Spring into Arda

The Tumblr Home of Back To Middle-Earth Month and other related spring events. B2MEM is a Tolkien-based event centred on Tolkien fanworks. Partnered with Fall for Tolkien.

[outofangband]

Very late entry for @spring-into-arda, one of the prompts was to revisit an old piece and year or so ago I wrote a couple little haikus* about Aerin, the river Teglin, Húrin and Maedhros’s torment upon Thangorodrim, and Tol Morwen.

Here is Tengwar for the Aerin and Morwen poems with a new marker.

The original poems are here!

*I have been informed that the Aerin one is not technically a haiku because “curls” is one syllable. I feel very stupid about that but I still like the poem

[arofili]

back to middle-earth month 2026 3/31/26 | 2025: basketball championship | triumph; hunt; travel | the hunt of oromë

Oromë loved the lands of Middle-earth, and he left them unwillingly and came last to Valinor; and often of old he passed back east over the mountains and returned with his host to the hills and the plains. He is a hunter of monsters and fell beasts, and he delights in horses and in hounds; and all trees he loves, for which reason he is called Aldaron, and by the Sindar Tauron, the Lord of Forests. Nahar is the name of his horse, white in the sun, and shining silver at night. The Valaróma is the name of his great horn, the sound of which is like the upgoing of the Sun in scarlet, or the sheer lightning cleaving the clouds. Above all the horns of his host it was heard in the woods that Yavanna brought forth in Valinor; for there Oromë would train his folk and his beasts for the pursuit of the evil creatures of Melkor.

—The Silmarillion, “Valaquenta”

[arofili]

back to middle-earth month 2026 3/29/26 | 2024: cardolan carnival | herald of woe; true friendship | stormcrow & shadowfax

‘It took me nearly fifteen days from Weathertop, for I could not ride among the rocks of the troll-fells, and Shadowfax departed. I sent him back to his master; but a great friendship has grown between us, and if I have need he will come at my call.’

—Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, “The Council of Elrond”

‘But Gandalf, Mithrandir as you call him, asked me to see to his horse—Shadowfax, a great steed of Rohan, and the apple of the king’s eye, I am told, though he has given him to Mithrandir for his services. I think his new master loves the beast better than he loves many men, and if his good will is of any value to this city, you will treat Shadowfax with all honour: with greater kindness than you have treated this hobbit, if it is possible.’

—Pippin, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, “Minas Tirith”

[arofili]

back to middle-earth month 2026 3/27/26 | 2023: a spy in the shadows | a most trusted companion | tallagar the seventh

The faithful companion of Rýndil Amdírfael, Tallagar VII is a wolfhound of Doriath, bred by Beleg Cúthalion and given to Rýndil his friend after their sixth canine companion fell in battle defending Brethil and Doriath both. He is swift and sure-footed, loyal and brave, and as an elvish-bred hound has a century-long lifespan to better suit his master’s half-elven fate.

[hhimring]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth Legendarium & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Amras (Tolkien), Haleth of the Haladin (Tolkien) Additional Tags: First Age of Arda (Tolkien), Haladin | House of Haleth (Tolkien), The Edain (Tolkien), Beleriand (Tolkien), Canonical Character Death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Grief/Mourning Summary:

Amras, son of Feanor, met Haleth as a child in her father’s homestead. He meets her again after she leaves Thargelion.

@feanorianweek 

For Day 6 of Feanorian Week

[hhimring]

@spring-into-arda

This fic incorporates several B2MeM prompts!

[arofili]

The More Things Change

Arwen works on Aragorn's banner. It might be easier if her "help" wasn't around…

For Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, Day 26! Today's prompt is from 2022's Mathom Marketplace event, and I was inspired by @lferion's adorable kitties to write about Arwen's bothersome brothers :3 Also shoutout to @jaz-the-bard for their awesome peredhil headcanons!

Rating: G | No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Arwen & Elladan & Elrohir Characters: Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir Word count: 238

READ IT ON AO3!

[arofili]

Roads Go On || Chapter 11: The Four Hunters

When Legolas struck out on his own, he'd thought he could work his way up to stardom in the normal way. Now, stuck on an endless road trip with his irritating neighbor Gimli, his college roommate Aragorn, four hobbit hitchhikers, a wizard, and Boromir, the stranger that got all of them into this mess, he's worried that his only shot at fame is a grisly demise at the hands of mind-controlled orcs. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to try and fight against Barad-dûr, Inc., no matter what CEO Mairon is up to...

Chapter 11: A miraculous revival and a new goal.

For Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, Day 25 and Tolkien Reading Day! The Tolkien Reading Day prompt is Unlikely Heroes, and for B2MeM I used a variety of Bingo prompts from 2022's Mathom Marketplace, the most important ones being AU and Three Hunters.

I wrote an extremely long overdue update to my Modern Middle-earth AU, in which Boromir is NOT dead :)

Begin the adventure! || CHAPTER 1

chapter 11 notes:

Rating: T | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Boromir & Aragorn, Legolas &? Gimli, Legolas & Gimli & Aragorn & Boromir Characters: Gimli, Legolas, Boromir, Aragorn Word count: 1.9k

READ CHAPTER 10 ON AO3!

[hhimring]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Dwarf Characters (Tolkien), Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Canonical Character Death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Iron Hills (Tolkien) Summary:

The news of the Fall of Erebor to Smaug reaches the Iron Hills.

[hhimring]

@spring-into-arda

For yesterday’s bingo number using a prompt from B2MeM 2019.

[arofili]

Here is a Place

After a challenging journey, Findekáno arrives at the House of Tulkas.

For Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, Day 24! Today's prompts are Ladybug, Travel, Introductions, Halo, and Climbing from various bingo cards in 2021's event!

Rating: G | No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Fingon & Tulkas, minor/background Russingon Characters: Fingon, Tulkas Word count: 865

READ IT ON AO3!

[arofili]

back to middle-earth month 3/23/26 | 2017: the silmarillion (redux) | companionship @cnc-week day eight | relationships | celegorm & huan

Now the chief of the wolf hounds that followed Celegorm was named Huan. He was not born in Middle-earth, but came from the Blessed Realm; for Oromë had given him to Celegorm long ago in Valinor, and there he had followed the horn of his master, before evil came. Huan followed Celegorm into exile, and was faithful; and thus he too came under the doom of woe set upon the Noldor, and it was decreed that he should meet death, but not until he encountered the mightiest wolf that would ever walk the world.

—The Silmarillion, “Of Beren and Lúthien”

[arofili]

Little Miracles

part of all things bright and beautiful

Carnistir brings his child to meet their new cousin.

For Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, Day 22! Today I am revisting a prompt from 2020's "Endings and Beginnings" event that resulted in an angsty Caranthir & Aegnor fic. This time, here's a happy one!

Rating: G | No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Caranthir (+/&) Haleth & Rýndil (OC), Caranthir & Aegnor, Aegnor/Andreth & Orodlin, Rýndil (OC) & Orodlin Characters: Caranthir, Rýndil (OC), Haleth, Aegnor, Andreth, Orodlin Word count: 722

READ IT ON AO3!

[arofili]

Customs of the North

On the eve of Valacar's wedding, Rómendacil II has a frank discussion with his son.

For Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, Day 20! (Yeah, I'm a day late, sue me.) Today’s prompt is from 2019’s Bingo Bash Redux event! There were a lot of juicy prompts for this bingo number (N38), but one of them, Vidumavi/Valacar from the Canon Couples card, really caught my eye and reminded me of a WIP I’ve had in my drafts for years, so I pulled it out and finished it!

Rating: T | No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Minalcar Rómendacil II & Valacar, Valacar/Vidumavi Characters: Minalcar Rómendacil II, Valacar Word count: 2,000

READ IT ON AO3!

[arofili]

back to middle-earth month 3/18/26 | 2019: music of the waters | seagulls at sunset | the falathrim

When many years had passed, Ulmo hearkened to the prayers of the Noldor and of Finwë their king, who grieved at their long sundering from the Teleri, and besought him to bring them to Aman, if they would come. And most of them proved now willing indeed; but great was the grief of Ossë when Ulmo returned to the coasts of Beleriand, to bear them away to Valinor; for his care was for the seas of Middle-earth and the shores of the Hither Lands, and he was ill-pleased that the voices of the Teleri should be heard no more in his domain. Some he persuaded to remain; and those were the Falathrim, the Elves of the Falas, who in after days had dwellings at the havens of Brithombar and Eglarest, the first mariners in Middle-earth and the first makers of ships. Círdan the Shipwright was their lord.

—The Silmarillion, “Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië”

[arofili]

subito

Curufin faces an unexpected betrayal.

For Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, Day 19! Today's prompt is from 2018's Music of the Waters event. On March 19 they gave a list of musical terms, of which I randomly selected subito. I combined that with the @cnc-week prompts Curufin and Betrayal to write about Curufin and his wife's last argument.

Rating: G | No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Curufin/Curufin's wife & Celebrimbor Characters: Curufin, Quildalótië (Curufin's wife OC), Celebrimbor Word count: 824

READ IT ON AO3!

[arofili]

Glorfindel's first visitor (excerpt from Imposter Syndrome part II)

For Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, Day 17. Once again, I didn't finish this fic in time to post it all, but here is an excerpt from the second part of my "Elenwe-is-Glorfindel (sort of)" series!

Today's prompts were from the 2017 gameboard's Red Path: Create a fanwork for someone (Act of Kindness - this series is for @welcometolotr <3), Meteor/Shooting Star, A New Age Begins, Foresight, and “I will not say the Day is done, / nor bid the Stars farewell.” Most of those concepts don't appear in this snippet, but they all will once I'm done with the full work.

Here is the introductory section of Part II! I hope the rest will be ready to share soon.

~~~

The golden-haired elf known as Glorfindel emerged from the Halls of Mandos into Valinor, staring up at the blue, blue sky. It had been a very long time since Glorfindel had seen the sky. The elf stared up into the blue, watching the clouds in awe, soaking in the rays of the Sun. It felt very good, that warmth.

(It had been very cold were the elf called Glorfindel had died.)

Waiting for Glorfindel is the one elf most anxious to be reunited with his golden-haired companion: Turgon of Gondolin; Turukáno Ñolofinwion!

“Aiya! Laurefindil!” he cried, and rushed to embrace his friend. “Oh, I have missed you!”

Glorfindel laughed, and embraced Turukáno. “I have missed you, too, Turno,” he said fondly—but the time for reunion was brief.

Half a heartbeat into the hug, Turukáno turned away, and began to speak. Glorfindel listened first in surprise, then interest, then dawning horror—for he had never heard his King rant like this, not even in the darkest throes of his grief at Elenwë’s loss!

“Glorfindel of the Golden Flower,” he said in one great breath, “you will not believe what has happened to Elenwë...”

“I thought she returned long ago!” Glorfindel cried, and Turukáno grimaced.

“She has, but I returned not long before you, and—well—she left to Middle-earth, again!”

“What?!” Glorfindel could not believe his ears. Soon Turukáno was spinning out the whole story, and he could hardly keep his head on straight, but—

“Turukáno, Turno, slow down,” he insisted. “I’m so sorry you’re separated again, but—what does this have to do with me?”

“I’ll tell you what!” Turukáno all but shouted. “She’s gone to find our great-grandson, Elrond, but somehow, for some reason, everyone thinks she’s you!”

[arofili]

back to middle-earth month 3/16/26 | 2017: night and day | minimalist @cnc-week day one | celegorm | hasty riser

          ...and a hunter also was Celegorm, who in Valinor was a friend of Oromë, and often followed the Vala's horn.           [...] Often they were guests in the halls of Aulë; but Celegorm went rather to the house of Oromë, and there he got great knowledge of birds and beasts, and all their tongues he knew.

—The Silmarillion, “Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië”

[arofili]

What the Valar Look Like, Part I: Fanar, the Shape and Raiment

a meta written for @tolkienfashionweek 2026, Day 1: Races — Valar & Back to Middle-earth Month 2026, using the 2015 gameboard's Orange Path prompts Worldbuilding and Compile a list of sources.

“Now the Valar took to themselves shape and hue; and because they were drawn into the World by love of the Children of Ilúvatar, for whom they hoped, they took shape after that manner which they had beheld in the Vision of Ilúvatar, save only in majesty and splendour. Moreover their shape comes of their knowledge of the visible World, rather than of the World itself; and they need it not, save only as we use raiment, and yet we may be naked and suffer no loss of our being. Therefore the Valar may walk, if they will, unclad, and then even the Eldar cannot clearly perceive them, though they be present. But when they desire to clothe themselves the Valar take upon them forms some as of male and some as of female; for that difference of temper they had even from their beginning, and it is but bodied forth in the choice of each, not made by the choice, even as with us male and female may be shown by the raiment but is not made thereby.”

—The Silmarillion, “Ainulindalë”

Preface: In this post (Part I) I will heavily reference both the published Silmarillion as well as Parma Eldalamberon No.17, pages 173-180, which discuss the word “fana” and the nature of the Valar in seeking to answer the question “What do the Valar look like?” What I have written here is what we know and can reasonably infer from the text we are given on the topic of the fana. (Of course, aside from the published Silmarillion and PE 17, there are other sources that discuss this topic, but I’ve chosen to only focus on those two documents for this meta.)

Part II will cover canonical descriptions of specific Valar, as well as my personal headcanons about their appearances.

~~~

For the Valar, physical appearance and clothing are one and the same. All Ainur are in their truest nature solely an eäla, or Spirit (distinct from the spirits of the Children, which are called fëar, and must be united with a body (hröa) to be considered ‘living’). But to the Children (well, almost entirely just to the Elves, rarely Men, and even then only certain Elves), the Valar can appear in a “raiment” called a fana (literally meaning “veil” or “cloud”), which makes them look as if they are incarnate beings.

When not “wearing” their fanar, which while in Arda was their “normal ‘raiment’” (PE 17), the Valar were invisible to incarnates, and yet “Glimpses of other manifestations were seldom given to them [the Eldar],” which implies that on occasion, the eälar of the Ainur could be visualized, though this was rare. While in their spiritual state and unbound by a fana, they could travel anywhere in Arda in an instant:

“They could go where they willed, that is could be present at once at any point in Eä where they desired to be.”

—Parma Eldalambaron No.17

(Those noted to have “passed over the Sea” from Valinor to Middle-earth were Oromë, Ulmo, and Yavanna.)

Their fanar are “self-made,” express their inner self, and can change at any time:

“They houseless[?] as spirits could go where they would (either slowly or immediately), and could then reclothe themselves.” (PE 17)

Additionally, “the Elves of Valinor asserted that unclad and unveiled the Valar were perceived by some among them as lights (of different hues) which their eyes could not tolerate; whereas the Maiar were usually invisible unclad, but their presence was revealed by their fragrance.”

Melkor, however, was said to be in this sort of manifestation “invisible, and his presence was revealed only by great dread and by a darkness that dimmed or blotted out the light and hues of all things near him” (PE 17). Also, his Úmaiar stank! But that was only when they were not wearing a physical form. Any of them could, just like other Ainur, appear with a fana, which they could “make to appear beautiful to Elvish eyes.” (See: Annatar.)

This ability was apparently not used or else taken from them after Melkor destroyed the Trees:

“After that Melkor (Morgoth) and his servants were perceived as forms of evil and enemies undisguised.” (PE 17)

This makes me wonder if they just didn’t feel the need for that kind of deception any longer, or maybe Melkor forbade them from appearing beautiful? We know that when Melkor’s hands were burned by the Silmarils, they were burned forever after, and he had a hard time changing his shape and appearance. This is also made clear when Fingolfin gives him a permanent limp after their duel:

“Morgoth went ever halt of one foot after that day, and the pain of his wounds could not be healed; and in his face was the scar that Thorondor made.”

—The Silmarillion, “Of the Fall of Fingolfin and the Ruin of Beleriand”

Personally, I lean more toward Melkor forbidding his Úmaiar to do much changing of shape out of jealousy and rage at his own condition, as we know for a certainty that at least one Úmaia, Sauron, was able to take on a fair form later on, long after Morgoth’s ultimate downfall, for he came to Eregion as Annatar in a fair disguise that fooled many. Yet even Sauron lost this ability, in part:

“But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.”

—The Silmarillion, “Akallabêth”

The fana is called a “raiment” because it is a “cloak” over the true being-ness of the eäla. But it is a physical object, and is subject to (at least some of) the laws of physics:

“Their fanar which were originally devised out of love for the ‘Children of Eru’, the Incarnate, whom they were to guard and counsel, had the properties of the material of which the koar [note: later hröar] (or bodies) of the Elves (and also of Men) were formed; so they were not transparent, they cast shadows (if their inner luminosity was dimmed); they could move material objects, and were resisted by these, and resisted them. These fanar were, however, also personal expression (in terms suitable to the apprehension of the Incarnate) of their individual ‘natures’ and functions, and were usually also clad in vestures of similar purpose.”

—Parda Eldalamberon No.17

Fanar were also intentionally created in the manner of the bodies (hröar) of Eru’s Children:

“These were the bodily forms (like those of Elves and Men), as well as any further vestures, in which the Valar were self-incarnated. These fanar they assumed when after their demiurgic activities they came and dwelt in Arda (“the Realm”), that is the Earth; and they did so because of their love and yearning for the ‘Children of Eru’, for whom they were to prepare the world, and for a time govern it. The future forms of the bodies of Elves and Men they knew, though they had no part in their making. In these forms they presented themselves to the Elves (though they could assume other and wholly alien shapes), appearing usually as persons of majestic (but not gigantic) stature. The High Elves said that these forms were always in some degree, variable according to the occasion, ‘radiant’, as if a light from within suffused the fanar.”

—Parma Eldalambaron No.17

Thus, while fanar generally resemble the bodies of Elves and Men but more “majestic” (and always glowing at least a little from within (though while in Middle-earth “they usually occluded their radiance”), the Valar can also appear rather eldritch when they wish to (“other and wholly alien shapes”). “Majestic stature” is then further elaborated:

“The fanar of the great Valar were said by the Eldar who had dwelt in Valinor usually to have had a stature far greater than that of the tallest Elves, and when performing some great deed or rite, or issuing commands, to have assumed an awe-inspiring height.”

—Parma Eldalambaron No.17

So they were larger than elves, but not gigantic, except when they were doing “great deed[s]” or issuing commands. That of course brings to mind the Doom of Mandos, where Námo likely towered far above the Noldor; I also envision giant Valar presiding over the Ring of Doom. Námo himself is probably most often in this sort of form, as well as Manwë.

~

I have a lot more thoughts (and quotes) to share on what the Valar look like, but this is where I will end Part I’s general overview of the properties of fanar. In Part II I will go over what specific Valar look like, both canonically and in my own personal headcanon!

Part II: Vestures of Purpose will be shared when I’m finished with it. Keep an eye out!