Discussion Ill Chances and Strange Fates Discussion

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I have finally begun to publish my main Silmarillion fanfic, Ill Chances and Strange Fates. I look forward to your comments!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Nice to see the beginning of this story's 'final form'. 🙂
I will be watching it closely as it progresses...

Something that stood out to me about this first part: the pain of waiting.
The freezing weather adds to the cold of loneliness or isolation these two must be feeling. Maedhros is separated from his family, with only their unmoving portraits to keep him company. And Maedhros and Aranya are separated from each other, even though they are in close proximity. Aranya most certainly wishes the distance between them would close, but she does not know if, when, or how long it will take, until she has more of a life with her love than she does now. Perhaps it is the same for Maedhros, but it appears his outlook on the situation is less hopeful, and his own wish is muted and buried under his obligations.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I didn't even think about those connections, but you're absolutely right! Maybe subconsciously, as a Michigander, I associate the winter with sadness and loneliness.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Maybe subconsciously, as a Michigander, I associate the winter with sadness and loneliness.

I mean, loneliness just feels cold on the inside, no matter where you live. Cold weather is reminiscent of the feeling.

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

Something else I'm just noticing now(I'm not sure if it's part of the edits or not) is your knowledge of snowy weather, given that your from Michigan. Someone like myself wouldn't add these details, even if they have read about them somewhere. Experiencing it makes them settle somewhere in your subconscious, and they come forth beautifully in this piece of writing.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Thank you! Yeah, I guess I know things about the cold that you wouldn't know if you live in a hot climate. Like, severe cold actually stings and burns, especially on your extremities like fingertips and nose. And it's hard to keep your fingers warm even if you wear thick gloves. And the big window in my room is drafty, so I'm usually cold sitting at my desk by the window to write or whatever.

(There's also some less-than-pretty cold things which I did not include, such as tons of snot coming out of your nose when you finally come in to a warm place after being in the cold.)

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

*internally laughing devilishly at the amount of surprise the other readers are going to get when they see the pair go from this to the mess the are at first...🤭*

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Thank you! Yeah, I guess I know things about the cold that you wouldn't know if you live in a hot climate. Like, severe cold actually stings and burns, especially on your extremities like fingertips and nose. And it's hard to keep your fingers warm even if you wear thick gloves. And the big window in my room is drafty, so I'm usually cold sitting at my desk by the window to write or whatever.

(There's also some less-than-pretty cold things which I did not include, such as tons of snot coming out of your nose when you finally come in to a warm place after being in the cold.)

Weirdly, I noticed these things myself when visiting France (it would usually be around Christmas). But never enough to bother me, so I doubt I would have included them in writing. 🤔

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

Also:

Readers: why would Maitimo the great diplomat need people to proofread his letters?

Why?!

WHY?!

*Maitimo committing language atrocities due to literally being incapable of thinking straight after a week in Cold-Cold the Ever-Cold*

Readers: Oooh that's why!

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Also:

Readers: why would Maitimo the great diplomat need people to proofread his letters?

Why?!

WHY?!

*Maitimo committing language atrocities due to literally being incapable of thinking straight after a week in Cold-Cold the Ever-Cold*

Readers: Oooh that's why!

THIS. THIS!!! 👆🏻

This made me crack up out loud!! 😂 Language atrocities indeed... Most of his brain cells went and said, I can't work in these conditions and they went on strike. Only two brain cells are on duty at the moment, and they're busy trying to keep him Alive™️ and his temperature regulated.

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

+ Giving heart eyes to Not Quite But Literally His Lady Wife™

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

+ Giving heart eyes to Not Quite But Literally His Lady Wife™

She's one of the brain cells keeping him alive and his temperature regulated.

Aranya: YOU LIVE LIKE THIS?! TRYING TO WRITE IN KHUZDÛL WHEN THERE'S LITERALLY SNOW IN YOUR HAIR???!! GO TAKE A HOT BATH AND GO TO SLEEP.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

TRYING TO WRITE IN KHUZDÛL WHEN THERE'S LITERALLY SNOW IN YOUR HAIR???!!

why is this me, though

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

Aranya: I'm literally 🤏🏼 far from committing homicide.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Aranya: I'm literally 🤏🏼 far from committing homicide.

Maitimo: *too brain dead to fully process what she's saying* Um, who are you planning on killing, exactly?

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

Maitimo: *too brain dead to fully process what she's saying* Um, who are you planning on killing, exactly?

Aranya: ...Well, you will know one way or another now.

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

Aranya: ...Well, you will know one way or another now.

I should be relieved Aranya is a healer and is not allowed to intentionally hurt someone, but for some reason this doesn’t settle the bad feeling I have here…

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

I should be relieved Aranya is a healer and is not allowed to intentionally hurt someone, but for some reason this doesn’t settle the bad feeling I have here…

Good.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Aranya: ...Well, you will know one way or another now.

Maitimo: *still clueless* But I can't imagine who you'd want to murder, since you haven't seen Tecno in hundreds of years and he's all the way in Hithlum.

(New nickname unlocked: Oblivitimo.)

 

[Ashley]

From what I've learned in the Chaotic thread, I was very confused and kept thinking Who's this Raiwen? And then it all made sense, but I was surprised I didn't realize it earlier. I like the way you said the other healers know about what's going on between them, and how she doesn't trust anyone else to take care of Matimo. Your description of Matimo's room was really good, especially how he has a bunch of pictures of his family. It's so like him to just keep on trying to work even though he about got frostbite.