My poor socially incompetent flamingo Elf, awww †Gangling his way from blush to blush, freezing in place when he stumbles across yet another romantic rendezvous, NO I AM NOT AT ALL TAKEN OFF-GUARD SEE HOW VERY COMPOSED AND IN CONTROL I AM AT ALL TIMES, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, MY EARS ARE NOT RED
You just know that he was only looking for the library. đ
(omfg Coffeebean is a great name for a pig, I love it)
hahahahahahaha!!! Oh, Laerophen would go into Awkward Giraffe mode in seconds, it would be stupendous. PIG. MASSIVE PIG. BE POLITE. ITâS LICKING YOUR ARM. WHAT DO. IDK, SMILE DISTANTLY AND POLITELY AND TRY NOT TO LOOK TOO UNCOMFORTABLE IN FRONT OF BEAMING DWARF KING.
Awww, thank you for asking! Spoilers under the cut:
I have named her âAelirâ (âBirdsongâ) and she was a Silvan Elf, not a Sinda. Her hair was very pale gold, rather than the Sindar white/silver.Â
She was incredibly close to the trees, even more than is usual for Elves. She would have been the sort of Elf who began âwaking up the Trees, teaching them to speakâ and walking with the Ents, had she been around in the Age of the Lamps, for example.Â
She was tall and athletic, and never wore gowns or jewels except for a single necklace of white gems, a courting gift to her from her husband. She always wore green, and usually went barefoot, with grass-stains on her feet. Thranduil courted her for decades, fascinated by her strength and her freedom and her wisdom and her gentleness, all the joy she found in her home and in the things that grow. She was not a skilled and deadly warrior, as he was – but she was quite a wild thing nevertheless, forever clambering into the canopy of the trees like a squirrel, or flitting through the forest, constantly singing to the leaves and the sky. She hated the idea of being confined to formality and pomp (not unlike Bomfris, but of course Bomfris wouldnât give two hoots about trees) – but in those days Thranduil was gentler and less chilly, and his tenderness and respect eventually won her over. She carefully unearthed his deep-buried heart as though it was one of her beloved trees, and she coaxed it back into bloom. They would dance amidst the leaves season after season, lost in the whispering of the wind.Â
She loved completely, and fully – her husband, her children, her home. Her elder two boys were much like Thranduil in demeanor, dignified and reserved (though Laerophen gained her lanky height, and Laindawar had her lithe, squirrelish strength and her delight in the woods). However, her third child was most like her in spirit – in wide-eyed love with the world, singing constantly and heedlessly, sensitive to the green, slow unspoken world of growing things. (ALSO he managed to inherit her slightly obvious and oblivious manner!!)
As Thranduil became more and more involved in trying to keep his Kingdom free from the taint of the growing darkness, he missed the first signs in his wild Silvan wife. By the middle of the Third Age, Aelir had sickened greatly, practically reflecting the sickness creeping through the wood, and it was too late for any healer to halt its progression. The only cure was to go over the sea, to Valinor, where healing would come.Â
But once there, there is no coming back. No ship comes East through the mists.
It was an awful time. For all of them. And yet another loss for Thranduil to endure, surrounding his heart in yet another layer of ice. All he has left, he clings to all the more tightly.Â
AARGH – these all turned up in the LAST DAY, and you know what that means? *puts detective hat on. dons monocle* I POSIT THATÂ @kailthia IS AT IT AGAIN, DISTRIBUTING CUTE HEADCANONS WITH RECKLESS ABANDON, EXHIBITING A TRULY OUTRAGEOUS GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS
so, this is now headcanonpalooza part 7! We all need some sweetness and shmoop to start our new year â€
(Thank you, K! *snuggles*)
The first 6 installments are here: Â Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6Â (I thoroughly recommend reading through them, they never fail to bring a smile!)
The different peoples of Middle-Earth have their own ways of farewelling the old year and greeting the new. Each race has its own rich customs and traditions to mark the winter solstice and the longest night of the year. Each is as distinct and unique as snow is to fire.
Post-holiday doldrums getting you down? Your family driving you crazy this holiday season? Or did you just have a lovely holiday, and are looking for the perfect treat to top it all off? Donât care about the holiday season one way or another? Well, we at SansĂ»kh Productions have the perfect thing to send in the new year.
In short, we are thrilled to announce that this year, @determamfidd did us the honor of writing four holiday themed vignettes and allowing us to release them to you, our beautiful audience, at the same time the text version is posted (those of you who would rather read the fics first, we have a link to the text below). We are so grateful to both her and the cast members who were able to set aside their time this holiday to record lines on (very) short notice. We are so incredibly thankful for all of you, and wish you all the best in this upcoming year.
So, without further ado, you may find the podfic of Midwinter in the following places:
Click here for streaming/download link for the MP3 file.
Click here for streaming/download link for M4b file.
See below the cut for the cast list and full attribution.
Note: I had to go home for the holiday, and I recorded the credits at the last second before I left (while sporting a 100 degree fever). Consequently, I was obliged to re-record some sections on my phone (since I couldnât bring my mic with me), so youâll notice some sound discrepancies in the quality during the credits. My sincerest apologies for this, particularly to those folks whose names I failed to pronounce initially. >.< Iâll fix the file when I get back to my apartment, but in the meantime we thought it best to release the chapter in a timely manner. -HD
HERE IT IS HERE IT IS OH MY GOD THIS IS IT AND I AM NOT CALM
(reaction and a lot of flailing under the cut!)
okay – first off, that music is beautiful.Â
I love your voice, Ricky, your voice is like a salted caramel coffee poured into each ear †As always, your delivery is so nuanced and intelligent and sensitive and clear. Oh whoa, ilu.Â
OH MY GOODNESS HD, HD AS LAEROPHEN BE STILL MY HEART, HOW MUCH PERFECTION??? HOW? Sardonic and long-suffering, and yet so so so LOVING.Â
Tiny Legolas! oh my god, OH WOW – you are amazing, @apalatablevastness, so incredibly versatile!!! ALSO ADORABLE OH WOW. âis this how it is?â = my heart exploded.Â
and you are the perfect mismatched siblings, so sweet and loving despite all that time and dissimilarity and oh my goodness th e dance the d ance HD you have slain me deaded
I would like to apologise for the line, âeven the doughtiest Dwarves could not undo such devastation overnightâ – that had to be a bit of a tongue-twister, SORRY RICKY YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU
oooooh sound effect for fire, OOOOHÂ
Oh Dis, @grimminsanity your amazing mithril voice. Oh, you only have to speak a few words as Dis, and I am sniffling. You are a wonder.
FRERIN YOU ARE A JOY AND A TREASURE. SUNSHINE DWARF FOREVER â€
Cully, once again you reduce me to a quivering freaking mess. YOUR GIMLI IS THE BEST, BEST, BEST, AND i LOVE YOU AND HIM. SO VERY MUCH. (also, so much sibling snark, help, i love the pair of you together faaaaar too much, there must be MORE)
GIMRISSSSSSSSSS †Nota, bless you forever, your voice is delicious, and you sibling-bicker like a genius. So much fire and sass!
AUGH @the-dragongirl, your Mizim!!!!! That is one in-charge Dwarrowdam! And you, STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE LIKE A PRO, YOU FAB FAB PERSON!Â
Ohhhhhhh, gdi, Oin and Gloin together – @balinisballin and @gremlinloquacious, you are delightful and dwarvish perfection itself, I laughed aloud at your opening lines!!! (ALSO the âElves charge like maddened pigsâ line – HALP TOO FUNNY)
FLUUUUUUKE, YOUR BALIN †You have tripled my need to hug you until you squeak. Youâre amazing!
(ahdglajshdgfalsjdhfgaksjhda FRERIN THE WORLD LOVES YOU TOO, YOU UTTER STAR)
Excuse me, Battlepig. EXCUSE ME. YOU. ARE. AMAZING. How dare you. How DARE you be such utter spot-on incredibleness. I am gasping at hearing you as Dain. GASPING. Youâre stupendous, just in that first line. Holy hannah, I am floored.
Riza, your voice is so warm and friendly and gorgeous and BOFUR. SO BOFUR, the MOST BOFURISH. Itâs like getting an aural hug!
AVIIIIIIIII! Avi, you are the most wonderful Stonehelm! THERE YOU ARE, BUTTERKNIFE, IT IS WONDERFUL TO HEAR YOU AT LAST!
ohhhhh the humming, ohhhhh the humming, shivers, shivers everywhere, my spine is all a-quiver
AUGH GULLS, GULLS IN MINAS TIRITH AUGH – how amazing is this soundscaping???? EEEEEE
@cagethesongbird – your Boromir!!! I am now UNCONTROLLABLY excited to hear you read his older self – you are completely tone-perfect, brave and proud and oh, it is AMAZING, you are so so brilliant! And you capture his wounded youthful pride and his complete devotion so utterly well, I am bowled over and in awe of you. the description of the Yestare celebrations!!! oh my GOD *bows down to you* Captain of the White Tower, I am so SO happy to hear you at last!
KEN KEN KEN MY KING! *wibbles all over you* AUGH AUGH YOUR ARAGORN, HELP, I HAVE A PROBLEM, IT IS TOO AMAZING, my heart is trying its damndest to BREAK over all that noble weariness, all that conflicted sorrow and longing to belong, all that heaviness and wisdom… AUGH AUGH AUGH also you should always speak in Elvish bc hot damn
folding. paper. folding. paper. The attention to detail in the sound design, the creasing paper and the soft whoosh of the wind around the tower – I just need to love on that for a few seconds <33333
Oh my goodness Ricky, you can hear how much FUN you are having with the Hobbity exposition!!! SO PRIM, SO TWEE, OH HOBBITS â€
asldjgfsjaldhfgalsjdfga FROOD! My dear Antipodean Hobbit, how I adore you (and your beautiful accent!!!) you are absotively, posilutely GORGEOUS. And oh, your understatement is SO PERFECTLY FRODO – his unassuming bravery, his cheekiness, his unspoken baggage when it comes to being packed off in Brandy Hall, and his unconscious defence of Rorimac, and aargh, my heart, you are a gem beyond compare. (Also I snickered far,far too loudly at âyouâre not serious.â bwaaahahahahahaha, THE MOST STRAYAN OF DELIVERIES, my dearest Frood!)  â€
And itty bitty teeny MERRY! oh my god, youâre completely PRECIOUS I AM GONNA SQUEAL, you will destroy me with pure concentrated ADORABLE! I actually let out a squeak at âSHOVE OVER!â and oh help me @ âIâm invited to the Party, but not the adventure. Dâyou think Mr. Bilbo might take me to see Dwarves and that?â YOU ARE ILLEGALLY CUTE. I ARREST YOU IN THE NAME OF MY SANITY. âAooowwwww but MUM!â = I EXPLODED.
Once again, @themadmanwithablog, you make me lightheaded with how wonderful you are – your humour, your warmth, your exasperation and intelligence and briskness and beautiful voice! I was smiling like a loon at every single one of Bilbâs lines, they were all utterly wonderful. Special mention HAS to go to âYes, of course you do, I remember you advising against it quite well indeed.â *Standing ovation* Bravo!Â
EEE PARTY MUSIC PARTY HOBBITS
holy heck, @strongenhelm – I am now convinced you are either Sir Ian McKellen himself, or youâre holding him hostage. YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOICE, GOOD GRAVY. From the first word, I can SEE GANDALF in that moment, the millennia weighing on him, all his weary humour and care. And I adore the little laugh on âapproveâ awww. Your timing is stupendous, whoaaaa, I am flattened in awe. SERIOUSLY.Â
oh noooo no that canât be the end already NO AARGH I LOVED IT I LOVE YOU ALL THANK YOU SO MUCH. I have ascended and am now a being 100% composed of sheer admiration for all of you. You astound me. Thank you.Â
Aw Yiss 