#malbeth

[gear-project]

"In front of the Populace I shall be a Shield from the Storm, and a Rock of Support, Before the Jaws of Death, shall I be a Fortress of Peace unto the People."

-- Abridged from the Sacred Order of Holy Knights’ Oath

[arofili]

men of middle-earth ☀ misc. dúnedain ☀ headcanon disclaimer

          Voronwë was the son of Orontor of Númenor, and a fast friend of Elendil the Tall. He was a great mariner, and with his wife lord he escaped the downfall of Númenor, though his father and sister were lost. His children, Cemniel and Ilcanië, were aboard the ships of Isildur and Anárion and were swept away from the northern fleet, but they landed safely in the south of Middle-earth and were among the founders of Gondor. Eventually Voronwë and his daughters were reunited just in time for the wedding of Ilcanië to the shipwright Sandor and the birth of two more sons to Cemniel and Isildur her husband. Ilcanië also bore a child, whom she named Glanor, and though Voronwë was devoted to his liege in Arnor their family remained as tight-knit as that of Elendil and his own sons.           Amid the War of the Last Alliance, Elendil, Anárion, and Sandor were all slain, but Voronwë survived to comfort his daughters. It seemed that Isildur had survived and would soon reunite with Cemniel and his newborn son Valandil, but before his company could reach the hidden stronghold of Imladris, they were attacked by a massive company of orcs. Glanor at this time was serving as an ohtar, or esquire, to his uncle, and to him Isildur entrusted the shards of Narsil before the orcs closed in. Along with his friend and companion Celevon, Ohtar Glanor fled to Imladris and told of his uncle and cousins’ grim fate.           Isildur’s company was massacred save for Glanor and Celevon, and one other ohtar who was presumed dead on the battlefield: Estelmo, the esquire of Isildur’s eldest son Elendur. He was discovered lying stunned under the corpse of his lord by the Guard of Eryn Galen and the Woodmen of the North, who delivered him to the healing hands of Elrond in Imladris, and from Estelmo the last words of Isildur became known, though no trace of his body—or of the Ring he bore—were ever found by elves or men.           The kingdom of Arnor passed to the rulership of Valandil, who kept Glanor, Celevon, Estelmo, and their families in his service. For generations these men and their kindred served the King of Arnor, and indeed Malbeth the Seer was a direct descendant of Ohtar Celevon. Malbeth served as a counselor to King Araphant, advising him to name his son Arvedui, for he would be the last king of Arthedain. Malbeth warned that a choice would come to the Dúnedain, and that the one that seemed less hopeful would lead to Arvedui becoming King of a realm greater than Arnor in its glory; but alas, the Council of Gondor chose otherwise, dismissing the wisdom of the Arnorian Seer, and in the end this led to much sorrow and centuries before the Dúnedain would arise and be united again.           Malbeth made their second prophecy during the rule of Arvedui, foretelling that an Heir of the Dúnedain would call the Army of the Dead from their half-existence to fulfill their once-forsaken Oath to Isildur. This manifested in Aragorn II entering the Paths of the Dead and rallying the spirits of the Men of the Mountains to war against Sauron, releasing them from their Oath once the battle was won. At Aragonr’s side was the ranger Halbarad, leading the Grey Company out of the North to aid their Chieftain. Aragorn fulfilled Malbeth’s first prophecy also when he ascended to the throne of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor as King Elessar, bringing the Dúnedain together at long last.

[tolkienmatters]

“Thus spoke Malbeth the Seer, in the days of Arvedui, last king at Fornost,’ said Aragorn: Over the land there lies a long shadow, westward reaching wings of darkness. The Tower trembles; to the tombs of kings doom approaches. The Dead awaken; for the hour is come for the oathbreakers; at the Stone of Erech they shall stand again and hear there a horn in the hills ringing. Whose shall the horn be? Who shall call them from the prey twilight, the forgotten people? The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the North shall he come, need shall drive him: he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead.

The words of Malbeth the Seer regarding the Paths of the Dead. Return of the King. The Passing of the Grey Company, 

[bretwalda-lamnguin]

It's interesting how Malbeth the Seer's role for the later kings of Arthedain parallels the Steward's role for the later Gondorian kings. Both serve as chief advisors, with something of a spiritual, quasi-religious role. Malbeth gives prophectic guidance to the kings, the Stewards keep the tradition of Isildur.

Both seem clearly associated with spiritual power, Malbeth with foresight, the Stewards with the ability to read the hearts and minds of others (going by Denethor and Faramir at least).

But the key difference it seems is that for all their spiritual power, the Húrinionath are pragmatists at heart, and seem to have a flair for the political. Malbeth on the other hand doesn't seem to know or care (telling the king to name his son last king is not a good way to inspire confidence in your dynasty!)

I also find it interesting that the decision for the Dúnedain that Malbeth talks about, is arguably the one taken by Pelendur. Putting Eärnil II on the throne of Gondor. The more hopeful, pragmatic choice, the one a Steward would always take regardless of signs and omens.

I wonder if any of the Húrinionath, probably Vorondil or Mardil met Malbeth after the fall of Arthedain, I can't imagine they got on well...

[heckofabecca]

It was the queen who brought Malbeth to court, for it was the queen who rode out among the people to offer her charity during the summer sickness, and there she saw the woman with the light of knowledge in her eyes. The king, busy with war, sighed and thought nothing of it after granting his pregnant wife’s wish.

Queen Erebel took Malbeth, who was young yet—not yet forty—, and elevated her above all others in her service, granting her great favor. Malbeth granted the queen such wisdom as soothed her troubled spirits.

When the queen’s son was born, the queen summoned Malbeth to bless her child in sight of the king, but when the seeing-stone was in hand, Malbeth said,

“Arvedui you shall call him, for he will be the last in Arthedain. Though a choice will come to the Dúnedain, and if they take the one that seems less hopeful, then your son will change his name and become king of a great realm. If not, then much sorrow and many lives of men shall pass, until the Dúnedain arise and are united again.”

The king at last saw the wisdom of his wife’s choice, and he took Malbeth the Seer into his service and under his wing.

Inspired by @nimium-amatrix-ingenii-sui​‘s art and headcanons! LLA 2018 prompt: “abstracts” — Malbeth the Seer, foresight/wisdom

[nimium-amatrix-ingenii-sui]

More pastel pencil madness! Malbeth the Seer for @legendariumladiesapril.

Look, I know that there are some people who think Malbeth the Seer is a guy. For some reason I’ve always envisioned Malbeth as female, even before I figured out that every other Tolkien character whose name ends in -eth is female* (Elbereth, Ioreth, Haleth, Andreth, Beleth, Núneth, Inzilbeth). Maybe because the seers in the Norse sagas (völva or spákona) were female so that was the default that my mind went to. Imagine my utter confusion when I first encountered male Malbeth, and subsequently found out that this was actually a common assumption. Why? I honestly don’t know. Since Tolkien manages to talk about Malbeth without ever using a single personal pronoun (I was so confused that I actually went and checked whether I’d missed something!), I suppose either assumption is fair game, but... LOOK I DON’T CARE MALBETH IS OBVIOUSLY A WOMAN.

While drawing this I also realised that both Malbeth’s recorded prophecies are kind of related to Palantíri (two Palantíri were lost when Arvedui’s ship sunk; the stone of Erech may well be a Palantír) so... is that the connection? is that how she saw? is that the idea? OMG. Must mull this over.

Meanwhile, here’s Malbeth.

- - -

*with the singular exception of Haleth son of Helm Hammerhand - thanks for the heads-up, @hhimring! Not counting Haleth Háma’s son from the TTT movies; he’s not a Tolkien character, he’s a PJ character, though clearly based on the former

[zeimah-dalyce]

Decisions, Decisions

On the one hand, that invite Bodes. On the other hand, puzzles and lonely person.

But on the gripping hand, that invite Bodes.

And also I have no way of gearing for ohgodwhat to stave off my paranoia, so there's that too.

[gear-project]

You've mentioned a Holy Order Knight named Melbeth and how he was inspired by Sol and Ky's exploits. Could you tell us more about this character?

Malbeth was a member and old veteran of the Houshien or 5th Platoon Magic Support Squad of the Sacred Order according to the GGXrd Library.

They are the first and last platoon on the battlefield, supporting the front battle line in both attacking and retreating due to the absolute vitality of the roles of Healing and Defense.  More often than not, these men died on the front lines more than any other soldier.

With this in mind, Malbeth etched the word SACRIFICE on his belt, as a reminder that he would gladly give up his life in order to protect the future of humanity.

But, as fate would have it, Malbeth managed to survive the war…

Since his time in the Crusades, Malbeth founded a church in the slums of what remained of the London-area sealing zone of the Hydra (Kliff Undersn’s handiwork).  He wished to aid the people, but due to the uncertain status of the Hydra’s seal as a Megadeth Class Gear, he also felt uneasy, so he would send periodic reports to Ky Kiske on the status of the area.

Then, one day, a young woman came to his church doorstep… the woman was wounded and dying… In the woman’s arms, she was carrying a young girl who bore the “Seal of Justice”.  Her last wish was that the girl be safe… the woman wore clothes like that of a scientist and had likely been wounded while on the run from a facility.

At the time, Malbeth didn’t know what to think… as many would simply assume that anyone or anything who bore the Seal of Justice was automatically a GEAR and would kill this little girl without hesitation.

But… Malbeth had seen enough bloodshed in his lifetime on the battlefield… and the war was already over.  His faith led him to believe this was just an ordinary girl who needed to be saved… so he kept this knowledge and the Seal of Justice a secret known only to himself for many years, hidden in the church.

The little girl grew up to become the young woman Marina who became a young teacher to the children in the slums of the village… though because of some strange complications, Marina was unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair.

Years later, the Blackard Company offered to cure Marina of her paralysis through the drug Vitae… but anyone who was given the drug ended up dying a mysterious and violent death after reportedly hearing some “mysterious singing” from an unknown voice.

Due the “mysterious deaths” Malbeth decided to look in to the incident, and sent Ky a report on the matter, as well as detailed information concerning Marina’s story to Ky.  If the people suspected Marina to be a Gear, they would likely lynch her…

Malbeth went to look in to Blackard Company, but was never heard from again…

When Ky’s butler Bernard stopped getting periodic messages from Malbeth, he informed Ky and Ky decided to investigate the matter with Blackard and its president Sheevus.

Little did Ky know that Sol Badguy and Dr. Faust would also be involved… as would Marina’s long lost sister Solaria, “That Man”, and his servant Raven.