Trick or Treat 2021 letter
Sep. 17th, 2021 07:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verecundaDear Trick or Treater,
Hello! It’s that time of year again! I love Hallowe’en, and this exchange has become one of my favourite ways to mark the spooky season. 👻
This letter contains a rundown of my general likes and DNWs, as well as some potential prompts for each of my requests. If you find something here to inspire you, that’s great - but at the same time, please don’t feel restricted to what’s here, either. I’m always interested in other people’s interpretations of my faves, and if you have ideas of your own, I’d love to see them too.
I can be found on AO3 as![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
Verecunda.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via the mod.
All requests are for fic or art, tricks or treats.
Likes
Art likes
Smut likes
DNWs
British Folklore & Mythology
- Character: Kelpie
- Character: Selkie
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Character: Barrow-wight(s)
- Character: The Witch-king of Angmar
- Characters: The Army of the Dead, Baldor
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Character: Sauron
- Ship: Sauron/Morgoth
Spirit - George Roux
- Characters: Man, Ghost
The Uninvited (1944)
- Characters: Carmel, Pamela Fitzgerald, Stella Meredith, Mary Meredith
Likes
• Fic and art of any all ratings.
• Most genres: humour, angst, fluff, darkfic, hurt/comfort, slice-of-life, character pieces, plotty pieces. I like happy endings as well as a good tragedy, or even a bittersweet ending. One of the things I love most about Tolkien is that there is so much loss and decline, yet always hope and wonder and beauty, no matter how remote or fleeting it may seem.
• I’ve got a special fondness for things that fill in characters’ backstories, “missing scenes” from canon, and alternate POVs on canon events. Outsider POVs on requested ships are always, always fun!
• I love canon compliant fic, but I also love canon divergence AUs. What if X had happened instead of Y? What if characters A and B met sooner or later than they did in canon? I love exploring the possibilities!
• Worldbuilding detail. I always want to know more about the worlds these characters inhabit.
• Intelligent characters being intelligent and competent.
• Characters with tough/stoic/snarky exteriors having to confront and/or show their vulnerabilities.
• Pairings and friendships that cross cultural/class/professional lines, and how they navigate the conflicts that arise.
• Odd couples. I love opposites that attract: characters who seem so different but who end up complementing each other perfectly. (This can be either romantic or platonic.)
• Banter! I love witty characters who have a good back-and-forth.
• Gen and ship fic are equally good. I love my otps, but I know how it is. Sometimes you love the characters and their relationship, but just don’t catch the shippy vibe. In that case, there’s no pressure: I’ll be just as happy with a gen take on their dynamic.
• When it comes to ships, I love both first times and established relationships. I’m also weak for all those moments of quiet intimacy: heart-to-heart talks, kisses on cheeks, foreheads, noses, etc., hand-holding, light touches, face-stroking, hair-stroking, cuddles, resting heads on shoulders or chests, etc.
• Smut is great, but by no means obligatory. Pure G-rated fluff or even just a few sensual details sketched in are equally fine by me.
• Pining!! I live for good old-fashioned, hopeless pining, especially if it’s mutual and all parties are in silent agonies, equally convinced it can never be. UST and unrequited love also hurt so good.
• Apart from my requested characters, I'm quite happy with other canon characters and pairings making an appearance.
• Spooky likes: all the classic Gothic settings: ruined castles and churches, overgrown cemeteries, full moons and ragged clouds, disembodied footsteps, voices, music, etc., shadowy figures and things only half-seen. I don’t mind jump scares and a bit of gore, but I’m more a fan of slow, creeping, atmospheric chills, the power of suggestion and the Nothing Is Scarier trope. I also have a soft spot for cheesy old B-movie calibre horror. And I love Hallowe’en and all the traditions surrounding it, even right back to the old forerunners like Samhain etc.
Art likes
I know virtually nothing about art, so I find it harder to come up with prompts on this side. Suffice it to say, anything in your own style will be wonderful! I’ve included some specific art prompts, but here's a brief list of some very general art likes.
• Straightforward portraits of my requested characters/ships, or an illustration of one of the scenarios I’ve prompted. Illustrations of key scenes from canon would also be very welcome!
• Most of my fandoms are in historical and fantasy settings, so I love details of costume and material culture.
• I love bold colours as well as black and white, contrasting shades, mingling of light and shadow, cell shading.
• If it helps, here are some artists I particularly love: Van Gogh, Matisse, Caravaggio, Ivan Aivazovsky, John Atkinson Grimshaw, Arthur Rackham, Alan Lee, Beatrix Potter.
• Homages to/spoofs of famous paintings.
• Characters drawn in distinctive styles: art nouveau, Disney, etc.
• Effects of different light sources, especially firelight and candlelight; sunsets and sunrises; moonlight and starlight; light on water;
• I love water in general: rivers and pools, waterfalls, fountains, oceans. I love ripples, currents, spray, etc.
• I love this time of year, so if you want to do something seasonal, I love vivid autumnal colours and long sunsets, and the visual effects of mist and frost.
• For spooky art, I love all the classic Hallowe’en aesthetics - pumpkins and bats and black cats, etc. - as well as ghosts and other things half-hidden in shadow, jagged trees, full moons peeking out behind ragged clouds.
Smutty likes
• Penetrative sex.
• Non-penetrative sex, especially frottage and intercrural.
• Oral.
• Handjobs/fingering/etc.
• Clothed or partially-clothed sex.
• Body worship.
• One character unable to see the other (whether facing away, blindfolded, etc.) and having to rely on their other senses.
• Voyeurism/exhibitionism.
• Mutual masturbation.
• Restraints, bondage.
• Breast/nipple play.
• Riding, whether the rider is setting the pace or just - ahem - along for the ride.
• Sweet, slow, romantic cuddle-sex.
• Equally: rough, desperate, oh-god-must-have-you-now fucking.
• Older/more experienced characters guiding their younger/less experienced partners.
• Power dynamics explored, reflected, or even dismantled through sex. Whether it’s a character in a generally subordinate position who takes charge in the bedroom, or whether one half of the ship holds all the cards, up to and including dub-con/non-con scenarios. I’m also entirely weak for the trope where the character who seems to have the most power in the relationship being so totally loopy for the other that they’ll give them anything they want.
• For dub-con/non-con especially, the “iron fist in a velvet glove” sort of force, subtle - even psychological - force over physical.
• I have no preferences when it comes to who tops or bottoms in my ships, and very often enjoy seeing characters who usually get put on the bottom get to be on top for a change. So if you’d like to switch things up a bit, be my guest!
DNWs
• First or second person POV (unless that's the POV of the original canon).
• Modern/mundane/coffee-shop AUs.
• Soulmate/soulmark/soulbond AUs. (For Tolkien fandoms, that includes the concept of Dwarves having a One.)
• A/B/O.
• Unrequested non-canon ships. (Appearances by/references to canon pairings are fine.)
• Unrequested gender/sexuality headcanons.
• Watersports.
• Scat.
• Rimming.
• Mpreg.
• Tentacles.
• Most of my fandoms have historical/fantasy settings, with mores very different to ours, so I’m fine with references to characters being married or having sex in their early teens, but would prefer no explicit sexual content involving any characters under 16. Fade to black is fine, though.
• I don’t mind dub-con/non-con in a kink context, but I don’t want rape/sexual abuse/prostitution as plot devices for tragic character backstory, unless it’s already canon. Even then, I’d prefer not to dwell on it.
British Folklore & Mythology
Character: Kelpie
I love water-monsters of all kinds, and kelpies are high among my favourites. I’d be equally open to a good old-fashioned horror story featuring the kelpie as a wholly malevolent entity, or something that reimagines the traditional stories and looks for its sympathetic side. Whatever spin you want to put on it!
(For what it’s worth, you’ll see some sources claim that the kelpie is distinct from the each uisge - the water horse - one living in rivers while the other dwells in lochs, but I’m not pedantic on the terminology. It’s a horse-looking thing that lives in the water - use whatever term you like!)
I love pretty much all the classic stories, whether it’s luring in its victims in the form of a beautiful horse or a beautiful human, as well as the stories where a human is able to capture a kelpie with its magical bridle and uses it as a beast of burden in the building of a new castle, or church. Sometimes (as in the case of the Laird o’ Morphie) the kelpie lays a curse on its captor after it’s freed from this enforced labour. Use as many of the classic tropes as you like! Equally, if you fancy, feel free to mix in elements from the lore of other water-monsters, like the Orcadian nuckelavee, or Nessie and co. And not just Scotland - I love learning about new myths and legends, if you know of any water beastie lore from elsewhere in the world that you think would go well, feel free to bring it into the mix!
I’d love something exploring the origins of kelpies. Are they faerie creatures, or something else? One theory is that the stories might have arisen as corruptions of older pagan beliefs. Certainly in Scotland, as in Britain and the rest of Europe, there’s evidence that the prehistoric people venerated both horses and watery places, like pools and rivers and marshes. You also get legends of notable early Christian worthies (especially St. Columba) banishing demons from lochs or purifying poisoned springs, in what appear to be less-than-subtle allegories for the triumph of Christianity over the older religion. Is a kelpie, then, what you get when an ancient deity of the loch grows wrathful at having been forgotten? Or are they originally humans under some sort of curse?
It could also be interesting to explore the kelpie’s relationship to its environment. Where does it lair up - in an underwater cave, or somewhere else? What is its true form? Or is the water a sort of conduit that allows it to pass between our world and its own? Do they devour their victims at once, or do they keep them prisoner for some time beforehand? Would it be possible, then, for someone captured by a kelpie to escape?
I like the thought of a kelpie as a straight-up monster, but since allurement is also a big part of the myth, especially in human form, I’d also be up for a bit of monsterfucking. A story about a kelpie seducing a human is always fun, whatever sort of ending it has.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to do treats instead of tricks, I’m fond of humorous or sympathetic takes on monsters. The misadventures of the world’s worst kelpie? A kelpie who’s a well-known local cryptid who draws a lot of tourists to the area, and who just wants to get away from the camera for a bit? Or a love story between a human and a kelpie who really isn’t as bad as the stories make out?
One of my favourite kelpie stories is from Loch Cill Chriosd on the Isle of Skye. This one is said to have taken the form of a handsome young man in order to seduce the local maidens, only one day it seized upon a priest, mistaking his cassock for a dress! This particular story strikes me as having all sorts of possibilities! Was this case of mistaken identity an accident, or an “accident”? Equally, the story of a priest and a kelpie falling in love could be hilarious — or it could be a prime cue for something deliciously dark, angsty, and guilt-laden!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on what a kelpie looks like, whether that’s in horse form or human form, or something in between, whether frightening or alluring or both at the same time. Maybe an illustration of one of the classic stories? I love scenery porn, so some hint of the ancient landscape it inhabits: the loch, the mountains, the ruins and standing stones, etc. There’s plenty of boggy ground in Scotland, too, so maybe a kelpie as a swamp monster?
Any setting is great, whether in historical or modern times. M/f, m/m, or f/f pairings are all equally welcome.
Character: Selkie
Selkies are one of my absolute favourite mythological creatures, probably because seals are one of my favourite animals. Those big soulful eyes - no wonder people imagined there was something human about them, and wove poignant stories around them!
There are so many different selkie stories, and they come in so many moods, that there are endless opportunities, whether you want to do a trick or a treat. There’s the most common story, about the human fisherman who claims a selkie as a wife after taking her skin, and you can never have enough retellings of that. What are the ramifications of such an act? In most of the stories the man is simply left forever bereft when his wife eventually escapes back to the sea, but what if there were direr consequences in store — a curse, perhaps, for transgressing against a mythical being? Or what about a version where the fisherman isn’t a dick and does give the selkie’s skin back when she asks? What sort of bond might develop between them from that action? Perhaps the selkie is intrigued by this unexpected act of kindness from a human, and returns to find out more about him?
Alternatively, in some versions the selkie woman already has a selkie husband before she was taken by the fisherman. Tell me the story of the selkie lovers separated by an act of human selfishness! Are they ever able to meet while the captive selkie is trapped on land? How does the free selkie feel about the human mate and/or children? Do they ever try to help them on land while in their own human form?
Male selkies tend to be a bit more aggressive and sinister than their female counterparts, prone to seducing mortal women and spiriting them away. Maybe you have one who does this out of revenge for a selkie-woman of his own family being captured by a mortal man? As with kelpies, sinister seduction or genuine love stories both work for me! If you want to do something riffing on stories such as the ballad of Sule Skerry, that’d be fab!
I’d love any sort of worldbuilding you want to give me. Tell me more about the world of the selkies. Is the sea their natural habitat, or is it merely the conduit between our world and theirs? Are there any special customs or taboos around selkie skins — is it forbidden to touch another selkie’s pelt, à la His Dark Materials? Do selkies have any behaviour patterns in common with real seals? How do they get along with other mythological sea creatures, like mermaids?
You know those various pinnipeds that become local “characters” and get in the news, like Nelson the Cornish seal, or more recently Wally the walrus? What if they’re really selkies who’ve developed a taste for celebrity? Give me their publicity-seeking shenanigans!
Art prompts: Your vision of a selkie, whether in seal form or human. Are human!selkies as chubby as their seal forms? :D I’d adore any cute, fluffy selkie art. Equally, I’d love something that portrays a selkie as something more powerful and elemental, a being linked to the sea and the storms. Seascapes and storm effects are always superb!
Any setting is great, whether it’s historical or modern. When it comes to selkies, I tend to prefer m/f stories, but honestly, I’m really easy, so if you want to do m/m or f/f, that’s entirely up to you!
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
In short, all the spooky LOTR prompts! Tolkien has such a deft, atmospheric touch with terror and haunted locations, and the insidious, corroding quality of evil that winds through his work is so palpable, it makes the scary bits some of the most vivid in the whole story. Then there’s the fact that so many figures are shrouded in mystery - we don’t know who the Witch-king really is (was?), we never quite see the Barrow-wight, we never learn what lies beyond that door in the Paths of the Dead - which only increases their fascination and makes me long to know more about them all. So here’s your cue to delve into the spooky side of Middle-earth!
Character: Barrow-wight(s)
“Fog on the Barrow-downs” is one of my absolute favourite chapters in the whole story. The atmosphere, the mystery, the peril lurking in the mist… brilliant. The Downs are one of my favourite locations, and the scraps of lore we get about them are fascinating. (Also, I’m just a sucker for standing stones and chambered cairns, etc. in general.) The Barrow-wight is spectacularly creepy, especially its singing, and I want to know more about it and its fellows. Where did they come from? We get some hints, from a phrase in Tom Bombadil’s history of the Downs - “A shadow came out of dark places far away, and the bones were stirred in the mounds” - and from the appendices - “It was at this time that an end came of the Dúnedain of Cardolan, and evil spirits out of Angmar and Rhudaur entered into the deserted mounds and dwelt there”. Taken together, this seems to suggest that the wights were created by the Witch-king of Angmar (presumably on behalf of Sauron): spirits that were given form by “stirring” (reanimating?) the bones of those already buried there. At least, that’s how I interpret it. If you have another idea, please tell me that instead! Tell me where these creepy things come from! And if you want to delve into the history of the Downs, and the wars between the Dúnedain and Angmar, so much the better!
It’s also mentioned that “Even in the Shire the rumour of the Barrow-wights of the Barrow-downs beyond the Forest had been heard.” What kind of stories do hobbits tell about them, then? And if hobbits have stories about the Downs, presumably the Breelanders also do. What sort of ghost stories do they tell about the fireside in Eriador? Tangentially: we know Yule is a festival in Middle-earth, so does that mean that there’s some sort of equivalent to Hallowe’en? If so, that’s probably a time that you really, really don’t want to find yourself wandering alone upon the Barrow-downs!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your vision of what a barrow-wight actually looks like, especially if it’s still wearing all the gold and jewels it’s hoarded. A misty scene of the wight in the fog, perhaps as it seizes Frodo, or just generally stalking the downs? An illustration of the four hobbits laid out in the tomb. The wights being formed.
Character: The Witch-king of Angmar
The Witch-king is an endlessly mysterious figure, and there’s so much room to fill in his backstory. Who is he? Is he one of the three Númenorean lords who were ensnared by Sauron, or was he from somewhere else entirely? Was he always evil, or was he originally quite a noble figure — and if so, what induced him to accept the ring? How did he fall under Sauron’s sway? If you want to write sexy Witch-king/Sauron seduction times, I certainly won’t complain. The Second Age was Sauron’s peak sexy phase, after all! :P Were there any previous alliances/ties of kinship/rivalries between the nine kings in life? What did he and his fellow wraiths do during the wars at the end of the Second Age, or during Sauron’s absence at the start of the Third?
Was Angmar an entirely new kingdom, or was it built up from some realm that had already existed once (his own?)? I find the lore of the wars between him and the northern kingdoms so intriguing, and I’d love to know more about them. How was he able to infiltrate Rhudaur? Did he try to do the same with Arthedain and Cardolan? We know the Angmar’s territory straddled the Misty Mountains, so what dealings might he have had with the Men of Rhovanion? There could be something interesting to explore there, considering that the ancestors of the Rohirrim came out of Rhovanion, and… well, look who eventually defeated him! ;)
What is wraith-life like? When did he realise just what the cost of his bargain was, and what was his reaction — horror, or did he feel the cost was worth it for the power he gained? What is his link to Sauron like? Is he mindlessly beholden to his master, or does he still retain enough individualism to have an opinion of his own, whether he’s fanatically loyal to Sauron, or if there’s some part of him that understands the horror of his existence?
Art prompts: The Witch-king in full Nazgûl glory, or in wraith form, perhaps as Frodo sees him at Weathertop? What did he look like in life? A scene of him accepting his ring from/pledging fealty to Sauron. Or something in between, while he’s in the process of fading from a human into a wraith?
Characters: The Army of the Dead, Baldor
More standing stones and underground chambers! The entire set-piece of Harrowdale and the Paths of the Dead is captivating, and “The Passing of the Grey Company” is such a wonderfully spooky chapter. I love how our only POV character is Gimli, who, unlike the Elves, can’t see the ghosts, so we’re left to feel the menace of them with him. And how can you not love that last line: “But the next day there came no dawn, and the Grey Company passed on into the darkness of the Storm of Mordor and were lost to mortal sight; but the Dead followed them.” Brrrr!
So more of that, please! There’s so much that’s great about this bit: the palpable air of fear, the whispering in the darkness, and I love the snippets we get of the superstitions surrounding the Haunted Mountain and the Stone of Erech. Something delving into those traditions would be wonderful! The people in the Morthond Vale really do seem to go in terror of the idea of the King of the Dead being abroad, so maybe the Dead really do ride out at certain times. What sort of hauntings have they witnessed? What other stories are told in the villages of Harrowdale and the Morthond Vale?
I’d love to know more about the history of the Oathbreakers, their shifting allegiances between Sauron and Isildur, the dark temples they build in the mountains, etc. Something exploring their existence as undead, bound by Isildur’s curse. Or something filling in the canon events we’re only told about, when they join Aragorn and the Grey Company in their battles with the corsairs. (POV of some poor unsuspecting corsair who really did not see that coming?)
And what did happen to Baldor in there? Did he fall foul of the Dead… or was there some other nasty lurking there in the darkness? Why did he feel the need to wear the blingiest gold armour he had? What lies behind the door — a dark temple, a tomb, inter-dimensional gateway, Sauron’s super-secret weed stash?? Who was the old man at the door?
Art prompts: the Oathbreakers, perhaps swearing their allegiance to Isildur. The ghostly horde seen by Legolas and the sons of Elrond. One of the ghostly gathering about the Stone of Erech that are said to happen “in times of fear”. Baldor in his full golden glory, exploring the tunnels, or the Grey Company finding his skeleton. Anything featuring the door, the standing stones, or the Púkel-men!
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
Character: Sauron
I adore Sauron! He’s a pure, copper-bottomed bastard, and clearly having the time of his life. In particular, what he does to Gorlim makes me cackle at its sheer, inspired bastardtude. However, he also gets his comeuppance, several times, in various delightful ways, so it all balances out.
If you want, I would be very happy indeed with a slice of life kind of thing, just a typical day of him being evil - laying waste to neighbouring realms, hanging out with his werewolves and vampires, tormenting prisoners in fiendishly inventive ways, etc… just generally living his best evil life. >:)
I’m fascinated by his origins, especially since we don’t get very much detail. Morgoth’s Ring describes him as a "great craftsman in the household of Aulë", which would seem to suggest he didn’t join Melkor at the very beginning. So what changed? What was his relationship with Aulë/the other Valar/his fellow Maiar before he turned to evil? What was it drew him to Melkor in the end? How was Melkor able to corrupt him in the first place: was he somehow able to make contact personally, or did they communicate through more magical, long distance means? Once turned, did he desert the Valar at once, or did he remain among them for a while as Melkor’s spy?
I find the relationship between Sauron and Morgoth especially fascinating. I do ship it, mightily (see below!), but I would also be very happy with a gen take on them. I love the fact that Tolkien establishes that Sauron was genuinely devoted to Morgoth, and worked for his glory, rather than his own. The idea of the future Dark Lord™ being loyal to another, rather than just trying to use him to further his own designs, is one of the interesting shades of grey that Tolkien draws in his character, and I’d love to see that explored further. How did he establish himself as Melkor’s most trusted lieutenant? How did he work for him during all the ages that Melkor was confined after the Battle of the Powers?
While we’re on the subject of moral greyness, Tolkien has several fascinating things to say in his letters about Sauron and his motives, especially after Morgoth’s final defeat: especially that he did have “fair motives: the reorganising and rehabilitation of the ruin of Middle-earth, 'neglected by the gods’", but at the thought of having to submit himself to the Valar’s judgement, he balked, and reverted to evil, becoming the true successor of his former master. I find that thrilling - that potential that maybe, just maybe, he could have been redeemed, but failed at the last hurdle. I’m not at all interested in a redemption arc for him, but I would adore anything exploring these little nuances and flickers of grey in his character. Getting his POV on it all would be so interesting!
I’m also interested in what he was up to during the Second Age: going into hiding, setting himself up as the new Big Bad, etc. Particularly, I’d love to know more about his time in Númenor. How did he manage to insinuate his way into Ar-Pharazôn’s confidence? Granted, Ar-Pharazôn was already - uh - kind of a dick, but they were genuinely enemies, so how was Sauron able to turn the tables? Apart from the evil deeds already noted in canon, I’d love to know what other intrigues he got up to while he was there. I’m very interested to know what he and Tar-Míriel made of each other: the true Queen and the (not-so-)humbled Dark Lord.
Apart from all that, one of the things I also like about Sauron is how, although he is the (second) Baddest to Ever Bad, he’s also closely associated with beauty: craftsmanship, jewellery, his “fair guise”, the power of music, even if it’s only surface level, and all used to bad ends, so if you want to do something playing with that, that’d be great!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on Sauron in any of his forms: as a Maia, as Gorthaur, in wolf, vampire, or snake form, as Annatar, as the Wizard in Númenor — whatever you fancy! One detail I find interesting is that although he can appear beautiful enough to put the Elves of Eregion off the scent, his appearance also has the power to terrify, as when Gorlim is “daunted” by looking into his eyes. If you fancy, then, I’d love to see a take on Sauron that combines the two: beautiful, but with something unsettling and eldritch about him.
Ship: Sauron/Morgoth
I love how in the Silmarillion, Tolkien stresses that Sauron was genuinely loyal to Morgoth, and that Morgoth’s Ring even says that he “adored” him. To think of Sauron being capable of adoration - which implies the capacity to love - is delicious, and I’m obsessed with it! I’d like to think that loyalty and adoration was mutual. So in a nutshell, give me these two being thoroughly evil and thoroughly in love, as they lay waste to Beleriand and all its peoples!
Going right back to the start, how did Melkor go about winning Mairon over to his side? Why that Maia, specifically? Obviously Mairon was powerful, but what if Melkor was equally captivated by his beauty? Was it a seduction in every sense of the word? (Want to have them going at it in Aulë’s forge? I’m here for that!) Perhaps Melkor originally just intended Mairon to be a notch on his bedpost, only to discover along the way how truly powerful and cunning and ruthless he also was, what a great ally he would make.
You could also go for something more slow-burn, after Sauron becomes Morgoth’s lieutenant, marking himself out as an exceptional sorcerer and war-leader, proving himself worthy of his trust beyond all doubt, as their relationship gradually evolves into something more… Give me UST-charged magic teaching, tormenting of Elves and other captives, creating various evil instruments of death and torment, etc. Or something about them being a particularly terrifying battle couple!
I’d also love to know if there was any fall-out from the Lúthien debacle. After all, Sauron would surely have to face his master some time after emerging from Taur-nu-Fuin. I can only imagine that for any other minion, the loss of such a key fortress as Tol-in-Gaurhoth would have resulted in the said minion being blasted with extreme prejudice — so how did Sauron manage to avoid any reprisal? Did he manage to charm his way out of Morgoth’s bad books, or was he sleeping on the proverbial couch for a while? And how did they patch things up afterwards? Considering Morgoth was also bested by Lúthien, maybe they just agreed to brush the whole thing under the carpet and never speak of it again. XD
Or you could do something set towards the end, during the War of Wrath, when the tide starts going against them at last? An impassioned farewell, maybe, before Angband finally falls? Is Sauron quite prepared to be taken alongside his master, and does Morgoth have to convince him to save himself? And what about after Morgoth’s defeat? Even after Sauron rises to become the new Dark Lord, does he perhaps view himself as essentially a steward for his absent master? Does he harbour any ambitions of somehow freeing Morgoth from the Void?
This is one ship where I’m here for pretty much all of the dirtybadwrong sex you can stand. D/s dynamics, bondage, painplay, mutual masturbation, orgasm denial, toys, magical (over)stimulation… you name it, I’ll take it. At the same time, I can also imagine there being a lot of enthusiasm and worshipfulness. Consensual, but not at all safe or sane!
Art prompts: I’m especially taken by the idea of the contrast between Sauron, in one of his fair guises, and Morgoth in his terrible, ravaged final form, scarred and burnt and just generally horrifying, with Sauron being just as worshipful of him as he was when he was still fair to behold. I’d also be interested in seeing your take on Melkor and Mairon in their favoured Ainu/Maia forms.
Spirit - George Roux
Characters: Man, Ghost
I love this painting. (You can see it here.) It’s like a scene from some classic Victorian ghost story, and I’d love to know what that story is! It can be as creepy, or as sad, or as funny as you like.
Who is (was) the ghost? Did the man know her when she was alive — a relative, a friend, his wife or fiancée? Does she have unfinished business that she needs him to help her see through before he can pass on? Or did he somehow cause her death, and that’s why she haunts him? Maybe she’s even a fetch - the kind of spirit that appears at the moment of someone’s death.
Or maybe they’re complete strangers. Perhaps she’s been haunting the house for a while, and the man has just moved in. Or maybe it’s the piano itself that’s haunted? Or perhaps she’s not a ghost so much as a personification of something else - something to do with the music, maybe?
The way he’s starting out of the chair suggests he’s seeing this ghost for the first time, not that he’s been worn down by repeated hauntings. If so, is this the first time he’s realised there’s anything out of the ordinary? Or have there been odd happenings already - the piano playing by itself in the dead of night, perhaps - and he’s been sitting up to investigate, only to be confronted by a full-fledged spectre.
What’s the significance of the piano-playing? If he knew her in life, is she playing “their song”? Was she perhaps a musician or composer when she was alive? Is he a musician, and that’s why he’s seeing her now? Can she speak, or can she only communicate through music?
The painting captures one moment in time — so what happens after that? Ideally he doesn’t just run screaming from the house, but actually interacts (willingly or otherwise!) with the spirit. Is this a one-time manifestation, or does it become a regular haunting? Does it take a while for him to actually accept what’s happening? If the ghost has unfinished business, how does he help her work it out? If she’s out for revenge against him, does she get it? Do the man and his new ghost chum end up having regular weeknight recitals of music-hall tunes? Are we in for a very unconventional romance à la The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?
Art prompts: The moment immediately before or after the one captured in the painting. What does this scene look like from the ghost’s POV?
The possibilities are endless, and those are just a few of the ideas that have hit me from looking at the painting. No doubt you’ll have ideas of your own — please feel free to run with them!
The Uninvited (1944)
Characters: Carmel, Pamela Fitzgerald, Stella Meredith, Mary Meredith
I love this film so much: a good, old-fashioned ghost story filled with endearing characters, fun dialogue, and lots of atmosphere! I'd love anything exploring the character's stories further. As far as ships go, I’m quite happy with the canonical Roderick/Stella, and the secondary coupling of Pam/Dr. Scott, so feel free to feature either them. Or if you’d rather do something gen rather than shippy, that’s fine too.
Within the events of the film itself, when Rick first hears the ghostly sobbing, we learn that Pam's already heard it before, more than once. What about something filling in her early experiences in the house, before Rick comes down from London?
Anything about Stella and the house would also be fascinating. Perhaps some of Carmel’s belongings are still in the house, and Stella is able to learn more about her mother through them. Or you could do something set before the events of the film, with her feeling the call of the house through the years, despite all her grandfather’s best efforts.
It might also be interesting to explore the POV of the ghosts themselves, Carmel and/or Mary’s, while they’re haunting the house over the years. Are they aware of each other’s presence in the house? Is there some sort of supernatural conflict between them that we don’t get to see, with Mary trying to harm Stella while Carmel tries to defend her? How many ways does Carmel try to reach out to her daughter?
I'm struggling to think of any specific art prompts for this fandom, though I'd love to know what Carmel looked like. She's one of the major players in the backstory and the haunting, and she was an artist's model to boot, yet she's the only character without a "face"! A portrait of her, then, perhaps as if it's an in-universe portrait of her by Meredith? Apart from that, consider this your carte blanche!
Hello! It’s that time of year again! I love Hallowe’en, and this exchange has become one of my favourite ways to mark the spooky season. 👻
This letter contains a rundown of my general likes and DNWs, as well as some potential prompts for each of my requests. If you find something here to inspire you, that’s great - but at the same time, please don’t feel restricted to what’s here, either. I’m always interested in other people’s interpretations of my faves, and if you have ideas of your own, I’d love to see them too.
I can be found on AO3 as
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via the mod.
All requests are for fic or art, tricks or treats.
Likes
Art likes
Smut likes
DNWs
British Folklore & Mythology
- Character: Kelpie
- Character: Selkie
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Character: Barrow-wight(s)
- Character: The Witch-king of Angmar
- Characters: The Army of the Dead, Baldor
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Character: Sauron
- Ship: Sauron/Morgoth
Spirit - George Roux
- Characters: Man, Ghost
The Uninvited (1944)
- Characters: Carmel, Pamela Fitzgerald, Stella Meredith, Mary Meredith
Likes
• Fic and art of any all ratings.
• Most genres: humour, angst, fluff, darkfic, hurt/comfort, slice-of-life, character pieces, plotty pieces. I like happy endings as well as a good tragedy, or even a bittersweet ending. One of the things I love most about Tolkien is that there is so much loss and decline, yet always hope and wonder and beauty, no matter how remote or fleeting it may seem.
• I’ve got a special fondness for things that fill in characters’ backstories, “missing scenes” from canon, and alternate POVs on canon events. Outsider POVs on requested ships are always, always fun!
• I love canon compliant fic, but I also love canon divergence AUs. What if X had happened instead of Y? What if characters A and B met sooner or later than they did in canon? I love exploring the possibilities!
• Worldbuilding detail. I always want to know more about the worlds these characters inhabit.
• Intelligent characters being intelligent and competent.
• Characters with tough/stoic/snarky exteriors having to confront and/or show their vulnerabilities.
• Pairings and friendships that cross cultural/class/professional lines, and how they navigate the conflicts that arise.
• Odd couples. I love opposites that attract: characters who seem so different but who end up complementing each other perfectly. (This can be either romantic or platonic.)
• Banter! I love witty characters who have a good back-and-forth.
• Gen and ship fic are equally good. I love my otps, but I know how it is. Sometimes you love the characters and their relationship, but just don’t catch the shippy vibe. In that case, there’s no pressure: I’ll be just as happy with a gen take on their dynamic.
• When it comes to ships, I love both first times and established relationships. I’m also weak for all those moments of quiet intimacy: heart-to-heart talks, kisses on cheeks, foreheads, noses, etc., hand-holding, light touches, face-stroking, hair-stroking, cuddles, resting heads on shoulders or chests, etc.
• Smut is great, but by no means obligatory. Pure G-rated fluff or even just a few sensual details sketched in are equally fine by me.
• Pining!! I live for good old-fashioned, hopeless pining, especially if it’s mutual and all parties are in silent agonies, equally convinced it can never be. UST and unrequited love also hurt so good.
• Apart from my requested characters, I'm quite happy with other canon characters and pairings making an appearance.
• Spooky likes: all the classic Gothic settings: ruined castles and churches, overgrown cemeteries, full moons and ragged clouds, disembodied footsteps, voices, music, etc., shadowy figures and things only half-seen. I don’t mind jump scares and a bit of gore, but I’m more a fan of slow, creeping, atmospheric chills, the power of suggestion and the Nothing Is Scarier trope. I also have a soft spot for cheesy old B-movie calibre horror. And I love Hallowe’en and all the traditions surrounding it, even right back to the old forerunners like Samhain etc.
Art likes
I know virtually nothing about art, so I find it harder to come up with prompts on this side. Suffice it to say, anything in your own style will be wonderful! I’ve included some specific art prompts, but here's a brief list of some very general art likes.
• Straightforward portraits of my requested characters/ships, or an illustration of one of the scenarios I’ve prompted. Illustrations of key scenes from canon would also be very welcome!
• Most of my fandoms are in historical and fantasy settings, so I love details of costume and material culture.
• I love bold colours as well as black and white, contrasting shades, mingling of light and shadow, cell shading.
• If it helps, here are some artists I particularly love: Van Gogh, Matisse, Caravaggio, Ivan Aivazovsky, John Atkinson Grimshaw, Arthur Rackham, Alan Lee, Beatrix Potter.
• Homages to/spoofs of famous paintings.
• Characters drawn in distinctive styles: art nouveau, Disney, etc.
• Effects of different light sources, especially firelight and candlelight; sunsets and sunrises; moonlight and starlight; light on water;
• I love water in general: rivers and pools, waterfalls, fountains, oceans. I love ripples, currents, spray, etc.
• I love this time of year, so if you want to do something seasonal, I love vivid autumnal colours and long sunsets, and the visual effects of mist and frost.
• For spooky art, I love all the classic Hallowe’en aesthetics - pumpkins and bats and black cats, etc. - as well as ghosts and other things half-hidden in shadow, jagged trees, full moons peeking out behind ragged clouds.
Smutty likes
• Penetrative sex.
• Non-penetrative sex, especially frottage and intercrural.
• Oral.
• Handjobs/fingering/etc.
• Clothed or partially-clothed sex.
• Body worship.
• One character unable to see the other (whether facing away, blindfolded, etc.) and having to rely on their other senses.
• Voyeurism/exhibitionism.
• Mutual masturbation.
• Restraints, bondage.
• Breast/nipple play.
• Riding, whether the rider is setting the pace or just - ahem - along for the ride.
• Sweet, slow, romantic cuddle-sex.
• Equally: rough, desperate, oh-god-must-have-you-now fucking.
• Older/more experienced characters guiding their younger/less experienced partners.
• Power dynamics explored, reflected, or even dismantled through sex. Whether it’s a character in a generally subordinate position who takes charge in the bedroom, or whether one half of the ship holds all the cards, up to and including dub-con/non-con scenarios. I’m also entirely weak for the trope where the character who seems to have the most power in the relationship being so totally loopy for the other that they’ll give them anything they want.
• For dub-con/non-con especially, the “iron fist in a velvet glove” sort of force, subtle - even psychological - force over physical.
• I have no preferences when it comes to who tops or bottoms in my ships, and very often enjoy seeing characters who usually get put on the bottom get to be on top for a change. So if you’d like to switch things up a bit, be my guest!
DNWs
• First or second person POV (unless that's the POV of the original canon).
• Modern/mundane/coffee-shop AUs.
• Soulmate/soulmark/soulbond AUs. (For Tolkien fandoms, that includes the concept of Dwarves having a One.)
• A/B/O.
• Unrequested non-canon ships. (Appearances by/references to canon pairings are fine.)
• Unrequested gender/sexuality headcanons.
• Watersports.
• Scat.
• Rimming.
• Mpreg.
• Tentacles.
• Most of my fandoms have historical/fantasy settings, with mores very different to ours, so I’m fine with references to characters being married or having sex in their early teens, but would prefer no explicit sexual content involving any characters under 16. Fade to black is fine, though.
• I don’t mind dub-con/non-con in a kink context, but I don’t want rape/sexual abuse/prostitution as plot devices for tragic character backstory, unless it’s already canon. Even then, I’d prefer not to dwell on it.
British Folklore & Mythology
Character: Kelpie
I love water-monsters of all kinds, and kelpies are high among my favourites. I’d be equally open to a good old-fashioned horror story featuring the kelpie as a wholly malevolent entity, or something that reimagines the traditional stories and looks for its sympathetic side. Whatever spin you want to put on it!
(For what it’s worth, you’ll see some sources claim that the kelpie is distinct from the each uisge - the water horse - one living in rivers while the other dwells in lochs, but I’m not pedantic on the terminology. It’s a horse-looking thing that lives in the water - use whatever term you like!)
I love pretty much all the classic stories, whether it’s luring in its victims in the form of a beautiful horse or a beautiful human, as well as the stories where a human is able to capture a kelpie with its magical bridle and uses it as a beast of burden in the building of a new castle, or church. Sometimes (as in the case of the Laird o’ Morphie) the kelpie lays a curse on its captor after it’s freed from this enforced labour. Use as many of the classic tropes as you like! Equally, if you fancy, feel free to mix in elements from the lore of other water-monsters, like the Orcadian nuckelavee, or Nessie and co. And not just Scotland - I love learning about new myths and legends, if you know of any water beastie lore from elsewhere in the world that you think would go well, feel free to bring it into the mix!
I’d love something exploring the origins of kelpies. Are they faerie creatures, or something else? One theory is that the stories might have arisen as corruptions of older pagan beliefs. Certainly in Scotland, as in Britain and the rest of Europe, there’s evidence that the prehistoric people venerated both horses and watery places, like pools and rivers and marshes. You also get legends of notable early Christian worthies (especially St. Columba) banishing demons from lochs or purifying poisoned springs, in what appear to be less-than-subtle allegories for the triumph of Christianity over the older religion. Is a kelpie, then, what you get when an ancient deity of the loch grows wrathful at having been forgotten? Or are they originally humans under some sort of curse?
It could also be interesting to explore the kelpie’s relationship to its environment. Where does it lair up - in an underwater cave, or somewhere else? What is its true form? Or is the water a sort of conduit that allows it to pass between our world and its own? Do they devour their victims at once, or do they keep them prisoner for some time beforehand? Would it be possible, then, for someone captured by a kelpie to escape?
I like the thought of a kelpie as a straight-up monster, but since allurement is also a big part of the myth, especially in human form, I’d also be up for a bit of monsterfucking. A story about a kelpie seducing a human is always fun, whatever sort of ending it has.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to do treats instead of tricks, I’m fond of humorous or sympathetic takes on monsters. The misadventures of the world’s worst kelpie? A kelpie who’s a well-known local cryptid who draws a lot of tourists to the area, and who just wants to get away from the camera for a bit? Or a love story between a human and a kelpie who really isn’t as bad as the stories make out?
One of my favourite kelpie stories is from Loch Cill Chriosd on the Isle of Skye. This one is said to have taken the form of a handsome young man in order to seduce the local maidens, only one day it seized upon a priest, mistaking his cassock for a dress! This particular story strikes me as having all sorts of possibilities! Was this case of mistaken identity an accident, or an “accident”? Equally, the story of a priest and a kelpie falling in love could be hilarious — or it could be a prime cue for something deliciously dark, angsty, and guilt-laden!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on what a kelpie looks like, whether that’s in horse form or human form, or something in between, whether frightening or alluring or both at the same time. Maybe an illustration of one of the classic stories? I love scenery porn, so some hint of the ancient landscape it inhabits: the loch, the mountains, the ruins and standing stones, etc. There’s plenty of boggy ground in Scotland, too, so maybe a kelpie as a swamp monster?
Any setting is great, whether in historical or modern times. M/f, m/m, or f/f pairings are all equally welcome.
Character: Selkie
Selkies are one of my absolute favourite mythological creatures, probably because seals are one of my favourite animals. Those big soulful eyes - no wonder people imagined there was something human about them, and wove poignant stories around them!
There are so many different selkie stories, and they come in so many moods, that there are endless opportunities, whether you want to do a trick or a treat. There’s the most common story, about the human fisherman who claims a selkie as a wife after taking her skin, and you can never have enough retellings of that. What are the ramifications of such an act? In most of the stories the man is simply left forever bereft when his wife eventually escapes back to the sea, but what if there were direr consequences in store — a curse, perhaps, for transgressing against a mythical being? Or what about a version where the fisherman isn’t a dick and does give the selkie’s skin back when she asks? What sort of bond might develop between them from that action? Perhaps the selkie is intrigued by this unexpected act of kindness from a human, and returns to find out more about him?
Alternatively, in some versions the selkie woman already has a selkie husband before she was taken by the fisherman. Tell me the story of the selkie lovers separated by an act of human selfishness! Are they ever able to meet while the captive selkie is trapped on land? How does the free selkie feel about the human mate and/or children? Do they ever try to help them on land while in their own human form?
Male selkies tend to be a bit more aggressive and sinister than their female counterparts, prone to seducing mortal women and spiriting them away. Maybe you have one who does this out of revenge for a selkie-woman of his own family being captured by a mortal man? As with kelpies, sinister seduction or genuine love stories both work for me! If you want to do something riffing on stories such as the ballad of Sule Skerry, that’d be fab!
I’d love any sort of worldbuilding you want to give me. Tell me more about the world of the selkies. Is the sea their natural habitat, or is it merely the conduit between our world and theirs? Are there any special customs or taboos around selkie skins — is it forbidden to touch another selkie’s pelt, à la His Dark Materials? Do selkies have any behaviour patterns in common with real seals? How do they get along with other mythological sea creatures, like mermaids?
You know those various pinnipeds that become local “characters” and get in the news, like Nelson the Cornish seal, or more recently Wally the walrus? What if they’re really selkies who’ve developed a taste for celebrity? Give me their publicity-seeking shenanigans!
Art prompts: Your vision of a selkie, whether in seal form or human. Are human!selkies as chubby as their seal forms? :D I’d adore any cute, fluffy selkie art. Equally, I’d love something that portrays a selkie as something more powerful and elemental, a being linked to the sea and the storms. Seascapes and storm effects are always superb!
Any setting is great, whether it’s historical or modern. When it comes to selkies, I tend to prefer m/f stories, but honestly, I’m really easy, so if you want to do m/m or f/f, that’s entirely up to you!
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
In short, all the spooky LOTR prompts! Tolkien has such a deft, atmospheric touch with terror and haunted locations, and the insidious, corroding quality of evil that winds through his work is so palpable, it makes the scary bits some of the most vivid in the whole story. Then there’s the fact that so many figures are shrouded in mystery - we don’t know who the Witch-king really is (was?), we never quite see the Barrow-wight, we never learn what lies beyond that door in the Paths of the Dead - which only increases their fascination and makes me long to know more about them all. So here’s your cue to delve into the spooky side of Middle-earth!
Character: Barrow-wight(s)
“Fog on the Barrow-downs” is one of my absolute favourite chapters in the whole story. The atmosphere, the mystery, the peril lurking in the mist… brilliant. The Downs are one of my favourite locations, and the scraps of lore we get about them are fascinating. (Also, I’m just a sucker for standing stones and chambered cairns, etc. in general.) The Barrow-wight is spectacularly creepy, especially its singing, and I want to know more about it and its fellows. Where did they come from? We get some hints, from a phrase in Tom Bombadil’s history of the Downs - “A shadow came out of dark places far away, and the bones were stirred in the mounds” - and from the appendices - “It was at this time that an end came of the Dúnedain of Cardolan, and evil spirits out of Angmar and Rhudaur entered into the deserted mounds and dwelt there”. Taken together, this seems to suggest that the wights were created by the Witch-king of Angmar (presumably on behalf of Sauron): spirits that were given form by “stirring” (reanimating?) the bones of those already buried there. At least, that’s how I interpret it. If you have another idea, please tell me that instead! Tell me where these creepy things come from! And if you want to delve into the history of the Downs, and the wars between the Dúnedain and Angmar, so much the better!
It’s also mentioned that “Even in the Shire the rumour of the Barrow-wights of the Barrow-downs beyond the Forest had been heard.” What kind of stories do hobbits tell about them, then? And if hobbits have stories about the Downs, presumably the Breelanders also do. What sort of ghost stories do they tell about the fireside in Eriador? Tangentially: we know Yule is a festival in Middle-earth, so does that mean that there’s some sort of equivalent to Hallowe’en? If so, that’s probably a time that you really, really don’t want to find yourself wandering alone upon the Barrow-downs!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your vision of what a barrow-wight actually looks like, especially if it’s still wearing all the gold and jewels it’s hoarded. A misty scene of the wight in the fog, perhaps as it seizes Frodo, or just generally stalking the downs? An illustration of the four hobbits laid out in the tomb. The wights being formed.
Character: The Witch-king of Angmar
The Witch-king is an endlessly mysterious figure, and there’s so much room to fill in his backstory. Who is he? Is he one of the three Númenorean lords who were ensnared by Sauron, or was he from somewhere else entirely? Was he always evil, or was he originally quite a noble figure — and if so, what induced him to accept the ring? How did he fall under Sauron’s sway? If you want to write sexy Witch-king/Sauron seduction times, I certainly won’t complain. The Second Age was Sauron’s peak sexy phase, after all! :P Were there any previous alliances/ties of kinship/rivalries between the nine kings in life? What did he and his fellow wraiths do during the wars at the end of the Second Age, or during Sauron’s absence at the start of the Third?
Was Angmar an entirely new kingdom, or was it built up from some realm that had already existed once (his own?)? I find the lore of the wars between him and the northern kingdoms so intriguing, and I’d love to know more about them. How was he able to infiltrate Rhudaur? Did he try to do the same with Arthedain and Cardolan? We know the Angmar’s territory straddled the Misty Mountains, so what dealings might he have had with the Men of Rhovanion? There could be something interesting to explore there, considering that the ancestors of the Rohirrim came out of Rhovanion, and… well, look who eventually defeated him! ;)
What is wraith-life like? When did he realise just what the cost of his bargain was, and what was his reaction — horror, or did he feel the cost was worth it for the power he gained? What is his link to Sauron like? Is he mindlessly beholden to his master, or does he still retain enough individualism to have an opinion of his own, whether he’s fanatically loyal to Sauron, or if there’s some part of him that understands the horror of his existence?
Art prompts: The Witch-king in full Nazgûl glory, or in wraith form, perhaps as Frodo sees him at Weathertop? What did he look like in life? A scene of him accepting his ring from/pledging fealty to Sauron. Or something in between, while he’s in the process of fading from a human into a wraith?
Characters: The Army of the Dead, Baldor
More standing stones and underground chambers! The entire set-piece of Harrowdale and the Paths of the Dead is captivating, and “The Passing of the Grey Company” is such a wonderfully spooky chapter. I love how our only POV character is Gimli, who, unlike the Elves, can’t see the ghosts, so we’re left to feel the menace of them with him. And how can you not love that last line: “But the next day there came no dawn, and the Grey Company passed on into the darkness of the Storm of Mordor and were lost to mortal sight; but the Dead followed them.” Brrrr!
So more of that, please! There’s so much that’s great about this bit: the palpable air of fear, the whispering in the darkness, and I love the snippets we get of the superstitions surrounding the Haunted Mountain and the Stone of Erech. Something delving into those traditions would be wonderful! The people in the Morthond Vale really do seem to go in terror of the idea of the King of the Dead being abroad, so maybe the Dead really do ride out at certain times. What sort of hauntings have they witnessed? What other stories are told in the villages of Harrowdale and the Morthond Vale?
I’d love to know more about the history of the Oathbreakers, their shifting allegiances between Sauron and Isildur, the dark temples they build in the mountains, etc. Something exploring their existence as undead, bound by Isildur’s curse. Or something filling in the canon events we’re only told about, when they join Aragorn and the Grey Company in their battles with the corsairs. (POV of some poor unsuspecting corsair who really did not see that coming?)
And what did happen to Baldor in there? Did he fall foul of the Dead… or was there some other nasty lurking there in the darkness? Why did he feel the need to wear the blingiest gold armour he had? What lies behind the door — a dark temple, a tomb, inter-dimensional gateway, Sauron’s super-secret weed stash?? Who was the old man at the door?
Art prompts: the Oathbreakers, perhaps swearing their allegiance to Isildur. The ghostly horde seen by Legolas and the sons of Elrond. One of the ghostly gathering about the Stone of Erech that are said to happen “in times of fear”. Baldor in his full golden glory, exploring the tunnels, or the Grey Company finding his skeleton. Anything featuring the door, the standing stones, or the Púkel-men!
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
Character: Sauron
I adore Sauron! He’s a pure, copper-bottomed bastard, and clearly having the time of his life. In particular, what he does to Gorlim makes me cackle at its sheer, inspired bastardtude. However, he also gets his comeuppance, several times, in various delightful ways, so it all balances out.
If you want, I would be very happy indeed with a slice of life kind of thing, just a typical day of him being evil - laying waste to neighbouring realms, hanging out with his werewolves and vampires, tormenting prisoners in fiendishly inventive ways, etc… just generally living his best evil life. >:)
I’m fascinated by his origins, especially since we don’t get very much detail. Morgoth’s Ring describes him as a "great craftsman in the household of Aulë", which would seem to suggest he didn’t join Melkor at the very beginning. So what changed? What was his relationship with Aulë/the other Valar/his fellow Maiar before he turned to evil? What was it drew him to Melkor in the end? How was Melkor able to corrupt him in the first place: was he somehow able to make contact personally, or did they communicate through more magical, long distance means? Once turned, did he desert the Valar at once, or did he remain among them for a while as Melkor’s spy?
I find the relationship between Sauron and Morgoth especially fascinating. I do ship it, mightily (see below!), but I would also be very happy with a gen take on them. I love the fact that Tolkien establishes that Sauron was genuinely devoted to Morgoth, and worked for his glory, rather than his own. The idea of the future Dark Lord™ being loyal to another, rather than just trying to use him to further his own designs, is one of the interesting shades of grey that Tolkien draws in his character, and I’d love to see that explored further. How did he establish himself as Melkor’s most trusted lieutenant? How did he work for him during all the ages that Melkor was confined after the Battle of the Powers?
While we’re on the subject of moral greyness, Tolkien has several fascinating things to say in his letters about Sauron and his motives, especially after Morgoth’s final defeat: especially that he did have “fair motives: the reorganising and rehabilitation of the ruin of Middle-earth, 'neglected by the gods’", but at the thought of having to submit himself to the Valar’s judgement, he balked, and reverted to evil, becoming the true successor of his former master. I find that thrilling - that potential that maybe, just maybe, he could have been redeemed, but failed at the last hurdle. I’m not at all interested in a redemption arc for him, but I would adore anything exploring these little nuances and flickers of grey in his character. Getting his POV on it all would be so interesting!
I’m also interested in what he was up to during the Second Age: going into hiding, setting himself up as the new Big Bad, etc. Particularly, I’d love to know more about his time in Númenor. How did he manage to insinuate his way into Ar-Pharazôn’s confidence? Granted, Ar-Pharazôn was already - uh - kind of a dick, but they were genuinely enemies, so how was Sauron able to turn the tables? Apart from the evil deeds already noted in canon, I’d love to know what other intrigues he got up to while he was there. I’m very interested to know what he and Tar-Míriel made of each other: the true Queen and the (not-so-)humbled Dark Lord.
Apart from all that, one of the things I also like about Sauron is how, although he is the (second) Baddest to Ever Bad, he’s also closely associated with beauty: craftsmanship, jewellery, his “fair guise”, the power of music, even if it’s only surface level, and all used to bad ends, so if you want to do something playing with that, that’d be great!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on Sauron in any of his forms: as a Maia, as Gorthaur, in wolf, vampire, or snake form, as Annatar, as the Wizard in Númenor — whatever you fancy! One detail I find interesting is that although he can appear beautiful enough to put the Elves of Eregion off the scent, his appearance also has the power to terrify, as when Gorlim is “daunted” by looking into his eyes. If you fancy, then, I’d love to see a take on Sauron that combines the two: beautiful, but with something unsettling and eldritch about him.
Ship: Sauron/Morgoth
I love how in the Silmarillion, Tolkien stresses that Sauron was genuinely loyal to Morgoth, and that Morgoth’s Ring even says that he “adored” him. To think of Sauron being capable of adoration - which implies the capacity to love - is delicious, and I’m obsessed with it! I’d like to think that loyalty and adoration was mutual. So in a nutshell, give me these two being thoroughly evil and thoroughly in love, as they lay waste to Beleriand and all its peoples!
Going right back to the start, how did Melkor go about winning Mairon over to his side? Why that Maia, specifically? Obviously Mairon was powerful, but what if Melkor was equally captivated by his beauty? Was it a seduction in every sense of the word? (Want to have them going at it in Aulë’s forge? I’m here for that!) Perhaps Melkor originally just intended Mairon to be a notch on his bedpost, only to discover along the way how truly powerful and cunning and ruthless he also was, what a great ally he would make.
You could also go for something more slow-burn, after Sauron becomes Morgoth’s lieutenant, marking himself out as an exceptional sorcerer and war-leader, proving himself worthy of his trust beyond all doubt, as their relationship gradually evolves into something more… Give me UST-charged magic teaching, tormenting of Elves and other captives, creating various evil instruments of death and torment, etc. Or something about them being a particularly terrifying battle couple!
I’d also love to know if there was any fall-out from the Lúthien debacle. After all, Sauron would surely have to face his master some time after emerging from Taur-nu-Fuin. I can only imagine that for any other minion, the loss of such a key fortress as Tol-in-Gaurhoth would have resulted in the said minion being blasted with extreme prejudice — so how did Sauron manage to avoid any reprisal? Did he manage to charm his way out of Morgoth’s bad books, or was he sleeping on the proverbial couch for a while? And how did they patch things up afterwards? Considering Morgoth was also bested by Lúthien, maybe they just agreed to brush the whole thing under the carpet and never speak of it again. XD
Or you could do something set towards the end, during the War of Wrath, when the tide starts going against them at last? An impassioned farewell, maybe, before Angband finally falls? Is Sauron quite prepared to be taken alongside his master, and does Morgoth have to convince him to save himself? And what about after Morgoth’s defeat? Even after Sauron rises to become the new Dark Lord, does he perhaps view himself as essentially a steward for his absent master? Does he harbour any ambitions of somehow freeing Morgoth from the Void?
This is one ship where I’m here for pretty much all of the dirtybadwrong sex you can stand. D/s dynamics, bondage, painplay, mutual masturbation, orgasm denial, toys, magical (over)stimulation… you name it, I’ll take it. At the same time, I can also imagine there being a lot of enthusiasm and worshipfulness. Consensual, but not at all safe or sane!
Art prompts: I’m especially taken by the idea of the contrast between Sauron, in one of his fair guises, and Morgoth in his terrible, ravaged final form, scarred and burnt and just generally horrifying, with Sauron being just as worshipful of him as he was when he was still fair to behold. I’d also be interested in seeing your take on Melkor and Mairon in their favoured Ainu/Maia forms.
Spirit - George Roux
Characters: Man, Ghost
I love this painting. (You can see it here.) It’s like a scene from some classic Victorian ghost story, and I’d love to know what that story is! It can be as creepy, or as sad, or as funny as you like.
Who is (was) the ghost? Did the man know her when she was alive — a relative, a friend, his wife or fiancée? Does she have unfinished business that she needs him to help her see through before he can pass on? Or did he somehow cause her death, and that’s why she haunts him? Maybe she’s even a fetch - the kind of spirit that appears at the moment of someone’s death.
Or maybe they’re complete strangers. Perhaps she’s been haunting the house for a while, and the man has just moved in. Or maybe it’s the piano itself that’s haunted? Or perhaps she’s not a ghost so much as a personification of something else - something to do with the music, maybe?
The way he’s starting out of the chair suggests he’s seeing this ghost for the first time, not that he’s been worn down by repeated hauntings. If so, is this the first time he’s realised there’s anything out of the ordinary? Or have there been odd happenings already - the piano playing by itself in the dead of night, perhaps - and he’s been sitting up to investigate, only to be confronted by a full-fledged spectre.
What’s the significance of the piano-playing? If he knew her in life, is she playing “their song”? Was she perhaps a musician or composer when she was alive? Is he a musician, and that’s why he’s seeing her now? Can she speak, or can she only communicate through music?
The painting captures one moment in time — so what happens after that? Ideally he doesn’t just run screaming from the house, but actually interacts (willingly or otherwise!) with the spirit. Is this a one-time manifestation, or does it become a regular haunting? Does it take a while for him to actually accept what’s happening? If the ghost has unfinished business, how does he help her work it out? If she’s out for revenge against him, does she get it? Do the man and his new ghost chum end up having regular weeknight recitals of music-hall tunes? Are we in for a very unconventional romance à la The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?
Art prompts: The moment immediately before or after the one captured in the painting. What does this scene look like from the ghost’s POV?
The possibilities are endless, and those are just a few of the ideas that have hit me from looking at the painting. No doubt you’ll have ideas of your own — please feel free to run with them!
The Uninvited (1944)
Characters: Carmel, Pamela Fitzgerald, Stella Meredith, Mary Meredith
I love this film so much: a good, old-fashioned ghost story filled with endearing characters, fun dialogue, and lots of atmosphere! I'd love anything exploring the character's stories further. As far as ships go, I’m quite happy with the canonical Roderick/Stella, and the secondary coupling of Pam/Dr. Scott, so feel free to feature either them. Or if you’d rather do something gen rather than shippy, that’s fine too.
Within the events of the film itself, when Rick first hears the ghostly sobbing, we learn that Pam's already heard it before, more than once. What about something filling in her early experiences in the house, before Rick comes down from London?
Anything about Stella and the house would also be fascinating. Perhaps some of Carmel’s belongings are still in the house, and Stella is able to learn more about her mother through them. Or you could do something set before the events of the film, with her feeling the call of the house through the years, despite all her grandfather’s best efforts.
It might also be interesting to explore the POV of the ghosts themselves, Carmel and/or Mary’s, while they’re haunting the house over the years. Are they aware of each other’s presence in the house? Is there some sort of supernatural conflict between them that we don’t get to see, with Mary trying to harm Stella while Carmel tries to defend her? How many ways does Carmel try to reach out to her daughter?
I'm struggling to think of any specific art prompts for this fandom, though I'd love to know what Carmel looked like. She's one of the major players in the backstory and the haunting, and she was an artist's model to boot, yet she's the only character without a "face"! A portrait of her, then, perhaps as if it's an in-universe portrait of her by Meredith? Apart from that, consider this your carte blanche!
