Writing Challenge: Whom Do You Choose?

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A while back, during one of the tags I did, I sent a special question to all the bloggers I tagged.  Since then, I have decided to use it as a writng   prompt to anyone who is interested.  The goal will be to write a short story anywhere from 500 words to 2000 (or more, if you feel like it!) to answer the question within the following prompt:

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You are walking along, minding your own business, when suddenly you are magically transported into a fantastical world.  There, you are lost in a forest and pursued by mysterious dark creatures.  Just as you are about to be caught, a white-haired elf comes to your rescue, fighting the beasts off.  When he has disposed of them, he tells you that he has been searching for you and urges you to come with him to safety.  Before you can answer, another man appears, this one in black ominous robes.  His face is horribly scarred, and his eyes glint red.  He tells you that the elf is not what he seems, and is trying to kill you.  The scarred man says that he has been sent to find you, and demands that you come with him before it is too late.  The elf and the scarred man look as though they are going to fight over you.  Who do you trust?  The elf, or the scarred man?  Or do you take a third option?

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This prompt is open to anyone who would like to try it.  It doesn't matter if you are an experience writer, or just a curious reader wanting to explore the question.  

If you decide to do the prompt, post it on your blog and link back to me.  I will be posting my own version of the story soon, and I look forward to hearing your versions!  

Good luck!

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-Rayne Speryll

(DISCLAIMER:  I did not make the image in this post.)

Character Study: Thingol

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Art by Kimberly80 on Deviantart

For my third character study I have decided to do King Thingol/Elu, another character from the Silmarillion.  

Some might consider Thingol an arrogant and selfish monarch with an over-developed sense of pride.  That may be true, but there are many other aspects to his character that make him very dear to me.  Today, we shall take a closer look at him and discover what a true hero he is.

#1:  HE IS ROMANTIC

Now, I know this sounds kind of funny, but it's true.  One of the first glimpses of Thingol we get is how he meets his wife, the beautiful maia named Melian.  

Long, long ago, when the elves were first born into the world, the Valar set out to bring them to the safety of Valinor.  So they led the elves from their first home in Middle Earth and led them across the land to the sea shore.  There, they were to board the ships that would carry them across the sea to Valinor.  

But just before they were to depart, Thingol, who was at the time called Elu, was wandering in the hills.  There, he met Melian, a maia.  When they laid eyes on one another, they were enchanted with each other. Thingol reached out and gently touched Melian's hand, and they stood frozen, locked in one another's gaze.  

They stayed that way for a long time.  The elves who recognized Thingol as their leader refused to leave Middle Earth without him, and so they were left behind.  They stayed near the shores until the spell on Thingol and Melian was finally broken, and they returned to their people.  

#2:  HE IS A GOOD LEADER

He must have been, if his people refused to leave him behind.  They were promised paradise if they continued- it takes a lot of loyalty to stay behind for just one person.  In my experience, that kind of loyalty is only inspired by love.
After Thingol returns with his new wife Melian, they set up a new kingdom together.  Melian teaches the elves of the wonders of Valinor, and introduces the sophistication of the Valar's ways.  Keep in mind, they are working with elves who have had no education, no inkling of what culture or sophistication is.  They've never seen a real society, or even a real building.  But under the directions of Thingol and Melian, they set up one of the greatest kingdoms in Middle Earth.

#3:  HE IS PROTECTIVE

Some might take Thingol's refusal to help in the Silmaril Wars as selfishness, or perhaps even apathy.  But I interpret it as simply being protective.  He is doing his best to keep his people separate from a war that has nothing to do with them.  He is wise to do so- for what is the war other than a fight over three jewels?  Yes, those fighting the wars were trying to defend their people and drive Morgoth's evil from the land, but Thingol knew that if he entered the war, he would have to side with someone.  And doing that would mean making an enemy of one or more of the other factions of elves.
It isn't as though Thingol is afraid of battle.  He and his armies had driven many clans of orcs away from their lands many times.  Before the Noldor returned to Middle Earth, Thingol's people were already holding their own against Morgoth.
Because of this, I see Thingol as not so much selfish- but rather self-absorbed.  He cares about his people and will defend them readily- but he will not engage in a conflict that is not his own.

#4:  HE IS A GOOD FATHER (Sort of)

In the story of Beren and Luthien, Thingol plays the stereo-typical overbearing fairy tale father.  But if I were the ruler of a realm and some bedraggled homeless bum showed up uninvited and tried to romance my daughter, I don't think I'd respond well either!  Thingol's interactions with Beren when he finds out about his and Luthien's secret relationship are pretty much spot on for a protective parent in that situation.  

Thingol doesn't want to break his daughter's heart by executing the offending man, so instead he offers Beren the chance to prove himself;  go on a dangerous quest to retrieve one of the Silmarils from Morgoth's crown.  If Beren accepts the mission, he will most likely die, and thus be out of Thingol's hair.  If somehow he manages to survive and actually succeed in the mission, then he will have proved himself a hero, and Thingol would have no problem letting his daughter marry him.  It's a win-win situation.

Of course, Thingol makes mistakes, like any parent does.  But being as he is a prideful king, his mistakes are a little bit more extreme than most parents.  Locking his daughter up in a house in a tree, for instance, was not the best thing he could have done for her, even if it was to 'keep her safe'.   But still, there is no denying that he is a loving father.  When Luthien gives up her spirit to death after Beren dies, Thingol goes into a deep depression.  His daughter meant the world to him- and it was only her return from death that saved him from his illness.
(I should note that when an elf becomes depressed, it is extremely dangerous for them.  When they become too sad, it is actually possible for them to die of a broken heart, as was the case with Feanor's mother.  Tolkien describes Thingol's depression as a 'winter of the heart', and it is only Luthien who heals him.  I imagine that Thingol may indeed have been close to death, and it was only the return of his daughter that saved him.)
Later, Thingol adopts the young human child Turin, who is a relative of Beren's.  He did it in honor of his son-in-law, and eventually came to love Turin as he would have his own son.  This, I think, was very kind of Thingol.  He didn't have to take Turin as a foster-child.  He could have simply sheltered the boy from his enemies until he was old enough to take care of himself.  But no, when Thingol first meets the child, he picks him up and sets him on his knee and declares before the whole court that he has adopted him.  All the kingdom was amazed, for until that point, such a thing had never been done before between elves and men.

#5:  HE IS VAIN


Alas, though I have praised his virtues, I must also speak of Thingol's faults:  that is, his pride and vanity.  

While he is not afraid to admit he is wrong, it is rare for him to recognize his mistakes.  In his pride, Thingol fails to see his own folly until it is too late.  His vanity causes him to make poor decisions at crucial moments, which eventually leads to his demise, and the downfall of his kingdom.
It his pride that causes him to reject Beren at first, since Beren is a mere mortal, and Thingol does not like to deal with humans.  Thingol's pride delayed their union, and I imagine the guilt of that is part of what drove him into depression after their deaths.
When Luthien entrusts one of the Silmarils to her father, Thingol resolves to have it set in a necklace for himself.  Now to be fair, this is partly because the Silmaril is all he has left of his daughter.  But I suspect it is also because having a Silmaril was a great boasting right.  The entire world was fighting over these gems, and the fact that he had one had to be an immense source of pride for him.  So, ignoring the council of his wife, Thingol commissions the Dwarves to craft a necklace for him, using the Silmaril as the centerpiece.

The dwarves, becoming obsessed with the jewel, refuse to give the necklace to Thingol when he comes to claim it.  Thingol demands they give him his rightful property, but the dwarves murder him and claim that Thingol drew first- thus beginning the feud between elves and dwarves that has lasted ever since.  But though the dwarves took the first life, it was Thingol's pride and vanity that brought him into the situation in the first place. 

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As we can see, Thingol is a man of conflicting nature.  On one hand, he is a heroic, devoted leader and loving father who builds a kingdom from nothing.  On the other hand he is a vain, proud, self-absorbed narcissist who caused the eventual downfall of his own kingdom.  So was he a hero, or villain?  Perhaps an antihero?

In my opinion, he is a hero.  For every hero has his faults, though some are more obvious than others.  Thingol did his best for those he loved, despite his vices.  The tragic end to his story tends to cast a dark light on the rest of his life, but his good deeds still shine through for me.  As for you, my readers, you shall have to judge for yourselves.

-Rayne Speryll

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(DISCLAIMER: I do not own the image used in this post.  All credit goes to the artist who created it)

***  P.S!

With post #100 coming up soon, don't forget to come for my big announcement! ;)  I look forward to seeing you.

Happy Valentines Day!

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Happy Valentines, everyone!  :D  Coming Soon:  A Character Study on Thingol!

-Rayne Speryll

(DISCLAIMER: I did not make, nor do I own, any of the images within this post.  All credit goes to their creators, and the owners of their respective fandoms.)

My Digital Artwork Adventures

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So a couple of years ago, my dad got an ipad from his job as a teacher.  One of the programs he downloaded was called Paper, by 53, an art program that simulates very basic artistic tools such as pens, watercolor paints, and markers.  After a lot of practice, I finally managed to get a hang of the program, so I thought I'd share my work with you here!  

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Concept art for a novel of mine-

 A practice in the style of anime-

 Concept art for another character from yet another novel of mine-

This started out as a scribble, and then bit by bit became an actual drawing.  It wasn't meant to be anybody, but it ended up looking like a friend of mine.

 Fan art for the Kid Loki comics by Kieron Gillen.  This one depicts Loki and his best friend, Leah.  Their relationship was always a strange one, since he was openly smitten with her, and she was so stiff and unsocial that she barely knew what to do with him.

Another one of Kid Loki-

Fan art for Thranduil, King of Mirkwood-

Character Study: Mablung

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(WARNING:  The following post contains many spoilers for The Silmarillion)

I love the Silmarillion.  It's probably my absolute favorite book, currently.  It has so many wonderful characters that I love.  Starting with the elves, we've got Feanor, the proud and strangely villainous would-be hero who starts the great conflict.  We have his seven sons, including Maedhros, the tragic one-handed antihero.  We've got Fingolfin and Finrod Felagund, two magnificent heroes worthy of emulating, and Thingol, the mysteriously heroic and prideful king of the forest.  

Let's not forget the humans either!  There's Haleth, the woman who saved her father's people and led them to a safe land.  There's Hurin, who defied Morgoth at the cost of the safety of his family.  Turin, who as the result of his father Hurin's rebellion and his own pride leads one of the most tragic lives in the history of Middle Earth.  His relatives, Beren, who married Luthien the elven princess, and Tuor, who also married an elven princess, with much better results.  

Oh, and that's only beginning.  There are so many characters, and I love them all to death.  Literally, to their deaths.  It's depressing.  

With such a large cast, it's not surprising that some characters slip away from us as time goes on.  The standards live on, like Beren and Luthien, and Feanor and Finrod Felagund.  But today we're here to study one of the lesser known characters, and elf named Mablung.

Mablung was an elf who served as the captain of the guard Doriath, the kingdom of Elu Thingol.  He was one of those elves who never left Middle Earth, and had never seen the splendor of Valinor.  He and his people had refused to abandon their king when he went missing just before they were to leave on the ships.  They didn't know at the time that Thingol was missing because he had fallen in love with Melian, a Maia (same race as Gandalf, Sauron, and Saruman).  It worked out well for them, because as soon as Thingol returned with his new queen Melian, they set up their kingdom in the forests and became one of the greatest elven nations in history.

I don't know whether Mablung was first generation elf, or if he was descended from that first generation.  Regardless, he appears in several tales in the Silmarillion.  

We don't really know much about his history or personal life, but we can determine some things about his character if we take a close look.  

1.  HE IS NOBLE

It's clear enough from his appearances in the text that Mablung is noble.  He only ever acts and speaks with honor, even when he's speaking to someone he doesn't necessarily care for.  One particular story about him stands out in my mind.  There was once a time when a human girl named Nienor was traveling with her mother to meet her brother Turin, who lived far away.  Technically, she wasn't supposed to be on the journey, since their benefactor, Thingol, had counciled her to stay behind.  But Nienor was a stubborn girl and decided to go anyway.  Mablung accompanied her for their protection.  Unfortunately, they were attacked by Glaurung, a fearsome dragon.  Mablung and his company did their best, but they were no matched for a dragon.  After that, Mablung found himself alone in the middle of nowhere.  On top of that, he comes across Nienor, who as a result of the dragon's hypnotic spell, has become mute and unresponsive.  She stands as still as a statue, and will only move when someone takes her by the hand.

So Mablung was stuck with a poor witless human maid, leading her by the hand through the wilderness, worried at any moment that they would be attacked by a pack of orcs.  (As it turns out, that's exactly what happens, but they both survive.  It isn't really Mablung's fault that he loses her in the process.)

Still, his gentle treatment of Nienor speaks greatly of his noble spirit.  Mablung spends a great deal of time searching for her after the tragedy.

2.  HE IS RELUCTANT

Mablung isn't one of those characters who hears the hero's plan and automatically says, "Let me follow you, my brother, and I will give my life for your cause!"

Most of the time, Mablung is the one saying, "This matter does not bode well with me.  My heart tells me that this will come to naught but ruin!"  And usually, he's right.  Most of his adventures end with either failure or tragedy.  It's not really his fault, since he's always matched against some foe greater than himself.  His dealings with mortal men have all been disastrous, and it's a wonder he even has anything to do with them anymore.  

As a result of this, I think, Mablung has a rather grim outlook on life, and could be called pessimistic.  While he is wandering in the wilderness with Nienor, he despairs and says that surely he will be doomed to wander with the unfortunate mortal until they both die.  

3.  HE IS DUTIFUL

Even when his duties stink, Mablung sticks to them.  He stuck with Nienor even when it was tough.  He stuck with Thingol even when he didn't agree with Thingol's logic.  When Turin, foster-son of Thingol, was involved in the death of Saeros (real jerk of an elf), it was Mablung who partially witnessed the event and had to arrest Turin.  He was probably very familiar with Turin, being the captain of the guard, so that can't have been easy.  Now, Turin managed to escape from him before being brought to the king for judgment, but Mablung did his best, after all.  

4.  HE IS TRUSTWORTHY

Mablung is Thingol's right-hand man.  He, along with his friend Beleg Cuthalion, accompanied the king and Beren when they went to fight the ferocious Wolf, Carcharoth.  He's always the one leading the important expeditions from Doriath, and often serves as a messenger/ambassador from Thingol to various warriors in the surrounding lands.  

After Thingol's death, Melian, the queen refuses to speak to anyone but Mablung.  She warns him of the trouble that is coming to Doriath, and bids him to bring one of the Silmarils to Beren and Luthien.  That's quite an errand, by the way, considering that everyone in the world is currently fighting over the Simarils.  Mablung, despite his many failed errands, must have been extremely trustworthy for Melian to have given him such a task.  Not to mention that she wouldn't speak to anyone but him- which tells me that he must have had a personal relationship with the king and queen as well as a professional one.  

5.  HE IS STRESSED

This one ties in with reluctance.  I could be wrong, but he seems like the kind of guy who stresses a lot.  Maybe it's because every time he appears, he is troubled by whatever events are going on.  With good reason, of course!  He's present at some of the most tragic events in the Silmarillion.  He's always the one to doubt the wisdom of the action of the heroes, and his foresight allows him to live through several events that kill off other characters. So many of his errands end in disaster through no fault of his own, and yet he blames himself anyway.  Even though we don't get to see him a whole lot in the books, when we do, I get the feeling that the poor guy needs a break.  And maybe a hug.  Just like most of the other characters in the book.

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So, there you have my analysis of Mablung the Heavy Hand.  One of Doriath's finest, and every bit as heroic as many of the more famous elven princes of the time.  What do you think?  Do you agree?  Do you disagree!  Please let me know if I've made any errors concerning the events of the Silmarillion.  I had the book in my hands while I was writing, but it's easy to miss something and make a mistake.  If I have, feel free to correct me.  Gently.  ;)

I hope you've enjoyed this Character Study.  If you have any suggestions for more characters to analyze , let me know in the comments!

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-Rayne Speryll

(DISCLAIMER:  I do not own the image in this post.  All credit for the image goes to Champchock of Deviant Art)

The Joy of Christmas: A Christmas Short Story

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Merry Christmas, my dear readers!  I know it's a day late, but since yesterday I was so sick that I spent most of the day sleeping, I thought now was as good a time as ever to wish you happy holidays.  

A few years ago, I wrote this short story to post on a forum.  Now I thought I'd bring it out again to share it with you this Christmas.  Enjoy!

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The Joy of Christmas

A small fire flickered weakly, doing its best to spread its feeble warmth to the three poor soldiers who huddled near it. The sandbag walls did little to shelter them from the bitter cold snow-flurries that blasted over the hills.

Shivering, a soldier pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders and held his fingers closer to the flames. The holes in his worn, shabby mittens revealed pale, chapped fingertips, eager for a bit of warmth.

“Jimmy, mate, it's freezing! I don't know if I can stand it any longer.” He complained, his voice quivering.

Across the fire, Jimmy smirked. “You always did have a profound knack for stating the obvious, Sam.” He said sarcastically.

“Oh, come on, Jimmy, I'm just trying to make some conversation!” Sam protested.

“Well, save your breath, you'll need it to keep warm!” Jimmy replied.

“Alright, fellas, break it up. It wont' do us any good to argue. We're supposed to be on watch.” Said the third soldier.

“Good old Tru, always level-headed.” Jimmy sighed. “Are you really still thinking about duty? We're freezing our fingers off, and your mind is on duty?”

Tru shrugged. “I don't claim to be any less upset than you are, I just know it won't do for us to argue.”

The three fell silent for a time. After a while, Sam spoke up again. “I keep trying to think of something on the bright side... say, fellas, do you know what day it is?”

When the others failed to answer, Sam tried again. “I said, do you know what day it is? Tru, I know you've been keeping a calendar...”

“It's Christmas Eve.” Jimmy stated, staring into the fire. Sam looked down.

“Yeah.. and we're stuck out here in the middle of nowhere. I hate this war. I wish I'd never signed on! I'd give anything right now to be home with my family.” Sam laughed a little, shaking his head at the memories.

“Ma will be baking the apple pie- her own recipe! Pa will be bringing in some firewood, making sure the house is nice and toasty. And my little sisters, Jane and Anna, will be running around the Christmas tree, trying to guess what's in their presents.

Tim, good little lad, he'll be reading a book by the fireplace. And maybe Gramma and Grampa have arrived with Aunt Rudy and Uncle Jack. They always bring the best meat loaf. And cakes. And these special little cookies with frosting!”

Smiling, Sam looked up, wishing with all his heart he could somehow magically get back home; maybe in time for dinner. Dinner would be nice right about now.

“Well, what about you? What do your families do at Christmas?” Sam asked, trying to keep the conversation going. “If we can't celebrate with our families, we can at least tell each other about what it's like.”

“Alright, Sam.” Jimmy said, “If you really want to... I suppose I can humor you tonight.”

Jimmy scooted closer to the fire and began. “I don't usually celebrate Christmas with my family anymore... I guess you could say I'm a bit of a black sheep. But my sister, Jenny, still asks me every year. She and her husband, John, have four kids. Kyle, Jacob, Maria, and Katy.”

Jimmy, in spite of himself, began smiling. “Katy's just little. She and Maria are really sweet.” He laughed. “You know, it's funny how they take to me. Whenever I come to visit, they just run right up to me and jump in my arms. Especially Katy. She calls me Unkoo Dimmy. She and Maria will sit on my lap for hours and tell me about all the games that they like to play.

Kyle and Jacob are a little older. And they're practically inseparable. Jacob follows Kyle everywhere. Every time I come, Kyle will come up to me and tell me that he's getting to be a man, and ask if he can see how tall he is compared to me.”

Sam smiled. “They sound like great kids. Do you give a lot of presents at your house? That was always my favorite part when I was little.”

Jimmy shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so. But Jenny always scolds me a little for spoiling the children with too many presents. She doesn't really mean it, especially when I give her her own present- usually some kind of cooking spice. She loves those.”

Jimmy fell silent suddenly. Talking about Christmas was reminding him how much he really missed his family, even though he didn't like to admit it. He wondered if they missed him as much as he missed them.

“Well, what about you, Tru?” Jimmy asked irritably. “Sam and I have talked about our Christmases, it's your turn now!”

Tru breathed on his hands, which were covered only by tattered, fingerless gloves, and nodded his head. “Alright, be patient.” He sighed. “Oh... where to begin?”

Jimmy and Sam waited expectantly.

“Back home, my family likes to work. A lot. So every Christmas, the men- that's my father, my four uncles, my three cousins, and I, all go out into the forest to cut a tree. Meanwhile, my sisters and my mother stay home with my aunts and my Gramma to get supper ready.

We have lots of treats- everything from cookies to candy, cakes to pies, scones to muffins. My Aunt Bridget makes Bacon-Watercress rolls.” Tru closed his eyes. “Those are my favorite. Anyway, by the time they've set the table and laid the food out, the men and I have usually found a tree, and we're dragging it in.

After that, we all sit down and have our meal, and by the time we're done, every one of us is stuffed full. Then we set up the Christmas tree and let the children decorate it. There's a lot of noise because everyone wants to visit with everyone else at the same time.

After that, my grandfather reads the Christmas story from the Bible.  Then we sing songs for a while. My uncles all play the guitar, and the kids sing as loud as they can. My mother, aunts, and Gramma all sing in harmony together. I just try to carry the melody without having my voice break. They always play the songs too high.”

Smiling, Tru continued. “After that we open presents- and let me tell you, there's a lot of presents. The children go wild and start dancing around for joy at their new gifts. Someone always gives me a sweater. My uncle Tim gave me a jack knife last year, and I've still got it, tucked away in my boot.”

Sam grinned. “Sounds like a good Christmas to me!”

Jimmy spoke up. “Sam, I'm not going to lie, but I agree with you. I wish I was at home now. Even if the rest of my family doesn't really want me there, I'd give an arm and a leg just to see their faces again.”

The others nodded in agreement. “Well,” Sam said at last, “I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend this Christmas griping in the cold. Just because we're on our own out in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean we can't have a good Christmas. We've got each other, right?”

Tru and Jimmy didn't answer right away, but at last, Tru put his hand on Sam's shoulder. “You've got me.”

Smirking at himself, Jimmy had to agree. “Alright, fine. You've got me too. We're all together in this war, even if we don't have our families.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Sam asked. “It's Christmas Eve! This is a time to celebrate the Savior's birth!”

Lifting his voice, Sam began a song.

“Silent night...Holy night...”

Tru and Jimmy joined in, each picking out different parts- Jimmy on the tenor, and Tru on the base.

"All is calm, all is bright...

round yon virgin, mother and Child

Holy Infant, so tender and mild...

Sleep in Heavenly peace,

Sleep in Heavenly peace.”

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