So Dain has a little picture locket with his parents’ portraits and he wears it almost all the time. It’s something of a lucky charm. He has some of his parents’ beads in there from after Azanulbizar too. (He sometimes takes it out and looks at the portraits sadly).

Okay but like

Imagine Nain Lord of the Iron Hills with a Longbeard father who embraced the doctrines of the Eastern Dwarves because of his Blacklock wife.

Imagine mixed race dwarf Nain with scrimshawed hair and a mind that switches with ease between the Khuzdul dialects of the west and east.

Imagine Nain who traveled the Orocarni in his youth alongside his mother. Who took note of the inventions and styles and people they had there.

Imagine jovial Nain laughing at those of his kin who warned him to be wary of his mother’s people. Laughing because they don’t understand how stupid they sound.

Imagine inventive Nain drawing up plans for those twirling death lances in the BOTFA ee. Do I headcanon that he invented those because of a type of fishing spear he saw used in the canals of the Blacklock capital?

Hell. Fucking. yeah.

Imagine Dain being cut off from that influence too soon when his father passes at Azanulbizar.

Imagine Dain having to figure out where he fits after that.

Now cry.

Kherumel

flamesburnonthemountainside:

So I’ve finally finished my submission for day 2 (Dáin day) of #khazad october!! It’s set in the Sansukh universe by @determamfidd and it is the story of Dáin revealing his dark name (or Kherumel) to his parents

Keep reading

Ohhhhh this is absolutely GLORIOUS.

Seriously, read this. It is amazingly, perfectly brave, and sad, and heartwarming, and DAIN.

Bravo, Battlepig. You made me tear up with happy/sads. I love you.

I’m giving myself feels thinking of Dain doing stuff with his parents and grandparents in the Halls. Like, his dad combing his hair and singing to him the way he did when Dain was in his tens. His mom chiding him for running everywhere instead of walking, insisting that he’ll trip and fall, and he doesn’t want to break the Halls from hitting it with his head. His grandma takes him out for drinks, and his grandpa plays board games.

“

he doesn’t want to break the Halls from hitting it with his head.”

BEST. BEST EVER. Oh Dain my dear devoted doofus darling, I justlasdgfalskdfhgaldf

This is beautiful, Nonnie.

Nain has a stash of really horrible pick-up lines. And uses them. Regularly. Daeris is not amused.

AWWWWWWWWWW DWARF DORK, I LOVE IT.

Thorin (2) brings baby Fili to a Council meeting and Fili just steals the day by being cute af. Nain’s background commentary of baby!mindset to Thrain is priceless. “For m’next order of business, I will … Stick my foot in my mouth! Good choice.”

AHHHHH YES, YES, YES THAT IS WONDERFUL AND PRECIOUS – THANK YOU SO MUCH NONNIE!

(they are so cute when they shove their feet in their mouths ahhh)

Thrain and Nain being massively drunk and just soppily going on about how proud they are of their kids. It’s endearing, once you get past the ale reek.

AUGH CUTIES. YES.

But Dain with all the people in the Halls!!!!! Frerin is probs going to have another inadequate-younger-brother fit. Balin and Dain are going to have an awkward “I don’t want to tell you I told you so” moment. Hrera descends in a fit of braiding and decides that Dain is even better in person. Nain and Daeris (and Gror + spouse) are fit to burst in (grand)parental pride.

(Heeeeee, I am looking forward to the Dain + Frerin moments. It’s going to be super cute, I hope you will like it! Frerin, for once, is going to be very very happy.)

LOL, Hrera trying to braid Dain’s hair and nearly screeching because he won’t stop making quips that cause her to lose her concentration.

Nain having a huge mutually proud heart-to-heart with Thrain (that ends in a beer – or twelve). Daeris Greyswords sparring with her son for the first time in over two centuries… and losing (well, he was just a little lad when she died).

Gror and Stera (who was a Guildmaster in the Iron Hills, she led the Healer’s Guild) fussing over him constantly – and Dain smiling and letting it happen because he’s missed it so. (Gror and Stera were the ones to care for Dain through his recuperation after he returned to the Iron Hills following Azanulbizar).

And Thror coming up to Dain and quietly thanking him for restoring his home and his life’s work to its former glory.