Tag: bomfris

OKAY BUT LIKE. What if, by the time Bomfris is havin her baby, Gimizh is getting really interested in the medical field! And he gets special permission to be present at the birth, but, to everyone’s chagrin, he brings along Laerophen (who had no idea what his little friend was dragging him into). Laerophen is terrified, Bomfris is in so much pain she just doesn’t care anymore, and at the end of the day Gimizh is guiding a horrified Laerophen back to his room. “It wasn’t *that* bad, you baby.”

OKAY BUT LIKE. Nope. I know this is trying to be cute and funny, but it actually made me a bit hot around the collar. 

a) I don’t think anyone in their right mind would let Gimizh anywhere NEAR a labouring mum. Nope. Noooo. 

b) he’s 25. That’s like, 10 or 11 in human years. 

c) Have a young member of your family, a kid (NOPE EW NOOOO NOPE), and a bloody elf WHO WAS NOT INVITED (!!!!!!!!!!!!) watch you go through one of the most terrifying, incredibly personal, vulnerable, EXPOSED, emotional and agonising things you are ever likely to do? 

Chagrin is not the word I would use. I would be FURIOUS if someone just dragged a goddamned guest along to gawk at me and my pain and my labour as though I were a specimen in a zoo, I would be murderous. I did. Not. Give. Permission. For them. TO. BE. HERE.

I’m not much like Bomfris, but we have that in common. Just sayin.

It’s her body doing the birthing after all. Just because her body is doing something a little bit awesome doesn’t mean that it has suddenly become NOT her body: she’s not a public curiosity, and birth isn’t a stage-show. Even med students have to get the labouring person’s permission to watch. It’s her body, her birth, her choice. 

Even out of your mind with pain, you have the right to choose what’s going on. There is such a thing as advocacy. Mr Dets did this for me. I had told him my birth plan, what I wanted to happen in the most likely scenarios. He went in knowing my mind, and he spoke up for me when I couldn’t speak for myself and made sure that my wishes were respected. He would kick out any gawkers quick-smart.

(The Stonehelm would probably draw blood. Heh.)

d) I think Balin would be the one interested in medicine, honestly. 

I know you were only trying to make a funny cute headcanon, and that’s awesome, keep headcanoning forever! But yeah. There’s why I disagree, Nonnie. 

Perhaps you didn’t know, and that’s okay. We’re given so many humorous narratives about birth, it’s natural to be lighthearted about it. I’m sorry if I came on a bit strong, but having now gone through it myself? I can’t actually see the above situation as funny. 

Do all the bow dwarrows in Sansukh use recurve bows, or do some of them have crossbows? I bet they’d make archery less of a poncy elf thing. Also, imagine all the carving and embellishment you could fit on one.

Honestly, what I know about archery involves exactly five facts:

– longbows require training from a very young age, and the body and required muscle ends up being ‘built’ by the bow (THANK YOU AGINCOURT PROJECT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL)

– crossbows can be a bitch to reload, apparently

– recurve bows look a bit like the { symbol that is used on music scores

– bows are measured (?) in pounds of force drawn

– I could probably only hurt someone with one by clubbing them over the head with it

Regardless of my utter ineptitude, here are some archery thoughts. Feel free to join in!

Yeah, I do feel that there would be an unpopularity towards archery in greater Dwarven society because of the heavy elven association? But even so, many many Dwarves learn it, and they aren’t dissuaded or looked down upon if they feel drawn to it in any way. Skill is skill, and deadly skill that can also lead to dinner is useful, after all. In The Hobbit, the Company tries to shoot the white hart in Mirkwood (cos Beorn gives them bows and arrows). And Thorin actually holds off the besiegers of Erebor at arrowpoint using the extremely dramatic phrase, ‘begone, ere our arrows fly!’. 

I guess if archery were totally frowned upon (as opposed to simply unpopular), then Thorin and Kili would not have learned how to use it at all. But still. I suppose some people would prefer crossbows! They’re pretty crafty little things, and require a lot less practice and pack a LOT of punch. 

There was a really good post going around not too long ago about the different bows used, and it appears that Kili’s was a recurve. And yeah, it is fancy! 🙂

Can you give me a cheerful random fact from the universe of Sansukh? I’ve had a rather bad day and could use a pick-me-up in the form of hillarity… (you don’t have to though if you don’t want to…)

Gloin is the most unmusical dwarf to ever live. Oin has often remarked that it is a blessing he is deaf, because that way he needn’t hear his brother butchering his way through a song. 

Thankfully, you don’t need to sing to be an accountant. (Thankfully, his children were taught by others!)

Fili once entered Gimlin-zaram only to be faced with Sam Gamgee… on the throne, as it were. *clears throat*

He left rather hurriedly.

Thrain sticks his tongue between his teeth when he works, especially when crafting the fiddly stuff. He’s in constant danger of biting it off, particularly when hammering. Every master he ever worked under tried to train it out of him. Thrain is a true son of the Durin line, though. He could not be daunted! DU BEKAR. 

Gimli still owns his childhood Azaghal toy.

Bomfris went through a period in her fifties of sewing raven feathers to her clothes. Then she remembered that she hates sewing. 

Jeri is the undisputed darts champion of Erebor. 

Hrera refuses – flat out refuses – to wear the same piece of jewellery two days in a row. She has to change it around each day. She has a system now – a rota of earrings and bracelets and brooches and ear-cuffs and hair-beads, all arranged neatly on her jewellery trees. She has been known to modify pieces so that they appear slightly different!

And Dwalin is the one who kisses both the child AND their doll goodnight. (and woe betide Wee Thorin when he lets that slip!)