general-illyrin

[general-illyrin]

before the poll, a quick definition of terms:

"mutual" - you found this post from a mutual (on their blog or your dash) "following" - you found this post from someone you're following, but who isn't following you "random" - you found this by scrolling through someone's blog, who you don't follow. this includes people following you "For You" - you found this on the For You page "recommended" - you found this in a "Check out these blogs" popup, or a "recommended" post when looking at a different post "other" - you found this post some other way. comment how? "reblog ✅" - you're going to reblog, queue, or schedule this post "reblog ❌" - you're NOT going to reblog, queue, or schedule this post

with that out of the way:

#obligatory poll reblog #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

First you procrastinate on the task because it is not a big enough deal to get done urgently. Then you procrastinate on the task because it has become such a big deal that doing it is overwhelming. You would think that this implies a middle point where it is just big enough of a deal to get done easily, however the inherent perversity of the universe's causal geometry prevents this

#yep #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

So we all know that Tumblr is US-centric. But to what degree? (and can we skew the results of this poll by posting it at a time where they should be asleep?)

Reblog to increase sample size!

#obligatory poll reblog #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

i want 60 thousand votes by next thursday

#obligatory poll reblog #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

#Ulmo taking Tuor and Idril like two barbie dolls: Now kiss

asdfghjkl how dare you leave this gold in the tags OP

Ulmo, in his elaborate matchmaking effort to make sure Earendil was born, looked at Tuor and Idril and said "THIS SHIP WILL SAIL AND NEVER SINK" and then personally made sure of that, sending Earrame straight to Valinor and getting Tuor immortality so he and Idril could stay together forever.

Ulmo, despite being single, and besides from being the Lord of Waters, is also the Lord of Ships, in more ways than one.

#This is hilarious 😂 #Ulmo #Tuor #Idril #silm #silmarillion

[general-illyrin]

Three Castle Head by Abby Farson Pratt

#nature #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

purge of 2002? of 2012? what ARE those?

Oh, how quickly the past is forgotten. 

They are part of the reason A03 is a thing now. Not the whole reason, but part of it. 

The Great Purges of 2002 and 2012 are when ff.net got a wild hair up their ass about THINK OF THE CHILDREN and nuked any fic posted on there that was explicit. Thousands upon thousands of nc-17 smutfics were lost.

It’s what led to the creation of alternate hosting sites for smutty fic…AdultFanfiction was the one I went to…but thousands of fics would never be recovered. 

#ao3 #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

If you notice me reblogging

a repost

stolen art

false information

etc.

please let me know, you’re not rude or annoying and I actually do give a fuck and I will correct my mistake, thank you

[general-illyrin]

What's your opinion on there being "fake" and "real" fans/nerds?

Until I meet any obviously fake human beings — and I think they’d have to be held together with glue, or have the eyes painted on, or really be dolls or slugs or something — I think all people, not to mention fans, nerds, geeks and suchlike are real.

Some people haven’t read/seen/done as much as others. Some people haven’t been around as long. Some people wear T-shirts without knowing everything about what the T-shirt represents. But they are still real, and (and this is the important bit) everybody starts somewhere. 

People at my signings sometimes tell me, apologetically, that they aren’t real fans, they’ve only read one book or a single comic, not like the people who know every obscure reference I make and win quizzes on my life and times that I would probably fail. And I tell them I’m glad they read the book. And I am.

#not tolkien #reminder

[general-illyrin]

We laugh at Sauron for not realising a golden-haired Aman elf with the audacity to challenge a fallen Maia with song can only be Finrod at this point, and conclude that Finrod's spell must have worked in part -- but I've never heard anyone ask how on earth did he never come up with the idea that Celebrimbor might have given the three rings to his three remaining family members!

Who made the spell this time?

#XD #sauron #finrod #celebrimbor #meta #silm #silmarillion #silm meta

[general-illyrin]

#obligatory poll reblog

[general-illyrin]

do you ever look at Successful™ people your age and feel like you’re just floating your way thru life like a very bewildered and directionless bumblebee

#*sigh* #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

* * * News Interruption * * *

#art #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

Maglor

#This is beautiful! #And his robes are gorgeous!! #maglor #silmarillion #silm #silm art

[general-illyrin]

I just added about 50 artworks, new and less new, to my INPRNT shop. I've had the shop for a while but I never really put in the time to upload things...

Anyway, if anyone wants a print of my art. I have very little work at the moment so it would be welcome tbh. INPRNT is great because the artist actually get 50% of the sale price, which is a lot more than Redbubble &co. And their print quality is really good.

If there's a specific artwork of mine you'd like but you don't see it there, feel free to ask! They got buried under a bit but if you scroll down you'll find the pride dragons too.

[general-illyrin]

#XD #I need to memorize this one #not tolkien

[general-illyrin]

What do you think Sauron’s opinion of Elrond was?

There’s a line in Two Towers (I think) I was going to look up to answer this, except I got lazy, where Gollum says Sauron hates something and Frodo responds like “What doesn’t he hate?”

So I’m going to go out on a limb and say Sauron hates Elrond.

But to actually contribute something not obvious to the conversation, I think of all his biggest adversaries, he is most likely to underestimate Elrond.

Elrond’s influence is huge but we only see him give his advice to those who came to him voluntarily, he hides away but not so well he can’t be found in need. He’s a healer, not a warrior or a king, and he doesn’t have the ambition Galadriel has.

Heir of Luthien? Hate that. Uses his power to influence events mainly by being a well of knowledge and a safe place to weather storms? Sauron doesn’t understand that.

Elrond ultimately defeats Sauron by raising children with love, helping those in need, not seeking power and giving solid advice. He puts together the fellowship, but doesn’t even put his name on it, he helps everyone there see what has to be done by letting them suggest options and showing them how those ideas are infeasible, and making sure everyone has the whole story. He takes advice as well, he sends Pippin instead of Glorfindel at Gandalf’s suggestion. He gently refuses to let the fellowship swear an oath.

One of my favorite moments from the council of Elrond is when they’re like “Who will do this task” and Elrond goes quiet. It is NOT because he doesn’t know who would be best for it. But he knows Frodo has to choose on his own, he cannot force him, or what little hope they have will be gone. The MOMENT Frodo says he’ll do it, Elrond says he is the only person who can, but he doesn’t lay that on him until he is committed.

If everyone had rolled up to Rivendell and Elrond had just said “you nine go drop the ring in Mt doom” and sent the same exact people? The fellowship would have failed, because the understanding wouldn’t have been there. Elrond handled that council to perfection, and that is the kind of passive power based in understanding that is sooooo vital to the downfall of Sauron, but which Sauron does not value or comprehend.

The people that scare Sauron are people who want the ring. He is 100% confident that without the power of the ring, he cannot be beaten, and the fact that middle earth would fall to darkness even if Galadriel or Gandalf took it is pretty weak recompense for him if he is defeated.

Elrond never even entertains the idea that he would take the ring (at least in our view). Every bearer of an Elven Ring (and Aragorn) is offered it. Gandalf first when Frodo first learns what it is, and he tells us what he would do with it and why it would be a bad idea. Galadriel most famously, and she had literally dreaded the idea of the ring coming through Lothlorien because she knew she wanted it, and famously refusing it was a trial for her.

There is no moment when Elrond is DIRECTLY offered the Ring by Frodo. But the entire first half of the book the goal is “get the Ring to Rivendell” where Elrond will know what to do with it, and it will be safe. In the beginning the hobbits have no concept of going further than that- so basically the idea is “put the Ring in Elrond’s power” for the first half of the book.

And Frodo arrives half dead to Rivendell, completely alone and vulnerable, and Elrond heals him, and never is there even discussion of whether Elrond could have taken it from him then, or if he was tempted to. The only thing Elrond says on the topic of the Ring being given to him is that Rivendell cannot keep it safe from the Enemy.

Taking the Ring to Minas Tirith clearly the equivalent of giving the Ring to Denethor. Galadriel clearly fears that the Ring coming to Lothlorien will be her downfall because it will be in her power and she knows she wants it.

Elrond is never shown even considering taking it. The Ring staying in Rivendell would be bad according to him because they could not withstand Sauron’s full force bent towards extracting it. Even in this scenario where the Ring remains in Rivendell, Elrond discounts a possibility that he would be tempted to use it to keep Sauron out.

Sauron is physically incapable of thinking of someone like that as a threat, it is his biggest weakness, and that’s why the plan Elrond facilitates is the one that ultimately takes him out.

#THIS #I am also not Sam #(nor do I particularly want to be) #elrond #samwise gamgee #the lord of the rings #meta #lotr #sam