Hi Dets! I was wondering if you had any resources on dwarven culture? I am really fascinated by what you have done and since you had to do a humongous research I was wondering if I could point me in the right direction? I’d owe you so much! <3<3

Sure thing, Nonnie!

Okay, most of what we have, canonically-speaking, is from The Silmarillion, The Book of Lost Tales, The History of Middle-Earth (especially The Peoples of Middle Earth), or the appendices of LOTR, most especially the section entitled ‘Durin’s Folk’. Best to start with these!

There’s a decent summary of canonical information (as well as a resource list) at tolkiengateway.

The Dwarrow Scholar is an incredible fan-made project! The cultural aspects here are non-canonical, but they are a natural sort of extrapolation from canon. And Neo-Khuzdul is an epic achievement!

check out @askmiddlearth – really, CHECK THIS OUT, I cannot cannot cannot recommend it highly enough. There is information here on just about everything you ever dreamed of! 

There’s more, but I hope that is enough to get you started, Nonnie! Happy researching!

belphegor1982:

rose-of-pollux replied to your post:
rose-of-pollux replied to your audio post:
…

I haven’t heard the originals, no, but I’ll check them out when I get the chance!

Here, I’ll make it easier for you :3

A lovely lullaby the author’s mother used to sing to her, her grandmother to her mother, etc. Now she sings it to her daughter. It’s mostly wordless, with just two voices, very soothing.

The other songs were written to fit in the “Sansûkh” ‘verse. (It’s an amazing story, very long, stock-full of character development, in which Thorin and the other Dwarves who died in The Hobbit and prior watch (over) the Fellowship in general and Gimli in particular. It’s super long – 500,000 words and counting – but worth every minute of reading. It’s Gimli/Legolas, well-written, so respectful of canon you won’t know what’s Tolkien and what’s Determamfidd (the author), and the Dwarf culture is extensive and inclusive and amazing. Anyway.)

  • Broadbeam cradle song, choral version. The Broadbeams are a Dwarf clan. It’s gentle, feels a little sad, reminds me of Russian folk songs. The solo version is here.
  • Gimli’s Jig, played on the violin (because she also plays multiple instruments. Yep.)
  • The Iron Hills Soldier’s Song, choral version. That’s the original of the song I posted :o) Seriously one of my very favourites.
  • And my very favourite, Light on the Horizon, which is not only choral but also orchestral! The lyrics are beautiful, the build-up is awesome, and the melody and arrangements will sweep you off your feet and right into Middle-earth. What I wouldn’t give to hear this will a full orchestra and choir!!

Anyway, there you go :o)

*falls off my chair* okay I am trying not to cry, thank you SO much, seriously thank you thank you SO SO MUCH SO SO SO MUCH

Well since everyone else is sharing their faves, I’ll do it too^^ (though you already know my faves) Baris and Bani, cutest lesbians ever, own my lesbian ass and heart <3

(hey erina!! *hugs and hugs and HUUUGS*)

I’ve fallen into doing this thing now, where I describe how the character would react to being told that they were your fave, i guess 🙂 I’ve done Baris, but here is our impatient, unobservant, clever-klutz Bani 😀

She’d probably open and close her mouth a couple of times, before she made this face:

and then she’d say, “thanks, but honestly, you should meet my girlfriend.”

This was the freakin’ cutest and I would 110% attempt to make friends with Jeri the Precious Cinnamon Roll and maybe awkwardly ask on date at some point. “The Tale of Two Nonbinary Dwarves and Awkward Attempts of Flirting” yes that sounds perfect Jeri I think you’re gr8 u wanna go, uh, watch stars or, uh, something. Something.

(I am so glad you liked it, Nonnie!)

Oh my god, Jeri and small talk and dates and STARS, they are gonna be so so damn FLUSTERED, get them a glass of water omg

Baris with her nervous nature and inventive mind, And Bomfris with her ‘take no prisoners’ approach to absolutely everything…except when it comes to Stonehelm, then she’s as adorably shy as her sister I just love those two so much

AHH THANK YOU *SCREAMS* HELLO YES THANK YOU, AHHHH MY POLAR OPPOSITE SISTERS THANK YOU SO SO MUCH i love these girls, GOD do I love them

Baris, with her mindbending talent and creativity, and crushingly insecure nature would at first think that you were paying her voice a compliment. She’s accustomed to that, and would be gracious and polished as she accepted it. 

Then she’d realise that no, it’s not exactly her staggering voice that you’re commenting upon, but her – her as a whole person, and her whole face would flush red as a tomato, all the way down her neck. Her practised poise would shatter in an instant, and she’d shuffle and look at her feet, her hands clasping over her smile to hide it, her eyes squeezing tight… and oh, how she would blush and beam and stammer into her hands! 

Bomfris would think you were making fun of her. She honestly would. She’d be all: “Right, you wanna go then?” and she’d be rolling up her sleeves even before you could have explained that no, you’re sincere, promise! 

Then she’d frown in confusion, and look at you suspiciously. “Are you sure?”

You’d have to reassure her once again that yes, you honestly think she’s pretty danged cool.

Then, just like flipping a switch, she’d change utterly from attack to FRIEND! At a loss for words, she’d throw her arms out and yell ‘Aaaaah!’ and you would be crushed in the most graceless and uncoordinated hug EVER – and probably the most enthusiastic also, because when Bomfris loves someone, she loves them COMPLETELY AND FEROCIOUSLY.  

Since everybody is sharing their faves, I must say that while I love absolutely /everyone/, Gimris, Jeri and Narvi are my biggest loves. <3

EEEEE THANK YOUUUU omg thank you so so much!

I’ve done Gimris and Narvi, so here’s what Jeri would do, if you told them that they were your fave!

They’d probably trip over their own feet, frankly. And then they’d blurt, “really? Me? Really?” 

Then they’d absoLUTEly shout you a drink, and they’d try not to give big wide-eyed looks at you the whole time. But it would fail – a lot. Their eyes would keep steering over to you over their tankard, and they’d have to keep wrenching them back so they weren’t staring at you in happy dopey gratitude. 

And so, their aura of Terrible Competent Coolness would be punctured forever. 😉

Since we all seem to be taking turns with this- as awesome as Hrera, Orla and Dwerís are… snarky, brilliant, fierce, mithril-precious Narvi is everything to me. (pls publish this heartfelt statement Dets)

*heart eyes* AWW RIPPY hey there, friend ❤

Narvi would grunt in answer, fully preoccupied with what she is working upon. She’s always busy with something, and she’s nearly there… nearly… there… if she just adjusts this cog, then perhaps.. ach, no. All right, back from the beginning…

Later on (much, much later on), she would look up from her work and blink her sore eyes, and say very loudly and in some amount of shock: “Wait, what was that you said?!”

(Your every gift would be a miracle of engineering genius from that day on.)