Family Matters

The Silmarillion is full of big, complicated families, and even though we don't often hear what happened within the bounds of such families, given the history recounted in the stories, the discussions and dilemmas must have often been profound.

This month, step inside of one of the families of The Silmarillion and tell their tale. The purpose of this challenge is to illustrate conflicts and relationships that occur within a family, from the simple to the profound. Whether it's a dinner gone disastrously wrong or a discussion that influences a family's choice to go to war, your challenge is to make your readers part of your characters' family, to laugh and lament right alongside them and to better understand the choices and history of their family.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

What arguments might have erupted between Bereg and his family--loyal followers of the House of Finarfin--when he decided that he no longer trusted and wished to follow the Eldar?
How did the sons of Finarfin react to the birth of their little sister Galadriel?
Journey across Ered Luin with Haldad's family: What experiences and conflicts did he and his children Haleth and Haldar face that made them so brave and loyal to each other?
What was said during Elwë's last conversation with his brother Olwë before he disappeared into Nan Elmoth?

This challenge opened in June 2006 .

Fanworks Tagged with Family Matters

Paper by Dawn Felagund

Curufin escapes to the realms of fantasy to escape the pressures of his family and discovers the thrill of first love.

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No rolling eyes by Raiyana

Nienna finds an escape beneath the sea... and more understanding than she might have expected.
And Ulmo realises he might have more in common with a Valië than he could have imagined...

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My Heart on My Skin by oshun

Written for the SWG January 2017 Challenge: Taboo. Fingon and Finrod provide material for the sub-part, “Religious Taboos,” with references as well to “Culture Shock,” “Table Manners,” “Found Out,” “Consequences,” “Sexual Deviance,” “Etiquette,” "Incest," and “Ethnocentrism and Prejudice.” (I might be overlooking more—this month's prompts were rich indeed. Once I choose the first prompt, the others fell into place effortlessly.)

Fingon wants a graphic symbol of his love. In this world—Tirion, Age of the Trees, my personal canon—Fingon is in a committed relationship. He is of age, although barely, and his cousin Finrod (Ingo herein) is only a few years younger. But despite youth and questionable judgment, Fingon is his own man and does not need this ploy to attract and hold the attention of his beloved. (But Fingon never gets tired of trying ever more extreme stunts to prove his love to Maedhros.)

This story is multi-purposed also. The biggest aider and abettor of my ficcish meanderings, IgnobleBard, asked me for a Finrod and Fingon friendship fic. Here ya go, writing buddy, hope you enjoy it!

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Getting to Know Him by oshun

Request from Winterwitch: “ . . . something about Maedhros and Elrond would be lovely, perhaps of the time when one of the two discovers his respect, admiration, or even fondness of the other. Or Maglor and Elrond in the same situation.”

This is young Elrond's POV in the first hours after Maedhros and Maglor take him and his brother with them from the Havens of Sirion.

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A Kindred Heart by oshun

Indis meets Nerdanel and responds to her. References to: Noldorin society in Valinor during the Years of the Trees, sons, husbands, art, family dynamics and dysfunctionality, even a brief mention (non-graphic) of childbirth/labor. Started a while ago, but finished at this time in response to the legendarium ladies april event on Tumblr.

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The Legacy of Love by Rhapsody

After having found his shelter on the isle of Balar, a messenger delivers a memory from the past.

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Yávië in Formenos by oshun

When he encounters a new harvest worker, a farmer in Formenos is reminded of the great march under starlight across the east of Middle-earth to the shores of the Great Sea. MPTT Harvest Challenge, October 2012; Prompts: waggon, help, young. Beta: Ignoblebard.

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The Critic by oshun

In the bliss of Valinor in the Years of the Trees, Maglor plays a new song for Aredhel and Celegorm. It is mainly about the suffering of the artist unappreciated by the Philistines closest to him. Oh, yes, I like these two cousins together also. Tolkien hooked me when he said of Aredhel, “There she was often in the company of the sons of Fëanor, her kin; but to none was her heart's love given.” Ah, I see. But it could have been. Then he sends her later on to leave Gondolin, set upon visiting Celegorm. Obviously, they were wildly infatuated with one another in their youth. The story is still Gen Fic at its heart.

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Before Strife Was Born by oshun

Not your typical romance, this is a story about two people who know one another all too well and understand one another not at all and share an almost love/hate relationship replete with passionate conflict and caring. It’s a Years of the Trees story of Fëanor and Fingolfin as very young men, written for Encairion, Ardor in August 2012, to satisfy this particular prompt:

“Pairing: Fëanor/Fingolfin. I prefer dark, angsty stories, but can appreciate humor on the side. Whether you give me a pre-darkening of Valinor or a re-born life in Valinor or something from the First Age, it doesn't matter, but I love seeing elves with flaws, so please no utopian, unrealistic worlds."

I want to extend the warmest thanks to my super skillful and perceptive Betas Ignoblebard and Lilith Lessfair who so generously combed through it at least a couple of times each.

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Nothing To Forgive by oshun

This was inspired by Jenny Dolfen’s lovely painting of Nerdanel and Maedhros called “Forgiveness.” The artist and I interpret the canon slightly differently. I call mine “Nothing To Forgive.”

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Name Five Characters Who Would Love To Attend A Family Reunion by oshun

This stated out as a Fannish Friday Five on Live Journal and then I decided to share, as it actually could fit the SWG 5th Birthday "Five Things" challenge.

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Left Behind by Isil Elensar

A series of drabbles connected though a family. Each drabble is a look at how certain family member handle being left behind.

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Lack of Privacy by oshun

(Maedhros/Fingon) This was written in response to teasing by IgnobleBard that I had cut out the love scene from the story I wrote him for his birthday and Halloween, Do You Believe in Ghosts? So, here it is, only a slightly belated Christmas present. (Warning: it is not really, unlike the Ghosts story that prompted it, a comic piece.)

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Findekáno the Valiant by oshun

Response to Claudio/Darth Fingon's challenge to write how Fingon got the label of "the Valiant." Warnings: crack fic, language (somewhat crude), and could be read as foreshadowing slash (years down the road).

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Denial by oshun

This is a birthday gift for Kenaz. A ficlet involving Maglor and Maedhros, which is set in the Time of the Trees in Formenos, at the home of Fëanor and his wife and sons. It is set in the same universe as my story Maitimo and Findekáno and occurs a couple of years earlier. I hope it is obvious from the ficlet that Maedhros and Maglor are very young adults and Fingon is the equivalent of a teenager. (There is a reference to slash in this piece but no sexual content.)

MEFA 2008 Second Place: Elves - House of Finwë

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