Frerin to Dwalin naming his youngest son Frerin

Well, I’ve done a bit of this answer? Definitely Thorin’s and Frerin’s reactions to their namesakes, anyway.

Thorin’s response to the naming of Dwalin’s last child was utter gratitude. He immediately dragged his brother close and held him as Frerin reeled with the knowledge that he was not forgotten.

(Then Thorin had to endure three straight days of Frerin crowing about it.)

Dis’ reactions to all three, though…

Dis’ reaction to Wee Thorin’s name was to stare at Dwalin as though skewering him through with daggers made entirely of her will. Then she said, “another one.”

Dwalin had the good grace to look sheepish.

When Balinith came along, Dis only clenched her jaw and sighed.

When Frerinith came along, and Dwalin told her the name Orla had chosen (hesitantly, his massive hands wringing the edge of his tunic), Dis had to stand and leave the room very quickly.

She’d nearly forgotten what it was to cry with happiness.

Holy crap! I just realized how extra awful it must have been for Nori to hear Sauron use his Dark-Name. Like, he’s NEVER told anyone, so the first time he’s ever heard it used out in the open is in violation of himself

exACTly.

Poor Nori. It takes a lot to rile him – his facade of cockiness and vanity is nearly impenetrable – so when Fili mentions that Nori actually looks upset… Whoa.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but if I made some art would I just post it and tag it as Sansukh or would I submit it?

Yeah, if you tag it as ‘sansukh’ I should be able to see it! I have that tag tracked 🙂

(it appears that tumblr is being a bit glitchy – messages wtf – so I will be super-vigilant.)

so the awkward, uncomfortable feeling I got when Sauron tried to use Nori’s name against him (it was Nori, right? or was that Fili) was totally supposed to happen?

Yes, that feeling was completely intentional. And it was both, actually. The Ring is an equal-opportunity temptation.

(We only saw it from Fili’s POV, and he was sort of preoccupied. But Nori did indeed hear it speak. That’s why he’s so shaken afterwards.)

Random question. Was the premise of Sansukh ever an idea for a relatively short fic, or did you always know this was going to be a fantastic literary quest of epic proportion?

I knew it was going to be long! But I was assuming perhaps 150K… 200K at most.

*looks at current word count of 346K and climbing*

Do you have dark names in mind for all of the major characters? Or only for the dark names that you plan to reveal in the story?

I have a few of them, actually! For many characters I have a general idea of what it is, but not yet a Khuzdul name itself. Khuzdul is hard!

I have published a list of a few of them here (and it does indeed include Nori’s!)

is sauron able to get some power over the dead dwarves when he uses their dark names?

Absolutely. It’s naming the very soul of them, the deepest, most intimate core of who they are.

Sauron using their dark-name is a brutal and horrible display of power, of violation. That’s why they are so shaken: that name is to be used with love and respect and care. The Dwarves would only ever expect to hear it from one they love. One they trust.

Sauron is using those connotations in the most vile manner possible. He is abusing that expectation of trust.

I know Wee Thorin is in his 40s, but how old are Dwalin and Orla’s other two children?

At the time of the War of the Ring (TA 3018-9):

Wee Thorin – born 2981 [aged 37]

Balinith – born 2998 [aged 21 – four years younger than Gimizh (25) ]

Frerinith – born 3009 [aged 10]

God I love the idea of Dark Names. Have the Ri Brothers shared their Names with one another??

Both Dori and Nori know Ori’s.

Ori knows Dori’s.

Nobody knows Nori’s.

And sadly, that says a lot about how safe Nori has felt over the years. 😦

In light of all this Dark Name talk, about thorin over hearing (and then using) Gimli’s Dark Name would be kinda on the skeevy lines??? Like the same ilk of him reading bilbo’s book??? Like, he’s dead and he’s thorin what else is he gonna do but it’s also sooorrttaa Not Done??? Or am I miss reading that scene? Idk basically: what do??? (Btw I love love love all the writing stuffs you do it great :)

Hey Nonnie! Aw, thanks! Glad you’re enjoying!

Yes, it’s a bit – uh, well. The moment between Gloin and Gimli in Rivendell was intensely private. It was a special moment, a reaffirmation of self, before Gloin sent his son away to save the world.

Thorin overhearing that is a little bit. Well.

Still, he’s dead. It’s not as though he ever thought he would get the chance to speak to Gimli at all, and be known as himself and not as a passing thought in Gimli’s subconscious. He never thought he would get the chance to hear that name from Gimli’s own lips. He thought his affection for Gimli would forever be one-sided, and so was eager for any scraps of Gimli’s life that he could have.

Thorin using it, though (and above stone! In the open air!!) – that was a bit of a low blow. Naughty Thorin.