Alasse's Favorites

The story of Eönwë, Maia of Manwë, and Mairon Aulendil after the War of Wrath. A tale of darkness, light, love and betrayal over the Ages of Eä.

Tolkien simply told us that [Sauron] fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong. But this line is unsatisfactory on so many levels that it became a challenge to create a plausible background story for Sauron's fall, from the time Eönwë returns to Aman to face the Valar over his decision to free one of Morgoth's most dreaded minions to Sauron's final fate, long after the destruction of the Ring.

B2MeM 2011 and 2012 participant 

MEFA 2011 1st Place - Incomplete: Drama & Smaug's Treasure (but complete since then!)

Banner made for the series by Lingwiloke (Fandom Stocking 2016)

The main story arc of this series goes from just after the rescue from Thangorodrim to Maedhros's death. However, the narrative is not strictly chronological - there are flashbacks, flashforwards and recounted memories. These span from Maedhros's childhood in Tirion to his release from Mandos just before the end of Arda. The individual stories are told from different points of view: Maedhros himself, Fingon, Maglor and Elrond. Although the upshot of the series is that it is pretty tough being doomed all the time, some bits are a lot more gloomy than others. All the dialogue was even wittier before being clumsily translated from Quenya. Considering the subject matter, very little blood and gore (I think). The ratings and warnings for individual sections differ greatly from the overall rating: see the individual stories.

ETA: Since I wrote this description of the series, it has snowballed in all directions. I feel that the description ought to be revised, but it is difficult to know exactly how to tweak it. You may wish to compare the more recent description of the series (with notes) on AO3: http://archiveofourown.org/series/36091

Other links that might be helpful are these: a fragmentary timeline (https://hhimring.dreamwidth.org/61360.html), and a listing of original characters: http://hhimring.dreamwidth.org/69187.html (both on my Dreamwidth journal)

Illustrations to the series by Alasse now separately posted on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20456276/chapters/48536480

The story of Maedhros' captivity in Angband, his rescue and his recovery is in the Silmarillion treated in a few paragraphs. This is a fleshed-out account of the events that may have befallen between Maedhros' imprisonment and his return to his old life... as far as that is possible.

Occasionally drifting into AU territory, depending on how closely you follow the source (WHICH source? :P).

The usual warnings apply - particularly to chapters marked with an asterisk.

Part One completed.
Part Two completed.

Part Three, Chapter 10 added: In which the reconciled Noldor make plans for the future. End of the trilogy.