds will be wrong, but it'll give you the general idea.

SECTION 1: names from Maedhros and Maglor

Aþëafinwë Elerondo Pereldar, Nelyafinwion Canafinwionyë

(Arafinwë Elerossë)

Athaefin Elrond Peredhel, Maedhrosion a Maglorion

(Arafin Elros)

Quenya names have three parts: a father name or ataressë (plural ataresser), a mother name or amilessë (plural amilesser), and an optional nickname or epessë (plural eresser).

Ataresser chosen based on my Quenya translation of the hands of a king are the hands of a healer, which I attribute to Maedhros: aranya mát síve aþaya mát. Translated using fin as equivalent to Finwë, as with Curufin.

Aþëafinwë = healing herb Finwë. The root of aþëa is aþaya, to heal, and aþëa aranion is the Quenya name for athelas/kingsfoil. Aranion is also a Quenya translation of Erenion. Sindarin cognate of aþëa is athae, hence Athaefin.

(Arafinwë = noble Finwë. Ara- was chosen as a shortening of Aranye, in tribute to Arafinwë the High King of the Noldor in Valinor, who did an objectively better job - insofar as a king is a healer - at being a king than any of his entire extended family until Gil-Galad and Elros himself. Ara has a similar meaning in both Sindarin and Quenya, hence Arafin.)

Note: thankfully the twins ended up with actually meaningful names after long consideration, unlike Maedhros’ first, sarcastic suggestion of Yet-Another-Finwë and Still-More-Fucking-Finwës. Which, following on from Finwë, Smart-Finwë, Wise-Finwë, Noble-Finwë, Finwë No. 3, Loud-Finwë, Buff-Finwë, Emo-Finwë, Smarter-Finwë, Tiny-Finwë, Valar-Let-This-Be-The-Last-Finwë, Look-Mom-Grandkids!-Finwë and Even-Tinier-Finwë... this is objectively hilarious.

(I'm including Celebrimbor - Inyofinwë Tyelperinquar, grandchild-Finwë silver-fist - and Gil-Galad - Vinyafinwë Aranion, new-Finwë son-of-kings - in this list.)

The twins' amilesser wer almost certainly given by Maglor in Quenya (Maglor being the one who cared to name them first), based on where they were kidnapped from in various drafts of the Silmarillion, before ever being used in Sindarin.

Elerondo = Quenya of the Sindarin Elrond.

(Elerossë = Quenya of the Sindarin Elros.)

The shared epessë runs in the same vein as calling Maedhros, noted red-head, Russandol or copper-top.

Pereldar = Quenya of the Sindarin Peredhel.

The suffix -ion is used in both Quenya and Sindarin to say son of -.

Nelyafinwion in Quenya & Maedhrosion in Sindarin = son of Nelyafinwë & son of Maedhros - Quenya and Sindarin names for the same elf.

Canafinwion in Quenya & Maglorion in Sindarin = son of Canafinwë & son of Maglor - Quenya and Sindarin names for the same elf.

-yë suffix on Canafinwionyë in Quenya & a in Sindarin = and in their respective languages.

SECTION 2: names from Eärendil and Elwing

néya Orrósurë Taurénë, Eärnedilion Elenwingionyë

(néya Andúsírë Taurildë)

nî Sûlamrûn Taurín, Gaerdilion a Elwinion

(nî Sîrannûn Tauréd)

Most Sindarin names appear to be a single name with an optional nickname. However, as a Noldo, Eärendil gave his sons ataresser, and so the names given by Elwing become amilesser.

Ataresser given by Eärendil hint at some form of directions to find Valinor.

Sûlamrûn = the wind east. Sindarin sûl or wind & amrûn or east. Translated into Quenya using the orró- prefix, referring to sunrise and east, and súrë, meaning wind, to make Orrósurë.

(Sîrannûn = the stream west. Sindarin sîr or river/stream here used to refer to an ocean current & annûn or west/sunset. Translated using the andú- prefix, meaning sunset and west and used in Andúril, and sírë, the Quenya of the Sindarin sîr, to make Andúsírë. Annûn is also linked to the Sindarin dûn, as in Dûnedain. See what I did there?)

Amilesser given by Elwing in memory of her brothers, Eluréd and Elurín, who were killed by Fëanorians in a forest, taur meaning forest in both Sindarin and Quenya. A massive guilt-trip, and the reason why both Elrond and Elros refuse to use their original Sindarin names, instead going by their translated Quenya names. 

Taurín = remembrance of the forest. The Sindarin rîn, remembrance, is translated as rénë, memory - thus Taurénë.

(Tauréd = heir of the forest. The Beorian rêda or heir is used, as in Eluréd. Instead of the Quenya for heir aryon, the alternative hildë is used in translation, meaning heir, follower or child. Hildë is the root of the Quenya word for Men: Hildor, which is more fitting for Elros - hence Taurildë.)

The suffix -ion is used in both Quenya and Sindarin to say son of -.

Eärendilion = son of Eärendil. Eärendil is unusual in that we are more familiar with his Quenya name. However it can be translated as Gaerdil - hence, in Sindarin, Gaerdilion.

Elwinion = son of Elwing. The -g is dropped because Elwingion is clunky. Elwing is translated into Quenya as Elenvingë - el and elen both meaning star, and gwing and vingë both meaning foam or spray. Hence, Elenvingion. A side note - the Quenya of Eärendil’s ship is the Vingilótë (Sindarin Vingelot), perhaps named after his wife, Elenvingë?

Néya in Quenya and nî in Sindarin = once, at one time or was, here used to show that they were formerly known by the following names, but these are no longer in use.

-yë suffix on Elenvingionyë in Quenya & a in Sindarin = and in their respective languages.

SECTION 3: Elrond’s Houses

Heru Fëanálië, Sánendoredainion, Hísilómedainion, Indor Arcimbele

Hîr Nost Fëanor, Bar Beorion a Bar Hadorion, Hîr Imladris

Heru = lord. Used in various phrases as a title. Sindarin equivalent - hîr. Both capitalised when written in the Latin alphabet, though elvish doesn’t capitalise letters.

Nost Fëanor = the House of Fëanor. Nost, meaning family, clan or house, also used to describe Nost Finarfin, so it works perfectly. Translated into Quenya as Fëanálië, the company of Fëanor (or rather, the Quenya version of his name, Fëanáro). Lië, meaning folk, is added to the name Tata to make Tatalië, the company of Tata, so the same rule is applied.

The suffix -ion is used in both Quenya and Sindarin to say son of -. The Quenya endain refers to the race of Men, as used to refer to the Men of the West, the Dúnedain. A in Sindarin = and.

Bar Beorion = son of the house of Beor. The Sindarin bar Bëora refers to the house of Bëor. The Beorians are also known as the Men of Dorthonion; Dorthonion, Sindarin for land of the pines, can be translated as Sánendor - hence Sánendoredainion means son of the Men of Dorthonion.

Bar Hadorion = son of the house of Hador. The name Hador is substituted for Beor, with the same meaning: son of this house. The Hadorians are also known as the Men of Hithlum; Hithlum in Quenya is Hísilómë - hence Hísilómedainion means son of the Men of Hithlum.

Indor = a niche Quenya term used specifically for the lord or master of a house - seemed to fit with the way Imladris is referred to as the House of Elrond and the Last Homely House. There is no Sindarin equivalent as far as I can see, so hîr is used again.

Imladris = Rivendell, the name of Elrond’s house. Rivendell in Quenya is Arcimbele.

SECTION 4: Heirships

Aryon Lestanórë Ondolindyë

Hîl Dóriath a Gondolin

Hîl = heir in Sindarin. There are two potential translations into Quenya: hildë, meaning heir, follower or child, but also used as descendant; aryon, a noun meaning heir or prince - literally son of property. In this case, Elrond is heir to the throne of two cities, so the royal aryon is most appropriate, as opposed to the more personal inheritance of a legacy implied by hildë.

Dóriath = Doriath, the Land of the Girdle, ruled over by Elu Thingol and Melian. The Quenya translation is Lestanórë. (Does being descended from Melian deserve a title in and of itself? Melianion?)

Gondolin = Gondolin, literally hidden rock, a city ruled by Turgon. The Quenya name for Gondolin is Ondolindë, meaning singing stone. (Being an heir to the royal House of the King of Gondolin could also add another layer of complexity...)

-yë suffix on Ondolindyë in Quenya & a in Sindarin = and in their respective languages.

SECTION 5: connection to Gil-Galad

Tercáno hildyë Aranion Ílë-Calima, enquëa Noldóran.

Taicyll a Hîl Erenion Gil-Galad, enchui Golodharan.

Tercáno = herald in Quenya, ter being through and cáno being commander. With no direct Sindarin translation, tain or message and cyll or bearer are combined into Taicyll.

Hîl = heir in Sindarin. There are two potential translations into Quenya: hildë, meaning heir, follower or child, but also used as descendant; aryon, a noun meaning heir or prince - literally son of property. Usually, the heir to a throne would be aryon, whilst a person’s next-of-kin or descendant is hildë. Thus Elrond is making a deliberate choice when he translates hîl in this case as hildë rather than aryon - he is Gil-Galad’s chosen next-of-kin, but not a prince or heir to the throne, miss me with that royalty shit.

Erenion Gil-Galad = Sindarin name meaning son of kings and star of radiance. A potential Quenya translation is Aranion - from ara, king, and -ion, son of - Ílë-Calima - form ílë, star, and calima, luminous.

Noldóran = noldor-king, the Quenya term for High King of the Noldor. The Sindarin version is Golodharan.

Enquëa = Quenya for sixth. Sindarin Enchui.

-yë suffix on hildyë in Quenya & a in Sindarin = and in their respective languages.

(FINAL NOTE:  Gil-Galad’s full name in Sindarin and Quenya:

SINDARIN: Finwain Erenion Rôdnaur Finellach Gil-Galad

QUENYA: Vinyafinwë Aranion Artáno Findenár Ílë-Calima

This proof that I’ve just invented means that Gil-Galad has to be Russingon’s lovechild because ain’t no way Irrelevant Estranged Cousin Orodreth the Politically Correct named his kid ‘new-finwë’ and also two other names to do with fire.)

Anyway I'm sure various people will pull more titles out of their asses and make everyone's day even worse (I'd love to hear what you guys come up with) but that's me done for now.