literature

Some reference stuff

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Literature Text

I think I should start with the introduction of a relatively new species – the wights of the Void. (relatively, because in some early works Tolkien mentioned that Ungoliant might be something like that) Quite logically, they dwell in the Void outside Arda, therefore the inhabitants of Arda usually have no contacts with them (the only contacts were those with Ungoliant and her descendants, Shelob in particular). They existed long before Arda was created, and being themselves able to create filled the Void with a number of islands, more or less livable. Those wights can be divided into two sub-species, the wights of the Black Flame and those of the Imperishable Flame. The former represent destructive and chaotic tendency mostly, the latter – creative and orderly. Their essences – both flames – are harmful for the opposite sub-species… and were used in the wars that however ended long ago since there was only one wight of the Imperishable Flame left, and that was... the Creator of Arda, known as Eru Iluvatar.

(if they say that ainur are very much comparable to angels, then wights can be compared to demons in Earth mythology, and here I refer mostly to demons of Oriental cultures.)

As the wights of the Black Flame still exist and are quite numerous (at least a thousand of them) and as most of my original characters either have some wights' blood or are related to those in more spiritual way, I should describe also the social peculiarities of the wights. (here and further I’ll use the term wights referring to those of Black Flame mostly) Their social and ruling system is based on a) matriarchy b) simple law of nature – kill or be killed. And here I should say that the wights feed (besides normal food, which is not so necessary for them, just like for ainur) on draining souls of other wights and now, since the creation of ainur and Arda, they feed on ainur and mortal souls as well. (those are easier to hunt, because they don’t have efficient protection from wights, while against their own kin the wights may not always succeed) Draining someone of higher rank automatically puts the wight on a higher position. Simple, cruel, effective. That’s the life out there.

Those were some theoretical facts that are necessary to understand some things in the story itself.

There are also some facts from HoME, that I used for my AU, such as a) Maiar are considered the children of  Valar, as they were created by the latter, b) Arien was a Valie, not a maia c) and Melkor, after Varda refused to be with him, turned to Arien, but she also refused – and he raped her, d) Tulkas seems to be Arien’s brother (it’s not said directly, but as he was originally meant to the Vala of the Sun…)

And one more fact – from the Black Book – Tulkas didn’t want to go to Arda, but Eru made him do it, by tearing off that part of his soul that was against. (so for some time there were 2 separate half-Tulkases)

Then come facts that are mine already, but not yet the story itself, because who was born when and where is not very fascinating. So… Arien had 2 sons from Melkor. One of them, Aegman by name, had too much resemblance with his father so she gave him away to some other ainu lady (dark one) to bring up. The other child, Daenar, was not so much like Melkor in appearance, but turned to be quite a monster, unlike Aegman who was just a normal Vala. Daenar somehow felt the offence, anger and hatred Arien felt towards Melkor, and these feelings changed him into something, having more in common with wights, only he could not drain souls, only blood. But his character traits were very wight-like. So when he grew up – and was scaring his mother a lot – he left and wandered about the Void all alone and very angry. (so his fate was much more like his father’s)

The part of Tulkas’s soul that remained outside Arda had a bit of adventure to – but it finished quickly, when he met a wight princess Eng’Lliss (Ungoliant’s cousin, and later the new Queen). Sadly, but true, wight ladies often eat ainur after mating with them, and it happened this time too, and Tulkas didn’t even try to defend himself – what could a torn-away part of a soul do? :(((  But something remained… a son I mean, Telron by name. Later he became quite a nuisance for his mother and other ladies in power, constantly doing something against them.

And the last for this letter I guess will be that EngLliss’s daughter, Gel-enn’aian, seduced Aegman, which also ended up with a kid – and Gella’s failure to kill Aegman after their child was born. That child, Alcar, was consequently brought up by Aegman, though some wight features couldn’t be erased by any bringing up.

The story itself however begins much later, in the IV Age, and particularly the year 303, when the Doors of Night were opened and Melkor returned to Arda (and some other guys got insto Arda as well, namely Daenar & Aivare, son of Eru and EngLliss.) But that  will be the point of the next letter...
It was a letter originally, but as many people ask for some explanations, I post it here.

The continuation is here
The second part [link]
The third part [link]
The fourth part [link]

And here’s the link to the family tree of the wights, with some more explanations there. Hope it’s comprehensible. ;) [link]
© 2010 - 2024 Lirulin-yirth
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philippeL's avatar
Interesting... This is the kind of Tolkien literature that *JocelyneR was talking about. I am printing those chapters now ;)