At 8:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, I’m being interviewed about my Tolkien-language work, along with a good friend of mine, The Dwarrow Scholar and you can listen and chat along with others listening to the show here: http://mixlr.com/the-players-alliance/
Tolkien’s Magic
I’m not speaking of his incredible writing voice or his powerful poetry; I’m speaking of the magic in Eä, the World that Is. There seems to be a lot of confusion on this topic in the fanfiction and RP world. With many fans left clueless, they turn to other fandoms
Vampires and Werewolves in Middle-earth
We all know what the stereotypes of vampires and werewolves are in our modern fiction. They’re based off a combination of Bram Stokers’ Dracula and old European folktales. Tolkien, however, didn’t have brooding, humanoid, mysterious vampires or werewolves in his work. Here, I shall cover the brief mentions of Tolkien’s
An Elven Wedding
One mystery to many Lord of the Rings fans (who haven’t read Morgoth’s Ring) is Elven marriage. Wandering around the fandom, we see all sorts of marriage ceremonies; from Christian ones to very elaborate ceremonies involving bloodletting. This essay answers the question: What is an Elven marriage like? Tolkien wrote
Basic History of the Languages of Arda
This is a guide for those of you trying to figure out what language people would be speaking and naming in a fanfiction/roleplay/daydream. Before the Sun and the Moon Eru makes the Ainur, and they speak Valarin, and presumably through music. The Elves awaken at Cuiviénen, and they speak Common
Eldarin Views on Killing and Healing, and the History of the Elessar
This article should be read along with The Healing Arts of Middle-earth by Tinw. In this essay, we shall explore the Elven views on healing versus killing, and learn about Aragorn's magical wedding gift and namesake. In fanfiction and Role Play alike, I see many Elven healer-warriors adventuring. They're all
Foreign Tongues in Fanfic
This essay/rant is mostly based off of an essay by a friend of mine whose website vanished from the internet because she’s moved on. Or died. I have no idea, she’s just gone. Farewell Nurvingiel, you were a great writer and your essay on using foreign languages in story-telling was
Elven Races
Elves are all pretty people with pretty hair and pretty eyes and pretty bodies and pretty fortune telling telepathic powers and pretty neat magic and pretty cool action scenes, right? Wrong! Contrary to popular belief in the fan fiction/RPG world, Tolkien’s Elves aren’t just prettier, more magical, cooler versions of
Elvish Poem: Glaer Boromir
Since this poem is for Boromir, a Gondorian, I’ve put it in the Gondorian dialect of Sindarin. You’ll notice that it leans heavily of Quenya loanwords and uses slightly different mutations than other dialects of Sindarin. Boromir’s Riddle Original English by J. R. R. Tolkien Cesto1 grist *rangen:2 Mi Imladris
Elvish Poem: I Chiril os Salod
Original poem: The Lady of Shalott by Lord Alfred Tennyson. Translated into Sindarin by Fiona Jallings Painting by John William Waterhouse Part 1 Sindarin Literal English Original English Bo ath-rant dorthar breniel rídhien1 i-thair theriel, Hammar dawar, govenir ell2; A thrî rîdh i ven hiriel Am marad Camelod; Adh in