sleepyowlet

[sleepyowlet]

Whenever Numenor experienced a plague or outbreak, Elrond came, without fail, to treat the sick and offer the people of the island comfort. He did it for many reasons– to honor the legacy of Elros and his descendants, because he sometimes considered the Numenorians more his people than either elves or men, because he was a healer who believed deeply that all life had value.

Of course, treating mortal plagues is a hazardous business– especially for a part-human medic who is just as susceptible to the disease as his patients.

Elrond, never one to be dissuaded from trying to save lives, tries to find a way to protect himself from the infection while being able to treat his patients. No one in Middle-Earth knows exactly how mortal diseases spread, but it's clear that it spreads from the healthy to the ill– through bad air, coughing, infected blood, or some other means. So, Elrond has to find a way to not make contact with or breathe the same air as his patients. While treating them.

Eventually, he settles on a set of robes that leaves no inch of his skin uncovered, along with heavy, opaque veils and a mask of his own design for his face. The mask– full of athelas flowers to purify the air– is fashioned in the shape of a bird as an homage to Melian, who was said to have healing powers. He made the main piece mask with his own hands, carved it from dragon bone– sturdy, and thought to have protective powers against against diseases and curses. The eyes are made of dark tinted glass that glows faintly– a gift from Celebrimbor.

In all fairness, Elrond did not realize how creepy the bone white mask and fully-black outfit was, especially given his general aura of strangeness ad birdlike mannerisms. He had bigger concerns at the time. That said, his outfit, which kept him from getting sick even during the worst of the outbreak, was soon adopted by many of the Numenorian healers. Over time, the story of the plague doctor shifted became part of Numenor's legend– that healers dressed in such strange outfits to frighten disease away. In that way, the odd, birdlike appearance of the plague doctors soon became a comfort to the Numenorians, rather than a fright.

As gifts for helping with various outbreaks over the years, Elrond also got several plague doctor masks that were decorated, more for style than for purpose. He wears them at fancy elvish events sometimes, just to mess with everyone. And whenever he heads off to Numenor, he always makes sure to bring his full plague-doctor regalia, just so the people there will know he's always there to protect them from any lurking plagues.

[sleepyowlet]

The Battle of the five Armies countdown - day 21 of 30

Bonus: 

[sleepyowlet]

tbh i think the funniest phenomena that's been happening in the last couple years is "youtuber, having gone too deep into the research hole, has been made an investigative journalist against their will"

[sleepyowlet]

people who let me wake up to this get a special place in heaven. firefly_fox how does it feel to hold my life in ur hands....

[sleepyowlet]

Butt wiggles

[sleepyowlet]

[sleepyowlet]

AO3 Celebrates 13 Million Fanworks

AO3 has passed two important milestones: 13 million published works and 7 million registered users! Read more and learn how to customize your AO3 experience https://otw-news.org/2p876d6n

[sleepyowlet]

absolutely losing my mind that a bunch of nimby assholes spent $500k to build a sandcastle that was promptly wiped away

[sleepyowlet]

Rey also deserved better.

Her entire arc was about how she was afraid of being alone, of being left behind.

Then she finally finds someone that changes that. She fights hard for him to become who he was always meant to be, she fights not to take his hand even though she wanted to.

Then she finds he's her dyad, her destiny, that their connection was meant to be. And then he fucking dies.

He dies and Rey is again alone, destined to live without half of her soul, wandering through life all by herself.

And tell me again why bother with the story progression at all if you're just going to destroy it?

[sleepyowlet]

[sleepyowlet]

[sleepyowlet]

[sleepyowlet]

still thinking about "decolonising" missionary work.

the way you decolonise missionary work is by not doing missionary work

the way you decolonise missionaries is like this:

[sleepyowlet]

ohhh i DEEPLY regret teaching my cat how to talk

[sleepyowlet]

[original post that sof's library (@/folkoftheshelf) is reacting to: Globe Eye News reports: "White House says no "genocide" happening in Gaza." May 13, 2024]

[sleepyowlet]

If you're in the need for some kind of magical artifact of magic for your setting, consider Fresnel Lenses which are used in lighthouses:

These things are Alive.

[sleepyowlet]

One thing I really like about Eowyn living in Ithilien is the sense that this is something new. Ithilien has been overrun by orcs and needs rebuilding and repopulating, which means going to live there is a total fresh start.

So much of Eowyn's despair can be traced back to her struggle living under the gendered expectations of her family and her society, which comes from years and years of traditions and customs.

Ithilien may be in Gondor, but it's a principality under Faramir and Eowyn's rule, so it's set apart, and it's clean slate. Eowyn is the first ruling Lady of Ithilien in ages, so there's no template she has to follow, no defined role she has to conform to. She can make it what she wants.