of sea-birds long-forgotten and the grating of ancient wings

Echo | she/her | 20s | Tolkien blog

[tolkienillustrations]

Ná alya i vinya loa!

[echoofthemusic]

Brief (ok kinda not) life (nerd?) update, skipping my bad mental health busy with degree months…

Last month I traveled to Switzerland and France. I really enjoyed all the beautiful landscapes (Lauterbrunnen 🥰, Jungfrau, Mont Blanc, Lake Geneva…) and museum exhibitions (French Impressionist paintings, history of Swiss clockmaking, and a small museum of ethnography in Geneva I really like…) It’s not some kind of adventurous journey because I’m no hiker or mountaineer (as of now, though I aspire to be…) and I went with my mother so it’s mostly trains and cable cars, but I really love the sceneries, especially on the border-crossing Mont Blanc Express…

The world has changed so much since the adventures of the Romantics in 1816 (Frankenstein is also one of my favorite books by the way) and Tolkien in 1911 (if you’re interested: Switzerland in Tolkien’s Middle-earth by M.S. Monsch) especially with climate change and the CROWDS 😩

This month I’m mostly staying at my grandmother’s house in China. Her cat Eggie gave a special welcome by peeing in my mother’s suitcase…😳 So now my mother and him are kinda on bad terms, but hilariously…

Three days ago I started reading Mo Dao Zu Shi (the webnovel in Chinese…I have yet to watch The Untamed) Now I’m at the end of the Yi city arc and that part…MADE ME CRY…😭 I’ll definitely keep reading and find out answers to thoughts I’m having and Wei Wuxian’s past life

[echoofthemusic]

MDZS update: Me reading the last chapters of the Yiling Laozu past life arc be like

[echoofthemusic]

Brief (ok kinda not) life (nerd?) update, skipping my bad mental health busy with degree months…

Last month I traveled to Switzerland and France. I really enjoyed all the beautiful landscapes (Lauterbrunnen 🥰, Jungfrau, Mont Blanc, Lake Geneva…) and museum exhibitions (French Impressionist paintings, history of Swiss clockmaking, and a small museum of ethnography in Geneva I really like…) It’s not some kind of adventurous journey because I’m no hiker or mountaineer (as of now, though I aspire to be…) and I went with my mother so it’s mostly trains and cable cars, but I really love the sceneries, especially on the border-crossing Mont Blanc Express…

The world has changed so much since the adventures of the Romantics in 1816 (Frankenstein is also one of my favorite books by the way) and Tolkien in 1911 (if you’re interested: Switzerland in Tolkien’s Middle-earth by M.S. Monsch) especially with climate change and the CROWDS 😩

This month I’m mostly staying at my grandmother’s house in China. Her cat Eggie gave a special welcome by peeing in my mother’s suitcase…😳 So now my mother and him are kinda on bad terms, but hilariously…

Three days ago I started reading Mo Dao Zu Shi (the webnovel in Chinese…I have yet to watch The Untamed) Now I’m at the end of the Yi city arc and that part…MADE ME CRY…😭 I’ll definitely keep reading and find out answers to thoughts I’m having and Wei Wuxian’s past life

[runawaymun]

Happy Valentines to Them specifically ❤️❤️❤️

[rainfeather13]

My addition to @thelien-art ‘s Valentine Draw it yourself! I absolutely loved all the options, but Elwing and Ëarendil called to me. The bittersweetness, I can’t resist! I image this image takes place right after their reunion, with Elwing returning to elven form and the Silmaril on her breast :(

[thelien-art]

Oh I love this!! She looks so meek and tired :'( i love the grey black details to her, her finger tips, feathers at her ears, and lips, really does make her look more birdlike in a beak like way

And Eärendil, he is so handsome yet looks so doomed, oh and I love his hair and the way you drew it curl!!!

They look like two opposites that just fits together and they are so beautiful

[outofangband]

Aegnor, Andreth and the wilds of Dorthonion; the vision of Aegnor is one from dreams in my intention

x x x x x x x x

[eilinelsghost]

A lil box of heart-shaped chocolates fics

Well writer's block has been rather a beast lately so I haven't managed to put together anything new for the occasion, but here are a few oldies that fit the mood of the day 💕

Foolishness for Thy Sake

Some rare domestic fluff of Finrod and Bëor being sweet.

All in Patience, All in Haste

A month or two after the Athrabeth, Andreth receives another Arafinwëan visitor. A fix-it of sorts.

By Any Other Name

Everyone who loves him calls him Ingoldo, so why not his husband too? Balan and Finrod flirt a bit and have a Very Nice Day.

A Bitter Wine

Upon his storm-wracked ship, Eärendil recalls the beaches of Arvernien where he walked with Elwing as a child and longs for return. (Sonnet)

And Joined Them Thread By Thread

In the days after the First Age's ending, Amarië befriends an Avarin weaver, reembodied in Aman and grieving the loss of his home.

[thelien-art]

Elrond & Celebrían

For Valentine :) they deserve all happiness in the world...

The Valentine entry post for the event, write something for the drawing or draw it in your own style, can be found here (out February 1st 2025 - GMT+1 - 15:00) with four other drawings :)

Support me on Ko-Fi - get early access drawings + WIPs

[thelien-art]

Elwing & Eärendil

For Valentine :) I love them so much your honor

The Valentine entry post for the event, write something for the drawing or draw it in your own style, can be found here (out February 1st 2025 - GMT+1 - 15:00) with four other drawings :)

@ethanray thank you for reminding me of them :')

Support me on Ko-Fi - get early access drawings + WIPs

[outofangband]

I think a lot about the spaces of Beleriand that are largely uninhabited save for those who journey to or through them for safety or in flight; Dimbar for example that Húrin traveled through twice in his life, the passes through the Ered Gorgoroth that Beren came through, the caves of Androth Tuor and the elves of Mithrim sheltered in, etc

x x x x x x x x x

Painting by Fidelia Bridges in 1876

[outofangband]

I have so many thoughts on art and architecture, especially gardens and today I wanted to post a board of photographs I took that reminded me of art and fine buildings in Valinor specifically; of all cultures there.

More in the Noldor Teleri, Vanyar and Valinor tags! I hope you all like this!

[outofangband]

Elven word of the day, 248/?

Lhinc from Sindarin

Meaning “earthworm”

Source: Parma Eldalamberon

Note: see “lhûg” for worm as in serpent like Glaurung

[echoofthemusic]

suddenly remember I had this thought like…are elves circular to men’s linear or are men circular to elves’ linear, also are men more like phoenix and elves more like ouroboros…or vice versa?

[outofangband]

Elven word of the day, 246/?

Alata from Telerin

Meaning “radiance, glittering reflection”

Nalta is the Quenya cognate and galad is the Sindarin one meaning “radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss”

Derived from the primitive elvish word ñ(g)alatā which means reflected radiance or glitter of reflected light (which is very cool!)

Source: Parma Eldalamberon

[outofangband]

Elven word of the day, 245/?

Fain from Sindarin

Meaning white, shimmering, shining; white and shining thing; filmy, fine-woven; (vague) apparition; cloud”

Element in the Feiniel part of Aredhel’s sobriquet, Ar-Feiniel (white lady)

See also: auth meaning “dim shape, spectral or vague apparition”, hû meaning spirit or nivol meaning “a phantom, a seeming”

Derived from the primitive elvish root phan meaning cover, screen, veil; white, (light white) shape; shape, vision

Personal note: an incredibly cool group of words, I think! Presumably seeming refers to something or someone that seems to exist or which has an ambiguous existence; very interesting to have as part of Aredhel’s sobriquet with the full definition in mind; definitely words I am planning on doing some world building with

[yuumei-art]

Happy Lunar New Year! 🐍🏮🎆

To celebrate the year of the snake, I wanted to combine the snake with my other favorite scaled animal, the goldfish! Growing up as little kid in China, I was always fascinated by the goldfish and koi ponds that are scattered in every park and apartment complex. I would stare at them for hours, mesmerized by their shiny scales and graceful movements. Hopefully I was able to capture that in this painting :D

[snowlattes]

year oh the 🐍 ⁕ the symbol of personal transformation

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‼️happy lunar new year 🌙

🤲🧧may the bag be bountiful🧧 for those reading this🧧🤲