Discussion The Works of Curufinwë (discussion)

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Chapter 1

I really like how you just jumped in with the action, setting us up right away in the halls of Aulë, and not a bunch of long description or backstory in the beginning to get through before the “real action” starts. With my awful attention span, I appreciate jumping right away into whatever you found most interesting. I’ve tried to implement this in my own writing. If I find something boring, more often than not I find I can get away with just not writing it. Usually the scene flows well enough just with the stuff I find interesting, and if I included boring things out of obligation, it would drag the pace, I think.

Also, I think Aulë having “coppery” skin is a really cool idea and a unique take on his appearance! I like when the appearance of the Valar reflects their domain in some way.

Curufin had felt proud, hearing of this at home. Now, he is simply intimidated.

Aww, Curvo! 🥺

Celegorm would always speak up first, without fail, and Curufin could then bounce off him, taking inspiration from him and running with it.

Interesting idea on one reason why Celegorm and Curufin have such a close bond. It’s something I’ve wondered about lately, and attempted to explore, since they’re so different.

"It's just not there...!"
"What is 'not there'?" Fëanor's voice sounds from behind him.
"Even though I made this, and I did my best, it still doesn't look like me." Curufin raises his head and turns to his father. "When you make things, especially gemstones, I think I see them reflecting you. When I make things... well, my things don't do that. I thought maybe when I made a gem for the first time, I would be able to see just a little bit of something more in it. But even though it shines like it's meant to, it's still only the sum of its parts."

Aww, Curvo (again)!

Here he is, sitting at his desk and staring at the list of things he has to create new names for,

As a fantasy writer, that’s a big mood. Also, I've never thought much before about the Noldor having to literally invent new words, but it definitely does seem like something they'd be set on doing!

He glances at the other desk, where Celegorm appears to be playing dead, slumped face-down onto his paper. Curufin's elder brother is even worse off in that he has to create new words for a hundred abstract concepts. Not to mention that unlike his patient and dexterous younger sibling, he still struggles to write in perfectly-formed tengwar. Caranthir the Boring, of course, had already finished his lessons hours ago so he could spend the rest of the day doing... whatever it is that Caranthir does, in his preference for solitude.

This made me go ???? (at Celegorm playing dead) and then it made me giggle as it went on! Caranthir the Boring. RIP.

Maedhros, however, could be reasoned with.

He reaches over and pats Celegorm gently on the head. "Come brother, let's go find Maedhros. I'm sure he will aid us in our toil, if we ask him nicely."

Always, lil bro! 😌

Curufin trots through the door to join his brother. Maedhros is seated at his paper-strewn desk, leaning his head on his hand. His face is serious, with the slight bewildered look of those who have been suddenly pulled from deep thought. Curufin hesitatingly comes to a halt. His eldest brother glances at him. "I... haven't even written a single word." Curufin mumbles, looking embarrassed. "I might need some help also."
Celegorm takes Maedhros' hand and tries to get him to stand up. "Brother, please... I don't want to be languishing in that room all day long! If you show me how you work it out, it might help me to understand. And I'll be able to figure it out myself from there."
Curufin approaches and hugs Maedhros' other arm softly, cheek pressed against his brother's shoulder. Celegorm looks desperate. "Please..." he says again. Maedhros sighs. He squeezes Celegorm's hand briefly, then ruffles Curufin's hair. Curufin turns his face upwards with a slight smile. Then freezes, as Maedhros is looking right at him, with an expression he had not expected. "Curufin... I'm not falling for that again."

This was so cute!

Curufin grins and holds his hand out to Maedhros, who raises an eyebrow and clasps it in his much larger hands. "That was fun, big brother. Thanks for playing with us!" Curufin winks cheekily, then pulls away and runs off with Celegorm in tow before Maedhros has a chance to respond.

Maybe my brain cells are all off-duty due to illness, but I’m a bit confused by this. Are they implying Maedhros is going to play with them whether he likes it or not, or that conversation in and of itself was play?

Great chapter, overall! I especially liked the vivid sensory descriptions in the beginning of the chapter. I understood the setting and what was going on very easily, without a ton of excessive description or background.


Chapter 2

Furthermore, she detested the oath Curufin swore with his father and brothers.

Whoa, we’re moving along in the timeline quite speedily!

Hear that, brain?? *tries to pass the memo to my brain, who wants to spend 50,000 words on interpersonal shenanigans taking place before the Silmarils are even made*

Or perhaps his emotions have simply all been spent for now, following the wrath and turmoil of their departure.

Yeah, that’s understandable. I’m in a similar spot right now, being so far past all grief and disappointment that all I feel is a dull numbness.

Curufin folds his arms, studying his brother's face. He wonders if he looks just as terrible.

Wow, thanks bro! 🫤

“Celebrimbor doesn't know why, but he feels like crying. And yet looking at the faces of his uncle and father, he decides to keep that feeling hidden. He knows there was a battle to obtain the ships, but he had been left with the people bringing their provisions, and did not see all that had happened. More people had died in the battle, certainly, just like his great-grandfather the king, and yet this time he feels it would be a dangerous thing to grieve. Celebrimbor is perplexed. He rests his chin on his hands. He is sure there is a better word than 'dangerous' for this feeling. What could it be, now...? Cowardly? Disrespectful? ...Hypocritical? He cannot tell. But mulling over insignificant details is what he'd rather be doing now, in any case. He hugs his knees to his chest and lets out an almost imperceptible sigh. But for the splashing of the oars, all is now silent. No... there is something else. Celebrimbor hears weeping in the distance, a directionless sound carried in the salt of the sea air, and he closes his eyes, listening to the wind that cries where he cannot.”

Aww, that’s really sad, not even having the time to grieve.

Again, great job with the sensory descriptions in the part with the storm! I felt like I was there. Also, the Silmarillion opera soundtrack for this scene would be a great backdrop to accompany it. Pirate Fëanorians go arrrrr!

Suddenly, Curufin feels his eyes drawn to a point just above the foot of a mountain. Drawn by a very heavy presence.

I wondered at first if they were getting close to Middle-Earth and sensing Morgoth, and to have it be Mandos was a surprise, yet it made sense. It’s a cool way of showing the Fëanorians are now enemies with the Valar.

Seek the pardon of the Valar, those who remain static in their grief and let their wayward kin do whatever he wishes? They barely heed the death and destruction Morgoth deals, and yet are so very quick to tell the Elves to halt once they wage a war of their own.

I felt this one. It’s a good way of putting the Fëanorians’ predicament into words. I’ve always been sympathetic to their grievances against the Valar, even though the kinslaying was obviously wrong.

Overall, I’m finding it really interesting so far how you’re going through these different eras of Curufin’s life with brief snapshots. And in this case, you touched on some relatively low-key moments between the major action scenes, which I usually tend to find more interesting when getting to know a character. This is a good way of keeping the overall project manageable (again, my brain could stand to take notes) so you get through the whole timeline without getting utterly derailed by, say, Celegorm having an existential crisis or Maglor having beef with Fëanor… *cough cough* And I know you’re trying to keep it pretty Silm-accurate, so I’m guessing you’re more trying to fill in the gaps rather than going through stuff the Silm covers in detail.

I also liked, and found interesting, that this chapter was mostly focused on Curufin, Celebrimbor and Maedhros. This is another good way of keeping it focused so you can keep moving along, because if there’s too many characters, that inherently introduces much more conflict and internal thoughts and such.


That's all the brain energy I have to spare for now, especially since Chapter 3 looks intense. But I'm really excited to see where you go with it when I'm able to pick it up again! Great work so far!

Also, I really appreciate how you've organized all this, with the Table of Contents and the links to the different chapters, and the posting of word counts. It really helps me know what to expect, and jump around easily since my brain doesn't like to read things in linear order and all that.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I really like how you just jumped in with the action, setting us up right away in the halls of Aulë, and not a bunch of long description or backstory in the beginning to get through before the “real action” starts. With my awful attention span, I appreciate jumping right away into whatever you found most interesting. I’ve tried to implement this in my own writing. If I find something boring, more often than not I find I can get away with just not writing it. Usually the scene flows well enough just with the stuff I find interesting, and if I included boring things out of obligation, it would drag the pace, I think.

The only potential issue with this is that people without much knowledge of the Silmarillion events and timeline might feel a bit lost. But I assume anyone reading Silmarillion fanfiction has at least some recall of what events happened when.

Anyway, my intention with this was to follow Curufin through the pages of the book. The first thing I did before writing was to look in the book's index for all mentions of Curufin and Celebrimbor, and use those as my starting points for what parts of Curufin's life I should focus on. The first chapter was inspired by the part in 'Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië' where it says that Fëanor and his sons were often guests in the halls of Aulë.
And of course I then used it to introduce little Curvo's love of craft, both working with his hands and persuading/manipulating others. Since his 'works' are the main focus of the story.

This was so cute!

Lol. Little Curufin trying to use his innocent baby eyes and a soft lil hug on Maedhros to get what he wants.
Maedhros: 😐 I see your deception this time, but it is hard to resist.

Maybe my brain cells are all off-duty due to illness, but I’m a bit confused by this. Are they implying Maedhros is going to play with them whether he likes it or not, or that conversation in and of itself was play?

Yes, the conversation itself was play. To Curufin, this kind of manipulation attempt is fun. Maedhros being perceptive enough to see through the attempt is him 'joining in' with Curufin's game. From Curufin's perspective, at least. Maedhros doesn't see it like that, which is why he's confused. 😂

Again, great job with the sensory descriptions in the part with the storm! I felt like I was there. Also, the Silmarillion opera soundtrack for this scene would be a great backdrop to accompany it. Pirate Fëanorians go arrrrr!

Funnily enough, when I first heard the 'storm' in the Silmarillion opera, it immediately brought to mind the scene I had written, even though I had written it months beforehand. I took it as a good sign, since the opera is also supposed to be closely based on Tolkien's writings.

Overall, I’m finding it really interesting so far how you’re going through these different eras of Curufin’s life with brief snapshots. And in this case, you touched on some relatively low-key moments between the major action scenes, which I usually tend to find more interesting when getting to know a character. This is a good way of keeping the overall project manageable (again, my brain could stand to take notes) so you get through the whole timeline without getting utterly derailed by, say, Celegorm having an existential crisis or Maglor having beef with Fëanor… *cough cough* And I know you’re trying to keep it pretty Silm-accurate, so I’m guessing you’re more trying to fill in the gaps rather than going through stuff the Silm covers in detail.

I do write about scenes described in the book, but only if they're significant to Curufin's story in particular. For example, I didn't write about the Kinslaying itself, because it would just be a battle scene. What's more significant to his character arc is his reaction to what happened there, which in this case is only fully processed after the event itself.

I do write a couple of battle/fight scenes in this story, but they're not 'just' a fight: they are necessary in order to understand Curufin's next 'character arc' moment.

And of course, pretty much everything involving Curufin in the 'Beren and Lúthien' Silm chapter will be explored, since it all affects or changes him in some way.

What I actually try to avoid here is covering ground that I've already seen done in a lot of other fanfictions. Of course, my own take on those moments would be a bit different to theirs. But it wouldn't be different enough, and it would take some of the interest out of writing this. Or it would take the focus away from my main theme of Curufin's 'works'.
As I'm covering such a long period of time, I think it's important to have a main focus or theme, as the Silmarillion is such a vast book that it would just be impractical to focus on every single possible detail of Curufin's life.

That's all the brain energy I have to spare for now, especially since Chapter 3 looks intense. But I'm really excited to see where you go with it when I'm able to pick it up again! Great work so far!

Thank you very much for your comprehensive review/reaction. ☺️ It's always nice to see the various different things people pick up as they read.

Also, I really appreciate how you've organized all this, with the Table of Contents and the links to the different chapters, and the posting of word counts. It really helps me know what to expect, and jump around easily since my brain doesn't like to read things in linear order and all that.

I'm glad it's helpful! I just thought about what would be useful if I were the reader.
Therefore I also have 'return to top' links on each post, so you don't have to scroll up for a long time to get to the table of contents or the discussion thread link. This will be especially useful for my longer chapters towards the end.

And the word counts for the chapters is so people know what they're getting into.
I personally find it annoying if I only have a little bit of time to read something, and I start reading it, but the chapter turns out to be really long and really interesting, or there's no good place to stop halfway. If I know in advance that it's going to be long, I can save reading it for when I have more time.

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

I waited till now to give my analysis good and proper as I needed to focus on schoolwork this week. Oh, Elf, many thoughts do I have which have clamored to be put down!

A shadow demon swings its sword at him from the side, and he leaps back— right into the axe blade of the greatest Balrog.

Ouch.

It makes no move with blade or flame. Is it uncertain? Slowly, it turns away from them. Before Curufin can guess any further at its intentions, the shadow demon leaps clear over the soldiers of Celegorm without a backwards glance. The Balrogs retreat, their fire fading quickly and their shadows becoming indistinguishable from the murky northern darkness.

I'm picturing Morgoth sending messages to the Balrogs, "You idiots! You were supposed to capture him, not kill him! Get back here, Great Balls of Fire!" Please admire. (Guys, we need humor to get through this chapter!)
Okay, now on to solemnity.

what Curufin sees there disturbs him mightily. Fëanor's mind, once clear as a crystal and bright as a star, is shattered into pieces like glass. Curufin wonders how long it has been splintering away like that. Did none of them see it? Or has it only become visible now that Fëanor's body is utterly spent?

What a fascinating description of something that can't be physically seen but is "spiritually seen"-- and yet is also specifically suited to who Fëanor Is (yes, intentional capitalization). It's as if Curufin is watching his father disintegrate from within, mental shields falling down bare to the fatally wounded essense of life.

Fëanor is silent. Then his expression hardens, with something steely and uncharacteristically cold in his gaze that Curufin has never seen before.
When next Fëanor speaks, his voice, a halting whisper at first, grows louder and stronger, until it almost matches the one that made the Oath.
"Morgoth... Maker of lies... Maker of strife. May his own words deceive him, consume him, and bring him to nothing. Morgoth, craven who shuts himself in an iron jail of his own design. May his prison of doom never yield him up until the world breaks. Morgoth, foe of the world! May the light burn his hands and eyes for all the grief and evil he has wrought, leaving him in darkness forever."
Fëanor looks directly at Curufin, gaze bloodshot yet shining bright. His eyes land on each of the brothers in turn.
"Hold to your oath, my sons. He has taken so much from us all. He..." Fëanor's voice falters. "Avenge your father, as I..." His eyes darken, his voice weakens once more. "I... could not avenge mine." His breath catches, agony written in his face.
Yet there is... something else there too. Is it hopelessness? Despair...?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Why does Fëanor have to doom his sons?😭Bro, I'm sorry you lost your father, but now to give up your sons to a hopeless Oath... NooooooOOoOOooOOOOOOOOoo. I think this part of Fëanor's arc is so very tragic. He's dying, and there is no repentance, and even if there were, how could there be redemption at this time without a Savior? Curufin's thoughts pretty much cover such.

Leaving the Oath aside would be unthinkable; as far as he is concerned, that ship has long since sailed.

Not only has it sailed, it's burned. (You set me up too well. I had to.)

Maglor, whose hand rests on Fëanor's head, looks as though he would be praying, but his eyes are open; he can no longer find it in himself.

🥺

Curufin spies a bright light flickering fiercely in their depths, growing nearer and stronger and—
Curufin falls back in shock.
White and red flames flow out from his father's body, silently flaring upwards and disappearing. An ashy cast is left behind, which soon dissipates into the wind like a cloud of smoke.

I really appreciate this up-close-and-personal look at how Fëanor now literally disintegrates. The spirit of fire cannot be contained in life, and in death... well... may he find repentance and healing. In that order, for healing cannot come without such. ALSO, SIMILAR but DIFFERENT to how Saruman's spirit dissolves in ROTK, where his is blown back and dissipated into the wind, rejected from Valinor. Eerie connection.

Caranthir is the first to leave, muttering something sharp and unintelligible under his breath.
Maedhros follows him, and soon his distant voice is heard giving orders.

Celegorm rises swiftly and strides away without a word.

The twins depart lightly, the sound of each step hesitant, weary.

The wind howls through the rocks of the mountain, the soldiers have all gone.

Maglor rises to his feet with an effort. Curufin hears a shaky sob, from pain, sorrow or both. Maglor stays standing for a moment. "Curufin... come along now." His voice, though weakened, is clear and distinct as always.
Curufin does not move.
Soon, his brother's unsteady footfalls recede away into nothing.

I have never seen anyone describe the "turn order" in which the sons leave their father's body, er, ashes, er, nothingness. I kind of assumed they just left at the same time. This is very fascinating to me, and I also appreciate how their departures are individualized to who each of them is.

The wind howls.

The wind changes direction. He feels it more strongly, beating against his body.


The wind dies down.

The same continuous wind which took his father away from him. 🥺

Silence.

Slightly disturbed dust falls in a tiny stream down the slope.


Silence.



Nothing more.




Nothing.

The spacing and repetition of these short, broken thoughts are very evocative. Curufin is numb, and we feel it through this detached, emotionless, deadpan simplicity.

Curufin feels a hand on his shoulder and straightens up. How long has he been here?
Maedhros stands there, his face gentle, though his eyes burn with a determined rage against the Enemy that Curufin himself has not the strength to harbour in his own mind yet.
Amras appears on Curufin's other side and helps him stand.

Curufin keeps his head bowed as they walk. To his dismay, he must remain leaning on Amras the entire way, unable to stand on his own, even as they enter a newly constructed encampment.
Celegorm meets them and Curufin looks up at him, ashamed and helpless, as his brother grips his hand and mutters something. Curufin shakes his head, not even grasping what people are saying anymore.

I find it intriguing who comes back for him, also distinguishing the twins here with only one's appearance. At first, their departure was as one, and here we get a glimpse of something different between them.

He wants to fix things for people.

Oh, Celebrimbor. Yet to learn some things which cannot be fixed. 🥺

"Get well soon."

Oh, precious heart.🥺

Curufin still finds himself waking suddenly from dreamless sleep, his body weeping or trembling of its own accord. He wipes his damp palms on his tunic, frowns.

Fascinating. As far as I could tell, Curufin did not "weep" in the literal sense, and yet, even more viscerally, it seems his essence is doing for him what he can't. Perhaps this is a soul-effect made physical, his spirit's grief made tangible where in his body he cannot produce such normally. Like how we saw Fëanor's soul shatter, we see Curufin's soul cry.

He will try his hardest to preserve the tools of his remaining family, so their lives, perhaps, may be preserved too.

Mmm, already, we see Celebrimbor has a fascination in preserving things. Such a mindset surely is developing for the future... oh, the foreshadowing, oh, the foreshadowing.

Very, very well done in this chapter. I'm genuinely amazed by the depth of it.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I'm picturing Morgoth sending messages to the Balrogs, "You idiots! You were supposed to capture him, not kill him! Get back here, Great Balls of Fire!" Please admire. (Guys, we need humor to get through this chapter!)

The elves at this point: Wow, we drove them off easily. 🙂 *a little doubt in the back of their minds at how easy this was*

Balrogs: Next time, we won't make the same mistake. 🙂

*not long after*

Maedhros: haha, I'm in danger 🫠

Not only has it sailed, it's burned. (You set me up too well. I had to.)

🥁 😂

Yeah, Curufin is a little confused at the moment. Like they've gone to all this trouble so far, sworn a very serious Oath, and suffered so much already: why on earth would they give up now?
Little does he know what the future holds. 🥲

I really appreciate this up-close-and-personal look at how Fëanor now literally disintegrates. The spirit of fire cannot be contained in life, and in death... well... may he find repentance and healing. In that order, for healing cannot come without such. ALSO, SIMILAR but DIFFERENT to how Saruman's spirit dissolves in ROTK, where his is blown back and dissipated into the wind, rejected from Valinor. Eerie connection.

The moment was kind of eerie to write too. I had a very vivid mental image of what Fëanor's death looked like.
It must have been very unsettling and painful for Fëanor himself, to feel his own spirit tearing itself away from the extremities of his body first, and then exiting through his face and chest, the whole process outside of his control. Elves aren't really designed to die and leave their bodies, after all. And Curufin sees his spirit 'drawing nearer' through his eyes, before the flames actually come out.

I have never seen anyone describe the "turn order" in which the sons leave their father's body, er, ashes, er, nothingness. I kind of assumed they just left at the same time. This is very fascinating to me, and I also appreciate how their departures are individualized to who each of them is.

Also, I had Maglor and Curufin sit the nearest to Fëanor. Though all Fëanor's sons loved him greatly, it made sense to me that these two would have a closer bond with him, as their crafts form a great part of their identity, similar to him.

Oh, Celebrimbor. Yet to learn some things which cannot be fixed. 🥺

Oh, precious heart.🥺

Indeed, he is very sweet. And yet we all know what the future holds for him, too. 🥲

Fascinating. As far as I could tell, Curufin did not "weep" in the literal sense, and yet, even more viscerally, it seems his essence is doing for him what he can't. Perhaps this is a soul-effect made physical, his spirit's grief made tangible where in his body he cannot produce such normally. Like how we saw Fëanor's soul shatter, we see Curufin's soul cry.

Yes, I would say that's accurate.
It's a real thing, too. Though it didn't happen while I was asleep, in the past I have experienced moments where I trembled and shivered uncontrollably, as though I were cold or had a fever, without either of these things being true. At the time, it confused me (and I piled on the blankets, just in case I was cold!), but later on I realised it was an effect of being so deeply stressed or distressed that my mind was simply not capable of processing or comprehending all that had happened.

Mmm, already, we see Celebrimbor has a fascination in preserving things. Such a mindset surely is developing for the future... oh, the foreshadowing, oh, the foreshadowing.

Very, very well done in this chapter. I'm genuinely amazed by the depth of it.

And again: there is more to come! Not only will you find foreshadowing, but also references or echoes of things which happened in past chapters (though the circumstances and characters involved may differ).

While writing, it really felt like I had numerous, various threads in my head all at once, waiting for the moments where I could tie them back in to the main plot-line. In a sense, the story really was 'woven'. Some threads are shorter, going from one middle-chapter to another, others are longer, going from the beginning to the very end.

I also approached this piece of writing more like a drawing. As you noticed, even spacing between lines and punctuation are used to add to the effect, when using words alone would not convey the image well enough, to my mind.
Even elements of poetry are present: my word choices for each sentence were very careful, as I was also trying to match a certain rhythm of syllables in my mind, which is not constant, but varies with the action or picture I'm trying to convey.

So... hmm... there are elements of Music and Tapestry in here, which is very interesting. 😉

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Chapter 4, 'Band of Steel'

This chapter is the shortest. However, it took me some time to write, as I tried to find the right words to effectively convey the mental images I had for these scenes, as well as to convey Curufin's thoughts and feelings.

 

[WatcherWraith]

Though Curufin and I are dissimilar in terms of personality, I recognized the way he came to terms with his emotional reactions, and even identified them, very well. And the utter silence. He spoke all of once the entire chapter, when he handed the ring he crafted to his son. I wonder if that ring is or will become something important.

I think I particularly resonated with this part:

Each stroke of the hammer echoes through him, with a feeling of air passing by an open wound. Each motion of his hands reopens it, as they must. He realises. He is cut to the heart.
He shrugs, and does not relent.

The way Curufin seeks and seeks and seeks to control himself, to master his own reactions and thoughts and feelings. He can acknowledge they're there, but by heaven, if they don't make sense they will be done away with. Because, ultimately, Curufin is resolved never to lose control of himself.

Or at least that is how it appears to me.


Maedhros setting aside the crown. I was slightly surprised by the time-jump, and wondered why you decided not to show Curufin's reaction to not only his brother's capture but his rescue by Fingon. Then the realization of his wound....In any case, like Fëanor's choices, the eldest brother's have decided the fate of the Noldor, and technically he did it without consulting any of his siblings. Possibly one of the reasons Curufin feels betrayed.

What has this decision done to Maedhros? Possibly made him feel inadequate, brought him to terms with what his father did in abandoning Fingolfin on the shores of Alqualondë, and opened a wound inside him he cannot face except with despairing resignation. In many ways, Maedhros, Celegorm, Caranthir and Curufin at least are much like their father, and especially in their stubbornness. I have yet to see how Maglor and the twins will handle their emotional responses, but it will probably be something private, composed into a lonely song for Maglor(walking by himself somewhere, no instrument but his own voice lifted up in some form of lamentation), and a grief shared for the twins as they go off hunting together until they can talk it out by themselves.

Anyway, this was an emotionally stacked chapter. Thank you!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

The way Curufin seeks and seeks and seeks to control himself, to master his own reactions and thoughts and feelings. He can acknowledge they're there, but by heaven, if they don't make sense they will be done away with. Because, ultimately, Curufin is resolved never to lose control of himself.

Pretty much exactly.

Though it's not only whether his reactions and feelings make sense: it's whether or not he deems them appropriate for the situation.
He has decided not to argue against Maedhros, since logically, this is the most practical way to deal with their current situation. Cold logic is normally how he operates, and he usually restrains his stronger emotions if he sees they won't help in the situation. E.g. he'll be coolly polite to people he doesn't like, because showing open dislike might do nothing but make things difficult for him or get him in trouble, which ultimately restricts his freedom or messes up his plans.

However, the emotions he's currently feeling are much too strong to be brought under any logical control, and cannot be reasoned away at all. Which is a new and unpleasant experience for him. (His reaction to Fëanor's death doesn't count, since his ability to reason was taken away then, too.)

Maedhros setting aside the crown. I was slightly surprised by the time-jump, and wondered why you decided not to show Curufin's reaction to not only his brother's capture but his rescue by Fingon.

Maedhros' rescue is one of the parts I skipped over due to it not being tied closely enough to my main theme. It is also something I have seen done a lot in fanfictions, and I've seen a wide range of interpretations of Curufin's reaction to it. I don't think I'd have anything new or interesting to add here, since 'my' Curufin is not that different from all the others.

However, what happened there still influences Curufin's state of mind: Maedhros' rescue by a son of Fingolfin is a significant factor in his emotional turmoil.

Curufin feels betrayed at the loss of the kingship. He shakes his head. This is ridiculous.
Personally betrayed, as though his brother is favouring others over his own family with this. He smirks. His own family, who never went to look for him. We listened to our reason.

He does not feel entirely justified in feeling the way he does, given that he and his brothers essentially left Maedhros for dead, and the crown is being passed to Fingon's family.

In any case, like Fëanor's choices, the eldest brother's have decided the fate of the Noldor, and technically he did it without consulting any of his siblings. Possibly one of the reasons Curufin feels betrayed.

From Chapter 13 of the Silmarillion, after Maedhros passes the kingship to Fingolfin:

But to this his brothers did not all in their hearts agree.

This implies that Maedhros' brothers did not argue with him much (or at all). They kept most of their disagreement to themselves. I would say it's because they all love and respect him, similarly to Fëanor (though the relationship is different, due to Maedhros having a different personality than their father). But also, no doubt they felt guilt and shame over not being the ones to rescue their brother. He has suffered a lot, and they don't feel like arguing with him yet.

...However, the irrepressible Celegorm still thinks 'King Tyelko' has a nice ring to it. :>

There is an intake of breath from Maglor, and an interjection from Celegorm. "If you wish to waive your claim also, brother, I shall be fain to lift the burden from your shoulders."

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Maedhros setting aside the crown. I was slightly surprised by the time-jump, and wondered why you decided not to show Curufin's reaction to not only his brother's capture but his rescue by Fingon.

Oh, and there's another thing. You may have noticed that Celebrimbor (at the end of chapter 3) thinks about the absent/captured Maedhros, but Curufin doesn't.

Morgoth's embassy arrived not long after Fëanor's death. Maedhros 'persuaded' his brothers to pretend to agree to Morgoth's terms (his impulsive decision probably spurred on by his own anger and grief).
While Curufin would have been present for this, he would not have been in any state to contribute to the decision or plan. He was in a complete haze, and ended up mostly 'asleep' in Celegorm's tent for a few days (as noted by Celebrimbor).

So the immediate impact of having his brother captured was lost. Then, once he was mostly recovered, he would have sunk into the same gloomy acceptance of this new loss as the rest of the brothers. (Morgoth told them he would release Maedhros if they abandoned the war against him, but thanks to their Oath, they can't do that. Additionally, they know Morgoth would most likely betray them again.)

 

[WatcherWraith]

Good grief, they really were hit with one tragedy after another.

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

Good grief, they really were hit with one tragedy after another.

Summary of the Sil in one sentence:

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Chapter 5, 'Fortress'

What's this? A new chapter already?? 🤯
Chapter 5 is also quite short, so I decided to post it early.

Relevant Silmarillion quote, from 'Of Beleriand and its Realms':

Between Himring and Dorthonion there was a pass, exceeding steep upon the west, and that was the Pass of Aglon, and was a gate unto Doriath; and a bitter wind blew ever through it from the north. But Celegorm and Curufin fortified Aglon and held it with great strength, and all the land of Himlad southward between the River Aros that rose in Dorthonion and his tributary Celon that came from Himring.

I also used this moment to show an intriguing conversation between Curufin and the adult (or at least close to full-grown) Celebrimbor.

 

[WatcherWraith]

Like Fëanor, he will only be swayed by his own decisions. Although his mind is tempered differently. Fëanor had been unyielding, and Curufin had thought him as indestructible as one of his great gems. Yet in the end, even this strongest of unyielding minds had been chipped away at and broken. Celebrimbor's fluent mind, on the other hand, could prove far more resistant against the Enemy and his cruel designs.

This broke my heart right in two. And offered perhaps my favorite insight into Celebrimbor's mind at the same time.
Long explanation incoming 😅:

As we all know, Celebrimbor's ambitions were great and he yearned to create a legacy rivalling that of his grandfather. He worked and labored, and yet for a long time made nothing more famous than the Doors of Durin, which was done in proximity with another, while Fëanor's was done alone and in secret. Now, when Annatar came and gave the smiths of Eregion inspiration to create the Rings, it is stated in The Silmarillion how Celebrimbor, at least, was the only one to craft the elven Rings, and these were the only ones untouched by Sauron's hand.

I don't know which of you may be familiar with the video games Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War. These tell the story of an alternate reality where Celebrimbor had not only worked on the 19 Rings, but had been captured by Sauron and forced to help him finish and perfect the One Ring. In this story, Celebrimbor was who gave the Ring a will of its own, and affixed a part of his own will into it, and he attempted to steal it for his own. For a while, it worked and he raised up an army of orcs with the power of the ring and fought Sauron. His attempt ultimately failed, and the main story of the games consists in the tale of how his wraith, cast adrift within the walls of Arda after his death and the death of his family, found a host in the body of a Gondorian Ranger who was slaughtered with his family in a dark ritual initiated by The Black Hand of Sauron(a character unique to the game). These two, the Ranger Talion and Celebrimbor, seek to conquer Mordor and inhibit Sauron's abilities in the land. But Celebrimbor's ultimate goal is not just vengeance and conquest of Sauron, it is conquest of his throne, too.

For the longest time I could see the connection between the Celebrimbor of the Silmarillion and the Celebrimbor of the game, but they were not quite the same person to me, and something was missing. Your words have provided the missing link. A mind fluid and powerful, capable of change and open to new things, yet as indomitable as Fëanor's, unsusceptible to any corruption...save that from within. And now I feel a great sense of satisfaction and relief.


As to the rest of the chapter, I found Curufin's character undergoing a strange change in my eyes. He was shrinking, especially in the last part. It was highlighted in his first observance of his son's greater height, but emphasized more sharply when Curufin recalled how his people were going to Celebrimbor for aid and not to him. I think he knows, somewhere inside his heart, he is lying to himself when he decides it is because his people just don't want to bother him about small matters.

The part where Curufin is contemplating his son's ability and nature was my favorite part. It was actually oddly precious, reminding me of the many times my own father has pointed out my own potential or that of my siblings and how he wants us to realize that potential. Despite the Oath, despite his own reticent nature, despite the consuming work, Curufin loves his son and truly wants him to become great, to become like the rest of his family: a shining light in his own skill and accomplishments. This manifests in a certain frustration with Celebrimbor's seeming lack of progress or ambition. And then...then he realizes he has simply not read the heart of his child.

Celebrimbor keep much to himself, thinking and thinking and turning things over and over again in his mind until he can solve them, and perhaps this is what his hands have been up to as well: creating little things, working, experimenting, creating, crafting, and yet all unsatisfied because the work has not provided the answer he seeks. Now, however, he may have found it, and may soon set to work learning what he can. And, because he holds the view knowledge gained should be knowledge shared, when he leaves his father's side and establishes Eregion far west in Middle-earth, his will be a city of craftsmen, and the elf-smiths shall shine with lights of their own, originated from that of their lord.

Oh, I dearly love the two characters you have polished here.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

This broke my heart right in two. And offered perhaps my favorite insight into Celebrimbor's mind at the same time.
Long explanation incoming 😅:

Don't worry about the long ramble, it brought me joy. 😊 (I'd heart your post twice if I could!)

I don't know which of you may be familiar with the video games Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War.

I have heard of these games, and have some idea of the roles the characters play in it, but I have never played them and don't have much knowledge about them. So they didn't factor into my portrayal of Celebrimbor.

For the longest time I could see the connection between the Celebrimbor of the Silmarillion and the Celebrimbor of the game, but they were not quite the same person to me, and something was missing. Your words have provided the missing link. A mind fluid and powerful, capable of change and open to new things, yet as indomitable as Fëanor's, unsusceptible to any corruption...save that from within. And now I feel a great sense of satisfaction and relief.

Really interesting that you find my character suits both of them, though.

As to the rest of the chapter, I found Curufin's character undergoing a strange change in my eyes. He was shrinking, especially in the last part. It was highlighted in his first observance of his son's greater height, but emphasized more sharply when Curufin recalled how his people were going to Celebrimbor for aid and not to him. I think he knows, somewhere inside his heart, he is lying to himself when he decides it is because his people just don't want to bother him about small matters.

That last bit was intentional on my part when writing.
The rest of your observation (about Curufin's 'change' over the course of the chapter) is a new perspective to me, but I definitely see where you're coming from.

I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to start this conversation between the two of them, actually. I already had an idea of what they'd be talking about, and how the conversation would end, but I didn't have all the exact wording planned out.
I had intended for Curufin to speak first (as he usually would), but I couldn't find the right words (just like Curufin). Then an idea came to me, and Celebrimbor (unexpectedly) spoke first, and from there, the rest of the conversation started clicking into place. Though I still definitely put a lot of thought into each exchange, and it was very slow going. I'm pretty sure each pair of responses between the two characters was its own writing session!

The rest of your analysis is very well observed. ☺️

Oh, I dearly love the two characters you have polished here.

So do I!
When I first read the Silmarillion, two characters I liked and understood were Fëanor and Celebrimbor. Perhaps this is why I mainly chose to roleplay Curufin years later, when I came across the forum: I can be close to both of them at once! 😂
While Curufin is most like me in terms of the way he thinks, I think I often act a bit more like Celebrimbor, and my way of relating to other people has a bit of both of them in it. Since I draw from my own personality and my experience of the world when writing, as I'm sure most people do.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Chapter 6, 'Dark Horse and Straight Shot'

This chapter is based on Chapter 16 of the Silmarillion, 'Of Maeglin'.

The interaction between Curufin and Eöl is taken directly from the book: all I have done is added Curufin's thoughts in between the lines of dialogue.

Here we have our first glimpse of how Curufin behaves towards someone he hates.

And yes, Curufin's horse is named 'Horse' (or 'Rocco' in Quenya). He likes giving things absurdly simple names. It's possibly a side effect of his particular sense of humour. 😂

(also, I just noticed this chapter is the exact same length as chapter 2, and I wonder how I managed that o_o)

 

[WatcherWraith]

I was about to say. Curufin, you intelligent elf, what the heck. You just named your horse "Horse". I can only imagine the sheer force of will Tolkien had to undergo, putting that name down under an elf of creative genius.

I recognized the dialogue as taken from the books, and it fit so well. Curufin's character is degrading, and we see it little by little as his temper becomes more and more like Caranthir's, as he picks up the habits of war as more soothing to his mind than anything else. And jealousy of Eöl is going to be a cancer eating away at him, not leaving even if he ever gets news of the Dark elf's death.

I wonder he called the gauntlet his new "invention", if Eöl already had it. Or maybe I'm just mistaken. It sounded like Eöl was already wearing one of those things and then Curufin just snatched up the idea, calling it "mine"!

The scene between Curufin and Celebrimbor seemed to emphasize their growing seperation. Celebrimbor no longer seeks to understand his father, nor tries to interact with him beyond acknowledging the information he is given. Their hearts are set on diverging paths now.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I was about to say. Curufin, you intelligent elf, what the heck. You just named your horse "Horse". I can only imagine the sheer force of will Tolkien had to undergo, putting that name down under an elf of creative genius.

Lol. This is more a side effect of my own portrayal of Curufin. He has a horse named 'Horse' and a cat named 'Cat' (Yaulë). I'm pretty sure the only horse named by Tolkien in the Silmarillion is Rochallor (Fingolfin's horse, which has a Sindarin name).

However, it's not impossible that Curufin's horse really was called that. After all, Celegorm has Huan, and 'Huan' just means 'hound' in Quenya. 😂

I wonder he called the gauntlet his new "invention", if Eöl already had it. Or maybe I'm just mistaken. It sounded like Eöl was already wearing one of those things and then Curufin just snatched up the idea, calling it "mine"!

No, it really is a new invention of Curufin's. He's just frustrated because when he looks at it, it has something 'missing' compared to Eöl's armour, even though it works perfectly well.

The black gleam of another's armour swims into his mind's eye. And the metal under his hand looks frankly empty.
How could that Dark Elf have put so much strength of spirit into his work?

It's the same issue he had as a child in the first chapter, when he asks Fëanor why his work doesn't 'look like' him. And Fëanor replies with this:

"Curufin... When you find your inspiration, you will find that a part of yourself will end up in the work created from that inspiration. It ensues naturally, and you will know it is happening as you craft it. Do not let it worry you, my son. You are still very young, and you might not yet know what resonates with your heart and spirit."

So it's not so much an issue of quality or construction in the physical realm, but one of elven 'magic', where Elven-made things usually have something more to them that mortals perceive as magical.


I imagined Curufin's 'armoured mittens' looking something like this.

It provides much more protection to the fingers, as they are entirely covered by a hard 'shell', instead of being separate.
And it really would be a new invention, since this is a later medieval style of armour. In the more ancient/mythical times of the Silmarillion, they seem to mostly use mail, rather than plate armour like this.

The scene between Curufin and Celebrimbor seemed to emphasize their growing seperation. Celebrimbor no longer seeks to understand his father, nor tries to interact with him beyond acknowledging the information he is given. Their hearts are set on diverging paths now.

Hmm, not quite. It's more showing that Celebrimbor knows his father very well, and is familiar with his strange quirks of communication (or lack thereof). He knows that Curufin is just not forthcoming about some things, no matter how much he is questioned. It does result in separation of a kind, but it is not something that troubles Celebrimbor too much, since Curufin has always been somewhat like that.

His father is strange like that, he supposes. A faint smile comes to his lips. Though it is somewhat entertaining when others get confused by it.

Celebrimbor is quite accepting of it, really. But whether or not that turns out to be a good thing remains to be seen.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I read Chapters 3 and 4! Discovered my lunch break is a good time to catch up on these things, since I'm usually passively browsing through Pinterest or Instagram while I eat lunch anyway. Gotta always be doing two things at once, or else I can't focus.

I can't easily give feedback from my phone, since I tend to switch between tabs for quotes and such, but I'll hopefully provide some comments after I get home tonight.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Chapter 3:

First of all, oof, the descriptions of Fëanor's fight with the Balrog had me cringing (in a good way). The way you described how battered he got was very concrete and vivid. I was shocked he was still alive by the end of it, even though I know how the story goes, lol!!

Immediately makes me feel bad for the sons, seeing their father go through that (and trying to carry him away). I know firsthand how traumatic it is to see a parent in really bad physical shape.

Still, what Curufin sees there disturbs him mightily. Fëanor's mind, once clear as a crystal and bright as a star, is shattered into pieces like glass. Curufin wonders how long it has been splintering away like that. Did none of them see it?

This was a really thought-provoking point. A good description of how Fëanor's madness has been long and gradual, but maybe those closest to him didn't notice till it was too late.

contending with his own pain for the mastery of his body.

This is cool imagery.

"Morgoth... Maker of lies... Maker of strife. May his own words deceive him, consume him, and bring him to nothing. Morgoth, craven who shuts himself in an iron jail of his own design. May his prison of doom never yield him up until the world breaks. Morgoth, foe of the world! May the light burn his hands and eyes for all the grief and evil he has wrought, leaving him in darkness forever."

I really liked the way you added your own words to "Fëanor cursing Morgoth thrice." It fits right in with the published Silm.

"Avenge your father, as I..." His eyes darken, his voice weakens once more. "I... could not avenge mine." His breath catches, agony written in his face.

🥺

Maglor, whose hand rests on Fëanor's head, looks as though he would be praying, but his eyes are open; he can no longer find it in himself.

I can relate to this on a personal level...

The acting monarch's automated smile softens as he marks the identity of his visitor.

Whoa, this time skip had me in a lurch!

There is one person he has not fixed anything for. His uncle Maedhros.

🥺

Chapter 4:

Curufin scrutinises his face, wondering if he will like this news.

Lol, something tells me you won't...

"The majority of my people followed Fingolfin and Finrod over the Grinding Ice. Do you think these would accept me so readily, over the princes who led them to Middle-earth and have shared their hardships thus far?"

I really liked what you presented as Maedhros' main argument. I've thought of a myriad of reasons as to why he gave up the kingship, but I think the mere argument of numbers, that the majority of the Noldor are (understandably) more loyal to Fingolfin, makes a lot of sense.

This is foolish. He has agreed with his brother's decision, and he must come to terms with it. You have not been betrayed.

Lol, Curvo, now do you understand how it is to be unable to accept something even though it's the most logical choice, because your heart's not in it? 😏

Celebrimbor glances over the ring. It is hardly something impressive. Even as a small boy, he had worked together with his father on far more difficult projects.

There is something about it.

Gently, he holds it to his heart. He spots his father in the middle distance, joining Caranthir by a small open fire. He softly shakes his head in disagreement, and puts the ring in a pocket on his belt.

Ooooh, I see what you did there!

Curufin winces, only because his brother is still wounded and such a shift in posture would have been difficult for him to execute. Or so he tells himself.

This was a cool line! Curufin's shoving down his true thoughts and feelings under the guise of concern. Very clever.

It kind of surprised me that you had Maedhros doing all this in a not-fully-healed state, because I guess in my mind, they only have the feast and negotiating with Fingolfin after he's basically as healed as he can be.

As you well know, I consider the capture and rescue of Maedhros to be the most interesting part of this time period of the Silm, and his rescue is probably my favorite Silm story. So it is disorienting to me to not have it touched on a whole lot, even though I understand why you did it. I do think the way you structured the time skips and your points of focus did make it a very clear connection between Curufin's grief over Fëanor, and that grief compounded by Maedhros' decision to give up the kingship.

Great job on these chapters and I look forward to reading the next ones when I have the time and brain energy!

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

First of all, oof, the descriptions of Fëanor's fight with the Balrog had me cringing (in a good way). The way you described how battered he got was very concrete and vivid. I was shocked he was still alive by the end of it, even though I know how the story goes, lol!!

Immediately makes me feel bad for the sons, seeing their father go through that (and trying to carry him away). I know firsthand how traumatic it is to see a parent in really bad physical shape.

Fëanor really didn't give up on life (and vengeance) until he had no other choice. 😬

And indeed, everyone is traumatised here. Literally everything that happens in this chapter has Curvo feeling like this:

I have previously thought that if Fëanor had no dying wish, and his sons had not taken the Oath alongside him in Tirion, Curufin might not have left Fëanor's side at all. There is a possibility in my mind that he could have just lain down beside him and died of grief. Or he could have come very close to it anyway, since there are still things giving him hope in life, like his son.

I really liked the way you added your own words to "Fëanor cursing Morgoth thrice." It fits right in with the published Silm.

❤️ I'm glad it had the desired effect!

I really liked what you presented as Maedhros' main argument. I've thought of a myriad of reasons as to why he gave up the kingship, but I think the mere argument of numbers, that the majority of the Noldor are (understandably) more loyal to Fingolfin, makes a lot of sense.

It also fits in well with what Maedhros says later on, after Thingol warns them that he is the Lord of Beleriand: "A king is he that can hold his own, or else his title is vain. Thingol does but grant us lands where his power does not run."

Lol, Curvo, now do you understand how it is to be unable to accept something even though it's the most logical choice, because your heart's not in it? 😏

He does, and he doesn't like it. 😖 Not one bit.

Ooooh, I see what you did there!

😏

It kind of surprised me that you had Maedhros doing all this in a not-fully-healed state, because I guess in my mind, they only have the feast and negotiating with Fingolfin after he's basically as healed as he can be.

He's healed enough to walk around and do most things by himself. But he's still having difficulties with... existing... in general. 🫠 As you saw when he was talking to his brothers. Like his mind and body aren't working together correctly yet.

And I guess he wanted to get things over with and remove the uncertainty, which is a potential source of conflict, and probably something weighing on his mind.

As you well know, I consider the capture and rescue of Maedhros to be the most interesting part of this time period of the Silm, and his rescue is probably my favorite Silm story. So it is disorienting to me to not have it touched on a whole lot, even though I understand why you did it. I do think the way you structured the time skips and your points of focus did make it a very clear connection between Curufin's grief over Fëanor, and that grief compounded by Maedhros' decision to give up the kingship.

Indeed, writing a lot about the aftermath of Maedhros' rescue would kind of remove the focus from the main 'direction' my story is heading.

Also, it is something I have seen done a lot in other fanfictions, with a variety of different reactions from Curufin. I don't think I'd be able to add any fresh perspective there, since my Curufin is not that different from the others. And that would take away some of the interest of writing about it, for me. It would be more interesting in an RP, where I have other people's thoughts to interact with, but not so much when I'm writing by myself, where my main thoughts about it have already been explored and solidified.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

It kind of surprised me that you had Maedhros doing all this in a not-fully-healed state, because I guess in my mind, they only have the feast and negotiating with Fingolfin after he's basically as healed as he can be.

Oh, and I just remembered another reason I had for this! (It's been a long time since I wrote this chapter)

"His body recovered from his torment and became hale, but the shadow of his pain was in his heart [...]" (Silm chapter 13)

I wanted to show more of the shadow of his pain, the aftereffects, rather than the acute pain and injury itself. If I had a scene from earlier in his recovery, things would still be pretty painful and gruesome (even though my version of Maedhros was only wounded in the battle where he was captured, and had no physical torture other than being hung from Thangorodrim).

Like we've already had that with Fëanor's death, I wanted to avoid too many 'graphic wounds' scenes in a row, as that would remove the impact from when I use them elsewhere in the story, where I think they are most necessary.

Maedhros' pain here is 'quieter', not so noticeable, but I took great care in describing how he looks and acts, leaving the reader to guess what he must be feeling like. It's a different sort of impact, of getting used to life again when before all you felt was unrelenting pain. Now that the pain is receding, and your life is no longer defined by it, how are you to go about living, breathing, looking at things, focusing, talking to people?