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Okay, so a thing about Tolkien's Middle-Earth is that, for elves and other beings of comparable metaphysical stature, the "distance" between an act of will and its tangible result is shorter than it is for mortals. The universe is just more inclined to play along with how they want it to work, which is why they're not lying when they claim not to know what magic is even though the products of their craftsmanship are by any reasonable standard supernatural – they just make stuff, and it works the way it does because that's how they intended it to.
This has a number of fun worldbuilding implications, like inventors having tangible authority over things crafted using their techniques, regardless of who does the actual crafting, because they literally willed the principles which allow those techniques to work into being, or the fact that when powerful beings die, sometimes stuff that depends on techniques they invented stops working. However, there's a bigger implication that that's generally gone unaddressed:
Elves can't do science.
Like, it's straight up impossible. A Tolkien elf cannot construct and carry out a meaningful experiment of any sort – it'll always works the way they expect it to, but only for that particular elf. Confirmation bias is an insurmountable barrier.
I want to read a story about the elf who figures this out and it bothers them terribly.
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I also would like people to give more appreciation to the great thematic unity in all of The Lord of the Rings. The idea is “do what good you can with what you are given.” Usually your abilities and your chances seem horribly small, even though your responsibility is so enormous. The minutes, the little decisions, the days, the small towns, the small characters, matter the most. The fate of the whole big world of good and evil and languages and races and heroes and villains all hangs on what’s done by a little scholar and his gardener.
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Saruman the White ponders his palantír. "You are the trusted apprentice to one of the greatest Wizards in all Middle-earth" in A Spy in Isengard (Angus McBride cover art for Middle-earth Quest gamebook #1 by Terry K Amthor, Iron Crown Enterprises, 1988). McBride has been memed more than once.
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We don't talk about Eryn Galen enough.
I think the fandom might not always consider or imagine how BEAUTIFUL Eryn Galen must have been in its prime (Second Age 750 to Third Age 1,000). In its true, natural state, before the Necromancer invaded and spiders and filth settled in.
Have you checked a Middle-earth map lately?
Do you see anything in Middle-earth bigger than Greenwood the Great? It is a magical forest inhabited and kept by Elves who are essentially the best wildlife experts of that world. Think of the thousands of different, gorgeous plant and animal species that must have lived and thrived there! The little streams and ponds and glades and dells and cottages and dwellings!
Maybe it's a good thing Silvan Elves were seen as "dangerous", because it's a wonder other races didn't just straight up try to invade it. Sauron knew what was up, and so he targeted it.
Just saying, I think Greenwood the Great (not just Mirkwood) remains criminally underappreciated. It's sad that not even Professor Tolkien told us much about it; he who could wax on about trees for an entire chapter. We can probably use more fics and artwork for Eryn Galen.
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This month, I got to go on my dream trip, the adventure I'd longed to go on since I was a thirteen-year-old watching the LOTR movies for the first time. I got to spend two weeks in Aotearoa/New Zealand, home of Middle-earth, and visit many of the filming locations.
I spent one day at Tongariro National Park on Te Ika-a-Maui (North Island) and visit "Mordor" and "Mt Doom". I brought my little Sauron action figure along for the trip and felt he deserved to visit his Land of Darkness.
The snow-capped volcano in the background of the photo is Mt Ruapehu, which was where the Mt Doom scenes were filmed.
Ash nazg durbatuluk!
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You're invited to tag other unresolved questions, I'd love to do another round and then with questions people actually think about!
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Caranthir the Dark. Belated post for @feanorianweek
Photos by little_solnyshka (on IG)
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Legendarium by Rene Gross
1. Eru Ilúvatar
2. Creation of Melkor and Manwë
3. Wedding in Valinor
4. Telperion and Laurelin, the Two Trees of Valinor
5. Eärendil Sails to Valinor
6. Wedding in Lothlórien
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Stupidly excited about Tales of the Shire, the new Middle-Earth hobbit cozy game.
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