(yeah, I know – I was thinking it would be even more bittersweet, because Dwalin would be discovering that his parents had a life – a nice life, even – before they became the grim, weary dwarves he remembers)
Okay, I am wibbly enough about Dwarves like Balin and Dwalin entering their family quarters… finding little remnants of their parents’ lives: a scrap of paper with Fundin’s writing on it, a broken comb, a childhood toy carefully stored, Dweris’ favourite dressing-gown, now more moth-holes than fabric…
I haven’t really come up with anything for the afterlife for Men, I’m afraid. I’ve been very Dwarf-focused!
askmiddleearth has a really good guide on the different afterlives for Elves, Men (including Hobbits) and Dwarves. Here’s the summary!
Though, the fact that Men (and Hobbits!) go somewhere unknown even to the Valar is sorta intriguing. Perhaps they come to our world? Perhaps you passed Boromir in the street, or Gilraen on the bus today – or do you yourself have odd dreams now and then, of a white tower with pennants flapping in the wind, and the distant call of silver trumpets?
Awww, Nonnie! Thank you! It’s such fun to consider this stuff, I hope you enjoy!
Actually, I am considering something quite different for Mandos. We know from Tolkien that because Elves are ‘tied to the world’ (can’t remember the exact phrasing rn) unlike most of the mortal races whose spirits move on to some place unknown, Elves’ spirits stay put and cannot leave except in exceptional circumstances. They are re-embodied after a time (most of them – not Feanor yet hahaha) and sent back to live in Aman.
Unless you’re Glorfindel
So, I think??? I could be wrong idk – that this means that the majority of Elves who have lived in Middle-Earth are eventually re-embodied in Aman, and so would have to find a way of watching stuff going down from their cities there.
(if it’s not cool to publish this publically, just let me know, k? I just wanted to take the opportunity to get this written and put out there, but if you’re uncomfortable with that – absolutely come thwap me with a rolled-up newspaper)
OKAY – so to your question, though! Here is the placement of Dis’ marks. The inspiration, btw, came from the individual symbols/patterns used for each Dwarf in the film. You can see them here.
Balin’s – above her
right eye
Parents – on her
back (guarding her, she likes to think)
Vili – over her
heart
Oin – over her left
wrist
Dain – cheekbone, under her right eye, vertically opposite Balin’s (eventually)
Thror’s – right
collarbone
Hrera – right side of her neck, under
her ear
Thorin’s – right
side of her chest, opp Vili
Frerin – Right
shoulder
She wears no tattoo
for her sons: instead, she wears their beads in her hair, one for each of her
Lineage-braids either side of her temples. That way she gets to touch them
every morning and night.
You’ll spot that the vast majority of her marks line down her body on the right, from her brow all the way to her chest. They march down in a line, each one a silent memorial.
Aw Yiss 