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
Essays
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
From Book to Movie
Why Read the Books? Many fans like to try their hand at writing The Lord of the Rings fan fiction after seeing the movie. I suppose they figure, “Hey, it’s the movie of the book, right? There can’t be that many changes, right?” Luckily, they are wrong. The books are
How to Write Dialogue for Middle-earth Characters
I see it all over the Lord of the Rings fan fiction world, and it makes me sigh. “It” is irrational dialogue. So, I present to you a few simple steps to writing authentic dialogue for the peoples of Middle-earth. Here’s a sample; right now it is modern sounding and
Sea-Longing
In The Lord of the Rings, Legolas hears a seagull’s call and right away starts wanting to go to the sea. Then there all of these other Elves that are leaving Middle-earth in droves, going to the sea. Many fans have wondered about that and started some fanon based on
The Council of Elrond and the Fellowship of the Ring
This essay shouldn’t be necessary. These are two greatly misunderstood events in The Fellowship of the Ring, sadly enough. So, if you’re too lazy to read the books (Go read them now! They’re really good books; I promise!) or need your memory refreshed, here’s a quick summary of each. The
The Origin of Man
The most common and incorrect assumption about Men is that Men of Arda are just like us. Like the Elves, their appearance and strength is based upon their genealogical past. Like the Elves, they have a beginning that is carefully planned out. Men share weaknesses with us, and some of
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