The Dark Rider’s Horses and Other Creatures (Other Silmarillion-based locations)

[mistress-tanwe.livejournal.com]

When you need a mount for wandering far afield to the furthest reaches of Middle-earth. (This is the stall for all prompts that are set in places in the Years of the Trees and First and Second Ages that do not have stalls of their own, such as Cuiviénen and Angband.)

Comments are now closed but you can continue using the prompts; no claiming is necessary.

How to Post your Prompts:

Leave a comment with the subject line identifying the main characters, gen/het/slash/femslash/poly (if it’s not obvious), a brief description of the prompt, and possible warnings if needed (MPTTor SWG’s). The comment itself should be the prompt.

If for some reason you cannot make a subject line appear, please write and bold the relevant information as the first line of your prompt.

The subject lines and/or bold text will allow participants to easily scan for prompts they're interested in.

For example:

Subject line-- Frodo and Aragorn, gen, hurt/comfort at the Field of Cormallen
Comment-- While Frodo is unconscious after being rescued from Mount Doom, Aragorn cares for him.

OR

Comment-- Fëanor/Nerdanel, wedding night, sexual content

On their wedding night, Fëanor and Nerdanel end up not sleeping at all, as they are too busy enjoying each other.

*

Remember, no fanworks are to be posted in the prompts posts.

Comments

Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[dawn_felagund]

I once read a novel that was essentially a retelling of the YT/First Age from the perspective of Melkor and the residents of Angband. (Names were changed to make it publishable, but to a Silmgeek, it was abundantly obvious, and the author herself acknowledged it too.) The novel wasn't great, but the change in perspective, as a Silmgeek, was interesting and certainly challenged some of Tolkien's assumptions about Angband and the people who live there.

It is highly unlikely that Angband was a true prison in the sense that everything and everyone was strictly controlled and regimented. Even if it was (or in the parts that were), its residents were human and so inclined to develop cultures and societies, similar to those that form in real-world prisons. This prompt is for all stories about the cultures or societies that might have developed in Angband. For example, what was family life like for an Orc in Angband? What education or training did youngsters go through? Among those imprisoned there, how did they spend their days? Did black market economies develop? What kinds of relationships did they form with the permanent residents (Orcs, etc) there?

A positive take on Angband certainly isn't required but bonus points for challenging Tolkien's assumptions or revealing some of the biases that affect how we see the people who live in this land.

Re: Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[independence1776]

Argh! This prompt is so tempting, for the sole reason that I've had an idea about the slaves in Angband for literally years-- and have never been able to make it work despite multiple rewritings. *walks away pulling her hair in frustration*

RE: Re: Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[dawn_felagund]

Oooh, interesting! I've had an idea in the back of mind for forever about what Maedhros learns of Angband when he is imprisoned there, but it's part of the AMC series, and since that hasn't gone anywhere in ten years, I have to sit on my hands for now. But I thought, well, why not see what someone else would do with it? :) It ain't going anywhere in any case, if you decide to try again! :)

Re: Re: Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[independence1776]

Sadly, after five drafts, it's a story I officially had to give up on. I still like the idea, but it just wasn't working. (Still doesn't; I just reread the last draft to see if something was salvageable. Nope.) It was mostly set in Tol Eressëa, but a lot of it focused on the culture that the slaves created in Angband and the tensions that arose when they refused to give up said culture.

RE: Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

This is a prompt I really couldn't do justice, but it's impossibly intriguing anyway - oh, the possibilities!

RE: Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[dawn_felagund]

I think a lot about secret and underground societies in Tolkien's world. (The Arda Underground challenge on the SWG was my invention. ;) I've been thinking for years about what Maedhros would discover of Angband while he is there. Since it's going to take me a while to get there in my Felak!verse, I thought, why not see what others' take on this is? :)

RE: Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised Arda Underground was one of yours - it has your handwriting and interests all over it. :D And I think know what you mean about wanting to offer this up - at the very least it might calm that particular plotbunny until you've got time to tackle it yourself, right?

Meanwhile, I'm still intrigued. I did write orc fic once and hinted at some Angband worldbuilding that I could flesh out... argh. So tempting! ;)

RE: Any Character/Genre, Culture of Angband

[dawn_felagund]

I'm honestly fascinated by the idea of "underground" subcultures in Arda. I wish more of these stories were written so I keep offering up challenges in hopes that they will be! :D This idea was part of the world-building for my Finrod/Celegorm SinS novella The Sovereign and the Priest as well. I'm thinking about it for my B2MeM story this year. And someday--probably years from now, but someday--I'll get to it in my Felakverse as well! :D