Chocolate Box 2022 letter
Jan. 2nd, 2022 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verecundaDear Chocolatier,
Hello! Thank you for creating for me. I’m already excited to see what you come up with! :D
This letter contains a rundown of my general likes and DNWs, as well as some potential prompts for each of my requested ships. 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. 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://p2.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
Verecunda.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via the mod.
Likes
Art likes
Smut likes
DNWs
The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff
- Flavia/Saxon Husband
- Ambrosius Aurelianus/Flavia
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Sauron/Witch-king of Angmar
- Khamûl/Witch-king of Angmar
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Beleg Cúthalion/Túrin Turambar
- Celebrimbor/Narvi
- Eönwë/Sauron
- Sauron/Tar-Míriel
Young Germanic Warrior With Helmet - Osmar Schindler (Painting 1902)
- Young Germanic Warrior/Owner of the Helmet
Likes
• Fic and art of all ratings.
• Most genres: humour, angst, fluff, darkfic, hurt/comfort, slice-of-life, character pieces, plotty pieces.
• I love a good happy ending, but the canons/pairings I’ve requested in this round have a definite tendency towards the bittersweet or downright tragic, so I’m quite ready and willing to have my heartstrings wrenched!
• I’ve got a special fondness for works that fill in characters’ backstories, “missing scenes” from canon, and alternate POVs on canon events. Post-canon settings are always good, of course.
• I love canon compliant fic, but I also love canon divergence AUs. I love exploring the possibilities.
• Worldbuilding detail. I always want to know more about whatever world these characters inhabit. Most of my fandoms are in historical/fantasy settings, so if you want to nerd out on the background details and lore, awesome!! But this is definitely not obligatory. First and foremost, I’m here for the characters.
• Intelligent, competent characters being intelligent and competent.
• Characters with tough/stoic/snarky exteriors having to confront and/or show their vulnerabilities.
• Odd couples. I love opposites that attract: characters who seem completely different but complement each other perfectly.
• Banter! I love characters who have a good back-and-forth.
• Characters learning to love again.
• 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.
• The ones in love always being the last to know. Which leads to:
• Outsider POVs are always fun. What do the friends, families, or even enemies think of these two idiots?
• Pairings that cross cultural/class/professional lines, and how they navigate the conflicts that arise.
• Power dynamics in general are great, whether they’re being managed in a healthy way, or just completely fucked up. 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.
• Related to that: loyalty kink, King (or Queen) and Lionheart dynamics.
• First times: first kiss, first confession of love, first time having sex, etc.
• Smut is great, but by no means obligatory. (Smutty likes are below!) Pure G-rated fluff or even just a few sensual details sketched it are equally fine by me.
• Getting together and established relationship fic are equally good.
• Quiet moments of intimacy: heart-to-heart talks; kisses on cheeks, foreheads, noses, etc.; hand-holding; face-stroking; hair-stroking; cuddles; resting heads on shoulders or chests; forehead-touching, etc.
• When in doubt, there’s always the classic tropes: sex pollen, marriage of convenience that blossoms into something more, fake relationship, only one bed, etc.
• Apart from my requested characters, I'm quite happy with other characters making an appearance in the fic.
Art likes
I know sweet sod all 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 tried to include some specific prompts with my requests, but here’s a brief list of some very general art likes:
• 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!
• In general, I love images that tell a story.
• 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, Geoff Hunt, Arthur Rackham, Beatrix Potter, Alan Lee.
• Homages to/spoofs of famous paintings - eg. characters in the pose from Klimt’s Kiss or Burton’s The Meeting on the Turret Stairs.
• 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 also love water effects: rivers and pools, waterfalls, fountains, oceans. I love ripples, currents, spray, etc.
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.
• Orgasm delay/denial.
• Toys.
• Riding, whether the rider is setting the pace or just - ahem - along for the ride.
• Sweet, slow, romantic sex.
• Equally: rough, desperate, oh-god-must-have-you-now fucking.
• Older/more experienced characters guiding their younger/less experienced partners.
• Alternatively, the older/more experienced partner being the cautious one, while the younger/less experienced one is more than raring to go.
• Anything about overcoming shyness and/or inhibitions.
• 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.
• 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 fandom usually puts on the bottom get to be on top for a change. So if you’d like to depart from the usual orthodoxy, be my guest!
DNWs
• First or second person POV (unless it’s the POV of the original canon).
• Modern/mundane/coffee-shop AUs.
• Soulmate/soulmark/soulbond AUs. (For Tolkien fandoms, that includes the fanon 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.
The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff
Relationship: Flavia/Saxon Husband
How did Flavia go from being captive slave to the wife of a Saxon warrior? When Aquila asks her if it’s love or hate between her and her husband, she tells him it’s a bit of both, which makes me wonder so much about what sort of complex and conflicting emotions lie behind those words. I like to think, at least, it means there’s something more going on than just Flavia being utterly forced and unwilling, even if that’s how things started out. And if that’s how it did start, how did things change? Was the birth of Mull a catalyst for something changing between them? How does their relationship progress over the years? Do they have more children? Does Flavia ever tell her husband about how she helped her brother escape his thraldom?
The fact that her husband gives Flavia back the dolphin ring as a bride-gift seems like quite a sweet, respectful gesture, given the circumstances: almost like an acknowledgement or apology for the loss of her family and former life, giving her back something that’s rightfully hers. I’d love to see anything about his point of view - part of me wonders if he was attracted to Flavia after seeing her fighting “like a Fury” during the raid on the farm. We don’t get much information on the husband, so admittedly you’re having to craft a character out of whole cloth. But there are a few things. Flavia describes him as brave, so does that mean she’s had an opportunity to witness his courage in other situations? She also trusts him not to beat her, so has he demonstrated gentleness and kindness to her, perhaps in some unexpected way?
Aquila himself wonders if Flavia’s situation was anything like Ness’, so to be honest, I’d like to imagine that Flavia and her husband were also able to find some common ground and affection. I just want Flavia to find some healing and peace in the end, too. The mingling of peoples and bloodlines is also such an important theme throughout Sutcliff’s work, and I’d love anything exploring the cultural contrasts between Flavia and her husband. How far does Flavia assimilate into Saxon life? What, if anything, of her Roman identity does she hold onto? Does her husband take an interest in her past and family?
Given the circumstances, don’t feel you have to whitewash the brutality or tragedy of the situation. The world of The Lantern Bearers is a harsh one, and I’m fine with portrayals of/references to rape, or at least an attitude of “lie back and think of Roman Britain”, if that’s what the story requires, but I’d prefer there to be something more than that.
Art prompts: anything capturing the clash and/or mingling of cultures between the two of them. The gifting of the dolphin ring, perhaps? The contrast between dark little Flavia and her big golden husband. A moment of hard-won tenderness between them.
Relationship: Ambrosius Aurelianus/Flavia
Firmly in AU territory here, but it’s one of those “Hey, what if…?” ideas that hit me one day. What if Flavia also somehow escaped the Saxons, made her way to Dinas Ffaraon, and met Ambrosius?
It could happen a few ways: either she escapes the raid on the farm by herself, or she does escape from Tanatus with Aquila when he asks. The second version potentially has more drama in it, because it comes with the added complexity of her having lived among the Saxons - especially if she brings Mull with her. What would happen between the British king-in-exile and the runaway wife of a Saxon warrior? It seems to me that there could be so many issues of allegiance and identity to explore by throwing these two together. Does it start with Ambrosius trying to pick her brains about Hengest’s settlement and his military strength, and is she willing to comply? Or does the fact that she does have Saxon ties make her unwilling/conflicted?
There’s also the fact that Flavia was privy to her father’s involvement with Ambrosius’ cause. How does she feel about that now? Up till now, Ambrosius and the royal line might have been more or less an ideal, a symbol of Rome-in-Britain, but now he’s a flesh-and-blood person. Is she a fervent supporter of the cause, or does she feel any resentment over the fact that it was why Vortigern sent the raiders to destroy the farm? How does she feel upon meeting the man behind the symbol?
It’d also be pretty interesting to explore the relationship from Ambrosius’ side, as he is quite a solitary figure, and in Sword at Sunset especially we learn that he has remained unmarried for political reasons. So how very inconvenient (and how narratively delicious!) would it be to see him falling in love, especially with Aquila’s sister, especially if she has a Saxon husband and a half-Saxon son?? As far as the last part goes, there’s also the fact that he’s had the raising of Artos, his brother’s illegitimate son - another child with an uncertain place in Dinas Ffaraon (if not quite so uncertain as Mull’s might be - his situation might be an interesting side-issue to touch on). Perhaps this is an area where he and Flavia find that they understand each other?
This uncertainty of position might also be something that causes their relationship to develop. How are Flavia and Mull regarded in Dinas Ffaraon? Roman Britons who escaped from Saxon thraldom, or quasi-Saxons to be treated with suspicion? I can’t imagine anyone would dare fuck with Aquila’s family, but maybe Aquila asks Ambrosius to take Flavia and her son under his protection whenever he’s away campaigning, and things develop between them from there. (One can only imagine Aquila’s reaction!)
This is the sort of pairing I can imagine developing fairly quietly and organically over the years, almost in tandem with Aquila and Ness’ - though perhaps not as acrimonious in its beginning? What sort of relationship do they work out in the end? If you want to take things further, into the Sword at Sunset timeline, how does Ambrosius’ crowning as High King affect things for them? Does it make things easier, or does it simply throw up new challenges for them? If you really feel like breaking my heart, is Flavia still around for Ambrosius’ illness and final hunt…?
Don’t worry, it’s Sutcliff, so I’m perfectly prepared for a bittersweet, imperfectly happy ending at best, or utter heartbreak at worst!
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
Relationship: Sauron/Witch-king of Angmar
I find both Sauron and the Witch-king endlessly fascinating, and I’d love to know more about their relationship. Angmar may be an undead slave in complete thrall to his master, but he also seems to have considerable powers, and definitely comes across as Sauron’s favoured lieutenant. So - tell me all about what’s going on with these two!
How did Angmar fall under Sauron’s sway in the first place? Considering the Second Age was Sauron’s peak sexy phase, I’m all up for some seduction *wink wink* to the dark side! Did he dust off the old fair form to win Angmar over, enthralling him with beauty as well as the promise of power? Did he come among the nine kings as an Annatar-style figure again, or did he use another gambit entirely? I’d love to know more about the Witch-king’s origins. Was he originally quite a noble figure, whose good qualities were twisted to evil? (Not unlike Sauron himself, come to that!) His background and personality are things that are entirely unknown in canon, leaving you to create them pretty much from scratch, and I’d be fascinated to see your take on him, and how these things factor into his relationship with Sauron.
This pairing strikes me as having all sorts of great opportunities for dark loyalty kink and a relationship that is twisted, co-dependent and highly dysfunctional (to put it mildly!), but still somehow satisfying to both parties. (If it helps, my favourite kind of villain ship is the sort that is clearly fucked up, but hey, it seems to work for them.) Is Angmar jealous of his master’s favour and the place he holds at his side? And what about Sauron’s feelings? I love my Sauron thoroughly evil, but maybe, even though Angmar is undoubtedly his slave, buried somewhere deep, deep within that black little heart of his, there’s still the capacity for affection, if not exactly true love.
On a similar note, it could also be interesting to explore Sauron’s feelings at being to Angmar what Morgoth once was to him. I do ship Sauron/Morgoth mightily, so I certainly wouldn’t be averse to some shade of past Angbang lurking in the background of the Sauron/Angmar dynamic. Is this something Angmar himself aware of?
I’d love to see anything set during Angmar’s natural lifetime, as well as anything exploring his time as a wraith. What are his feelings when he realises the cost of his power? Horrified, betrayed, or does he deem it worth it to serve his master forever? How does their dynamic work when he’s fully undead? Is he mindlessly beholden to the One Ring, or does he retain enough of a sense of himself to serve Sauron with his own fervour? We know that after the fall of Númenor, Sauron loses the ability to assume a fair disguise. Is this the first time Angmar sees his master’s true self, as it were? What’s his reaction?
And what about the Third Age? Did the Nazgûl have to seek out the spirit of their master after Isildur cut the Ring from his hand? Did they have to guard him while he regained his strength? Want to do some sort of evil h/c with the Witch-king watching over his weakened master? I’m here for that! How do you carry on a relationship with your boss when you’re an invisible wraith and he’s a semi-divine being of dubious corporeality?
If you’re in the mood for something daft: I like that line in the book where an Orc says something about the Nazgûl being “the apple of the Great Eye”. Do the Orcs of Mordor have Theories about the relationship between the Dark Lord and his Black Captain? Does Minas Morgul have a betting pool? Do they make up bawdy songs (very much out of earshot of their masters!)? Give me all the Mordor water-cooler gossip!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on Sauron and the Witch-king during the Second Age - perhaps with Sauron offering the Ring of Power to him? Alternatively, the two of them in their more… insubstantial forms? Any scenes of kneeling and pledging undying fealty, all that good stuff!
Relationship: Khamûl/Witch-king of Angmar
Admittedly, this is something of a crackship. But, well, the Lord of the Nazgûl and his second-in-command? There’s a dynamic I can’t resist. Seeing some gorgeous fanart definitely helps! And hey, they even have matching rings. ;)
Since we know virtually nothing about these two as individuals, you have complete carte blanche to do whatever you like with this idea. And as per my likes above, I love things that fill in characters’ backstories. So tell me all about these two and whatever it is that’s between them.
Who were they when they were alive? We know Khamûl was an Easterling, but the Witch-king’s identity is unknown. He may be one of the three Númenórean lords who accepted rings from Sauron, but it’s equally possible he belonged to one of the indigenous kingdoms of Middle-earth. Did he and Khamûl know each other before they joined Sauron - old rivals, perhaps, who were constantly at war with each other? Cue all the Nemesis Mine scenarios, UST-laden sword-fights, etc. Was one of them ever a prisoner of the other 👀? Or maybe they were even unlikely allies, who banded together against some common enemy, and discovered they had even more in common than that? Did Sauron recruit them individually, or did he get them as a package deal? Did he somehow manipulate their relationship to bring them under his thrall? Were they willing servants of the Dark Tower, or were they originally noble figures, whose good qualities were twisted towards evil ends? Did one of them end up in some sort of mortal danger, prompting the other to turn to Sauron to help him save him, only for them both to be caught in his net?
Honestly, I’ll take absolutely any sort of story about these two, any kind of dynamic. Enemies to lovers, enemies with benefits, frenemies with benefits, or even a completely devoted captain and second-in-command? Mordor’s equivalent to the Sacred Band of Thebes??
If you’re into worldbuilding, this pairing has so many opportunities to build on! Cultural differences - and similarities - between the Men of the East and the West. Different perceptions of kingship and lordship, territorial rights, courtship, m/m relationships… the whole lot! I’d love to know more about Easterling history and culture, their POV on the history of Middle-earth.
And how does their bond work as they stop being living men and become wraiths? There’s some sense in canon that although they are totally in thrall to Sauron, they’re not quite mindless drones. The Witch-king in particular seems to have some personality of his own, and the fact that they have different degrees of power suggests there are some traces of individuality still there. Do Angmar and Khamûl retain some sense of their own personalities and their relationship? Do they still have feelings for each other, and if so, how does that gel with the fact that their raison d’être is now wholly to serve Sauron and the Ring? Can wraiths even have personal relationships? Does Sauron get any cruel enjoyment out of manipulating their bond for his own purposes? And what is Khamûl’s reaction when the Witch-king is slain? Is he still able to feel grief?
Similar to my Sauron/Witch-king prompts above, if you fancy doing something daft, I’d love to see what the Orcs and underlings make of any relationships (real or suspected) among their superiors!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on both Angmar and Khamûl when they were living men, including your take on Easterling costume (and Númenórean, if that’s the background you’re choosing for Angmar). Something involving the motif of their two rings? Something featuring them as wraiths would also be cool. If the Witch-king’s wraith form is a pale king, how does Khamûl appear?
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
Relationship: Beleg Cúthalion/Túrin Turambar
I read The Children of Húrin just before Christmas there, and it pretty took what was left of my heart after reading the version of the story in the Silm, and pummelled it into mush. Which is to say, holy crap I love these characters so much. Give me more, MORE!!!
I love the relationship between Beleg and Túrin. Just - the way Beleg’s love for Túrin continually overrides his own instincts, the constant devotion, the way all of Túrin’s outlaw gang get so jealous of Beleg, the heart-wrenching tragedy of Beleg’s death and Túrin’s complete blue-screen-of-death devastation after it.
I’d love absolutely anything and everything expanding on what we get in canon. I’d love to know more about their time fighting together on the borders of Doriath: Beleg training Túrin in Elvish fighting and tracking, battling side-by-side and back-to-back against the hordes of Angband, rescuing each other and tending to each other’s wounds, their friendship gradually turning into something else as it’s forged in the fire of war. Those lodges used by the Marchwardens also sound like eminently cosy places when you’re alone out in the wilds together…
I wonder what it would be like for Beleg, falling in love with a Man, especially since it’s been less than twenty years since Lúthien left Doriath for the sake of mortal love. Then there’s the fact that he’s known Túrin since he was a child. The lives of Men must pass in a flash to the Eldar, so I imagine for Beleg there must have been an incredible whiplash moment of realising that Túrin was suddenly an adult (swiftly followed by the disconcerting realisation of “oh no he’s hot”). As for Túrin, I’m tempted to imagine that he always quietly adored Beleg from the time of that first rescue, with that adoration gradually maturing into something more over the years.
Anything set during their time among the outlaws would also be great: Túrin tending Beleg’s wounds after he’s roughed up by the group, renewing their bond, fighting together as they used to in the Land of Bow and Helm. (The entire area is named after them!!) Plus if you want to work in some jealous one-sided Andróg/Túrin, I certainly wouldn’t complain!
For me, the great beauty of this story is very much in its tragedy, so I’m perfectly happy if you want to do something canon-compliant. That said, we fans do tend to be a sappy, soft-hearted lot who just want our faves to be happy, so if you want, I certainly wouldn’t say no to an AU where things somehow end happily - or at least, happier. What if Beleg doesn’t die in Taur-nu-Fuin, but accompanies Túrin and Gwindor to Nargothrond (and beyond)? What if Túrin agrees to return to Doriath after all? If you have some idea how the curse might be lifted and they all live happily ever after, go for it!!
Art prompts: I love the contrast between Túrin’s all-black aesthetic, and Beleg in his white cloak, so anything leaning into that would be lovely. Any scenes of more contented days in Doriath, or stolen moments in the House of Ransom, etc. There are also so many iconic weapons and other artefacts associated with these characters - the Dragon-helm, Anglachel, Belthronding, etc., so I’d love to see something featuring them. Something dark and tragic featuring Anglachel, perhaps, since they both die by its blade?
Relationship: Celebrimbor/Narvi
I love these two so much, even though we never really meet them face to face, as it were. The friendship between the Elves of Eregion and the Dwarves of Moria, and in particular between Celebrimbor and Narvi, is one of the few bright spots in the history of the Second Age, and I always find it moving. I wonder how the personal and political reflected each other. Was it the good relations between Hollin and Moria that allowed the bond between Celebrimbor and Narvi to flourish, or was their relationship key in establishing peace between the two kingdoms?
I’d love to know more of their story, how they met and how their relationship developed. Did they meet through diplomatic or trading channels, or through their shared profession - maybe one decided to seek out the other for some advice on a project? Were they rival craftsmen who realised that they actually really liked each other when they met? Or did they meet through sheer chance?
This ship has the potential for so much fun and sweetness. I love the idea of the two of them working together, sharing ideas, learning the techniques and crafting lore of each other’s races, nerding out over all sorts of smith-based stuff, becoming ever and ever closer until they find their friendship has morphed into something more. Is there lots of pining and fretting, worrying that if their feelings become known it’ll ruin their friendship? Is everyone else just watching them, wondering when the hell they’re going to get a clue and kiss each other already?
And of course they’re both craftsmen, so what else do they make together? Do they make each other courting gifts? Or, for something more spicy, do they come up with things to liven things up in the bedroom? ;) Are the Doors of Durin their big collaboration, or are there more? Perhaps deep in the halls of Moria, or somewhere among the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil, there are other gates or doors or artefacts that bear the names of Celebrimbor and Narvi together.
Anything dealing with the history and cultural differences between Elves and Dwarves would be great, too. I’d love to see them visiting each other’s homes, getting to know the traditions, languages, and lore of each other’s peoples. And, of course, courting and marriage customs! (I’m always weak for the trope where some gesture that’s completely innocuous in one culture is actually a deeply personal, intimate thing in another.)
We don’t have any dates for Narvi, so I wonder if he was still alive when Annatar appeared on the scene. If so, how did he feel, watching Celebrimbor fall more and more under the thrall of this stranger? Dwarves seem to be more resistant to Sauron’s subtleties than other races, especially in the case of the Seven Rings, so did he perhaps sense something off from the first - and if so, did he try to warn Celebrimbor, or dismiss it as his own jealousy? Was he there for the destruction of Eregion and the sight of Celebrimbor’s body carried aloft at the head of Sauron’s armies? Did he withdraw into the dark along with the other Dwarves when they closed the gates against the outside world?
Alternatively, Narvi may have already been dead by the time Annatar arrived, which comes with its own angsty possibilities. Did the loss of Narvi make Celebrimbor even more vulnerable to Sauron’s seduction, because he saw in Annatar someone who might fill some of the emptiness left by Narvi. Or did it actually make things harder for Sauron, because Celebrimbor’s grief made him resistant to letting anyone else get so close?
Looking even further ahead, I’d also love to know what sort of stories are told about Narvi and Celebrimbor into the Third Age. Their reputation as master smiths has obviously survived, but is their relationship common knowledge, or is it something that’s now only ever alluded to in scandalised whispers, or dismissed as slander on both sides? Give me that Middle-earth gossip!
Art prompts: the height difference!! Either or both of them decked out in the fashions of each other’s people. Canoodling in the workshop. Anything incorporating the various motifs on the Doors of Durin. We’re past Christmas now, but something featuring Eregion’s signature holly?
Relationship: Eönwë/Sauron
This is one of those pairings that has exactly one canon interaction — but oh, the possibilities! I like to imagine that when Sauron dons his fair form and surrenders to Eönwë after the War of Wrath, we’re not just seeing Morgoth’s lieutenant surrendering to Manwë’s herald, but two Maiar who were once friends meeting again after several ages apart, following very different paths. Friends - or possibly even lovers? Just imagine all the messy emotions that would be flying around a reunion like that!
Imagining they did have a history together, what was it like? Perhaps a slow, tentative friends to lovers scenario: flirting in the gardens of Almaren, first kisses, experimenting together as they get to know how their physical forms work, etc. Or is it something that lies between them, unspoken, perhaps not even fully understood, still unfulfilled when Mairon leaves to follow Melkor? Did Mairon ever confide in Eönwë about his doubts and inner conflict as his allegiance began to shift, or did he keep it all absolutely secret? Did Eönwë ever sense that something was off with him, or did Mairon’s betrayal take him completely aback?
Alternatively, perhaps their relationship originated while Mairon was still in Almaren as Melkor’s spy. Did he perhaps strike up a flirtation/seduction of Eönwë in order to gain information about Manwë’s intentions and/or movements?
And what about when Mairon finally leaves Aulë’s house for good? Does Eönwë learn of his betrayal, perhaps confronting him before he leaves? Does Mairon try to convince him to come with him? Or does Eönwë only learn of Mairon’s betrayal after he’s gone? What are his feelings when word reaches Valinor of Melkor’s terrible new lieutenant? Does he think that Mairon might have been taken by force, or does he guess the truth at once, that Mairon is fully devoted to his new master?
(fwiw, Angbang is pretty much my otp where Sauron is concerned, so if you want to throw a bit of that into the mix, I’ll certainly not complain! Is Mairon torn between his feelings for Eönwë and his growing devotion to Melkor? Are Eönwë and Melkor both aware and highly jealous of each other?)
There’s so much scope for conflict and angst and regret in this pairing, especially after Mairon has gone over to evil. Just as Manwë gives Melkor a chance to redeem himself, does Eönwë hold out hope that Mairon might still come back to the light? And what about Mairon? I adore how absolutely, gleefully evil Sauron is in the Silmarillion, but according to Tolkien himself, he still wasn’t completely beyond redemption even then. Are there ever times that he finds himself remembering, with just a teeny-tiny tinge of regret, what he had with Eönwë? During the various wars with the Valar and their hosts, does he ever subtly deflect Melkor’s attentions away from endangering Eönwë?
Then we come to the surrender. Is it simple manipulation on Sauron’s part, assuming his fair guise in the hope that he can use their former relationship to charm or seduce Eönwë into showing him leniency? Or if we go with the view that Sauron’s repentance at this point was genuine, what sort of emotions and memories are stirred up? Is Sauron surprised by how strong his feelings for Eönwë still are, after all this time? Does Eönwë try to resist his own feelings in order to carry out his duty properly? Does he believe in Sauron’s sincerity? When the book says that he doesn’t have the authority to judge a fellow Maia, but tells Sauron to face the Valar’s judgement, it rather sounds to me like he genuinely wants to help, but his hands are tied. Is there a passionate but short-lived reunion between the two of them, before Sauron flees? Is Eönwë crushed by this latest betrayal, or did he know in his heart that Sauron would never return? And does Sauron feel any last lingering regret for betraying Eönwë yet again as he disappears into the East?
And what about the Second and Third Ages? How does Eönwë feel, learning about Sauron’s rise as the new Dark Lord? The Maiar have the ability to walk about the world undetected even by the Eldar, so does he ever travel to Middle-earth and witness Sauron’s atrocities for himself? Do they ever meet again? At the end of the War of the Ring, does Eönwë have to go out and gather up whatever little is left of Sauron’s spirit so he can be cast into the Void once and for all?
Art prompts: Anything with Eönwë and Mairon in the Years of the Lamps. I’d love to see your take on these Maiar in either their physical or spirit forms. Or something playing with the various contrasts between them: eg. Eönwë the warrior vs. Sauron the sorcerer, the heavenly herald of Manwë vs. the diabolical lieutenant of Morgoth. Any rendering of Sauron’s surrender would be great!
Relationship: Sauron/Tar-Míriel
Apart from Sauron himself, Tar-Míriel is my favourite figure in the Akallabêth, and I’d love to know just what the hell she made of him scheming his way into Númenor and leading her people down the path to ruin. I assume that they couldn’t help crossing paths pretty often, and I’d love to know more about their dynamic: the rightful Queen and the (not so) humbled Dark Lord. I think they would make for a fascinating hate-ship!
Did Sauron ever try to corrupt her along with Ar-Pharazôn? I can imagine he must have tried, perhaps by working on her various grievances: the fact that her queenship was usurped, or perhaps working on her feelings of isolation, trying to make her feel that she had been abandoned by Elendil et al.? I like to imagine that as the daughter of Tar-Palantir, Míriel had the insight to recognise him for what he really was, and refused to be taken in by his manipulations, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t tempted - perhaps managing to pull herself back from the brink just in time. Maybe Sauron tries to add seduction to his manipulations, and is equally frustrated/turned on by the fact that Míriel doesn’t fall for his wiles.
Did Míriel ever try to prevent Sauron gaining power over the King, if only for the sake of her people? Perhaps that there was some sort of struggle or stalemate between the two of them over their influence with Ar-Pharazôn, that becomes more and more intense. Or does Míriel hate her husband enough that she’s willing to stand aside and let Sauron ruin him… only to realise too late that it’s not just Pharazôn who’ll suffer, but her whole civilisation. Or, hell, is bedding Sauron the one tiny scrap of agency she can claim for herself in this whole situation?
I’m into the idea of Sauron being relentlessly manipulative, but also genuinely attracted to Míriel. Perhaps, too, he sees something of her ancestress Lúthien in her, and so considers seducing her as a kind of revenge for the humiliation he suffered at Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Is Míriel aware of this lore, and does she use it against him somehow — perhaps straight-up laughs at him for him for it!
The potential for hate-sex is delicious, especially in somewhere symbolic. The royal throne? The court of the White Tree? The Temple of Melkor?? That said, I do enjoy hate-ships that are complicated by genuine moments of connection. In this case, both Tar-Míriel and Sauron are alone, in their own ways, and both share a common enemy in Ar-Pharazôn. Perhaps they find themselves understanding each other in alarming ways!
And what about Ar-Pharazôn? Does he ever realise that the two are sleeping together, and if so, what’s his reaction? Maybe he’s too far under Sauron’s thumb to make any genuine protest, or Sauron convinces him that sharing his wife is clearly the right and honourable thing to do. Hell, want to go for something utterly debauched with Míriel and Sauron fucking in front of the King? I’ll eat that right up! (As long as the focus is on them - I don’t care about Pharazôn too much. :P)
I’m also up for an AU where Sauron does turn Míriel to the dark side, after all. Is that the reason why she isn’t spared from the wrath of Eru? Or you could carry the AU further: perhaps he’s able to spirit her away at the same time he escapes from the wave, and takes her back to Middle-earth as his captive and/or consort? Any fucked-up dub-con scenario here would be delicious, as would Dark Queen Míriel, with her and Sauron forming a genuinely evil partnership against the Last Alliance. Is she even one of the three Númenórean Nazgûl?
Art prompts: the two of them have the potential to be very handsome together, with Sauron in his fair guise, and Tar-Míriel being “fairer than silver or ivory or pearls”. Anything suggesting the opulence of Númenor would be lovely. As for scenarios: charged looks behind Ar-Pharazôn’s back, fraught clinches in odd corners of the palace? Art that incorporates the symbols of the White Tree and the Eye, or some suggestion of the Great Wave looming in the background.
Young Germanic Warrior With Helmet - Osmar Schindler (Painting 1902)
Relationship: Young Germanic Warrior/Owner of the Helmet
I first came across this painting via this Tumblr post, which interprets it as the barbarian warrior dominating the old Roman order. That’s definitely what’s the pose suggests, but despite the obvious eroticism of the image, I don’t really get dominance or aggression from it. Looking at the warrior’s face, I see something soft, rather sad, in his expression as he looks down at the helmet. What if it belonged to someone he knew and loved? I can see all sorts of wonderful possibilities for a story in the vein of a Rosemary Sutcliff novel: of sword-brothers across the cultural divide, individuals meeting across the gulf of conqueror and conquered, comradeship and intense love and loyalty that’s tested to its limit when war flares up between their peoples…
First off: who was the owner of the helmet? The fancy crest denotes an officer, so presumably someone of fairly genteel birth. Perhaps he and the young warrior grew up together; maybe the warrior is himself the son of a chieftain. His tribe may have been allied with Rome against a rival tribe, which led to the two of them meeting and fighting together. There were also plenty of instances of Germanic tribesmen being recruited/conscripted into serving in the Roman army. Perhaps our warrior was one of them, and the helmet’s owner was a Roman officer who served as the auxiliary commander, or a military liaison of some sort. Perhaps they found themselves working together to defuse tensions between the Germanic auxiliaries and their Roman commanders, and gradually growing closer. Or they’re the ones who get off on the wrong foot, but find their relationship being forged through adversity.
Just… gosh, there are so many stories you could tell here. A story of adventure and intrigue, about empire and Romans and “barbarians”… or something on a smaller scale, about the intimacy between two people growing against the backdrop of their daily life.
Of course, the fact that the painting shows the helmet, rather than the owner himself, suggests that whatever the story, the ending isn’t a happy one. Did war erupt between Rome and the warrior’s tribe, forcing the two onto different sides? Were they always lovers across the enemy divide, or did alliances break down and turn to animosity? Did it end on the battlefield? Has the warrior just found his lover’s helmet amidst the carnage, and realised he must be among the fallen? Or - for maximum tragedy - did it come down to single combat between the two of them? Or is there some other situation going on here? Perhaps the warrior was trying to rescue the Roman from some danger, but came too late. Maybe the Roman wasn’t killed by the warrior himself, but by one of his tribesmen - perhaps thinking his friend was being dishonoured by being bedded by a Roman, perhaps thinking he was coerced, perhaps out of sheer jealousy? Whatever the case, I feel there’s a tragedy of operatic proportions happening here!
However, if you’d rather create something happier, I’d say there’s room for that too. Perhaps the warrior has just found the helmet, realised who it belongs to, and is able to find the owner, wounded but alive. Maybe what we see in the painting is actually the beginning of the story, and what follows is rescue, healing, and finding a way to forge a new life together. Assuming the Roman was fighting against the tribes, perhaps he turns his back on Rome and “goes native” among the warrior’s people instead.
Honestly, the possibilities here are endless! I’m barely scratching the surface here, and no doubt you’ll have your own impressions from the painting.
As for setting: I’m definitely no expert on the material culture of the early Germanic tribes, so I don’t know if there are any clues in the warrior’s get-up that hint at what tribe/time period he might belong to. I suspect his depiction is more romanticised than accurate, so you can pretty much set it whenever you want. And there’s plenty of choice bits of history between Rome and the Germanic tribes, from the Teutoburg Forest to the Sack of Rome, so do whatever you want! I’d also be quite happy with a Guy Gavriel Kay kind of deal, in an invented setting that’s obviously heavily based on history.
Art prompts: I’d love to see the Germanic warrior pictured with the actual owner of the helmet, in whatever kind of situation you fancy. What comes before the image in the painting — has he found the helmet, or taken it from the owner’s body? What comes after — does he throw it away, or keep it? Treasure it as a memento of a lost love, or offer it as a sacrifice to the gods for his lover’s shade?
Hello! Thank you for creating for me. I’m already excited to see what you come up with! :D
This letter contains a rundown of my general likes and DNWs, as well as some potential prompts for each of my requested ships. 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. 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.
Likes
Art likes
Smut likes
DNWs
The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff
- Flavia/Saxon Husband
- Ambrosius Aurelianus/Flavia
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Sauron/Witch-king of Angmar
- Khamûl/Witch-king of Angmar
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
- Beleg Cúthalion/Túrin Turambar
- Celebrimbor/Narvi
- Eönwë/Sauron
- Sauron/Tar-Míriel
Young Germanic Warrior With Helmet - Osmar Schindler (Painting 1902)
- Young Germanic Warrior/Owner of the Helmet
Likes
• Fic and art of all ratings.
• Most genres: humour, angst, fluff, darkfic, hurt/comfort, slice-of-life, character pieces, plotty pieces.
• I love a good happy ending, but the canons/pairings I’ve requested in this round have a definite tendency towards the bittersweet or downright tragic, so I’m quite ready and willing to have my heartstrings wrenched!
• I’ve got a special fondness for works that fill in characters’ backstories, “missing scenes” from canon, and alternate POVs on canon events. Post-canon settings are always good, of course.
• I love canon compliant fic, but I also love canon divergence AUs. I love exploring the possibilities.
• Worldbuilding detail. I always want to know more about whatever world these characters inhabit. Most of my fandoms are in historical/fantasy settings, so if you want to nerd out on the background details and lore, awesome!! But this is definitely not obligatory. First and foremost, I’m here for the characters.
• Intelligent, competent characters being intelligent and competent.
• Characters with tough/stoic/snarky exteriors having to confront and/or show their vulnerabilities.
• Odd couples. I love opposites that attract: characters who seem completely different but complement each other perfectly.
• Banter! I love characters who have a good back-and-forth.
• Characters learning to love again.
• 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.
• The ones in love always being the last to know. Which leads to:
• Outsider POVs are always fun. What do the friends, families, or even enemies think of these two idiots?
• Pairings that cross cultural/class/professional lines, and how they navigate the conflicts that arise.
• Power dynamics in general are great, whether they’re being managed in a healthy way, or just completely fucked up. 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.
• Related to that: loyalty kink, King (or Queen) and Lionheart dynamics.
• First times: first kiss, first confession of love, first time having sex, etc.
• Smut is great, but by no means obligatory. (Smutty likes are below!) Pure G-rated fluff or even just a few sensual details sketched it are equally fine by me.
• Getting together and established relationship fic are equally good.
• Quiet moments of intimacy: heart-to-heart talks; kisses on cheeks, foreheads, noses, etc.; hand-holding; face-stroking; hair-stroking; cuddles; resting heads on shoulders or chests; forehead-touching, etc.
• When in doubt, there’s always the classic tropes: sex pollen, marriage of convenience that blossoms into something more, fake relationship, only one bed, etc.
• Apart from my requested characters, I'm quite happy with other characters making an appearance in the fic.
Art likes
I know sweet sod all 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 tried to include some specific prompts with my requests, but here’s a brief list of some very general art likes:
• 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!
• In general, I love images that tell a story.
• 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, Geoff Hunt, Arthur Rackham, Beatrix Potter, Alan Lee.
• Homages to/spoofs of famous paintings - eg. characters in the pose from Klimt’s Kiss or Burton’s The Meeting on the Turret Stairs.
• 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 also love water effects: rivers and pools, waterfalls, fountains, oceans. I love ripples, currents, spray, etc.
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.
• Orgasm delay/denial.
• Toys.
• Riding, whether the rider is setting the pace or just - ahem - along for the ride.
• Sweet, slow, romantic sex.
• Equally: rough, desperate, oh-god-must-have-you-now fucking.
• Older/more experienced characters guiding their younger/less experienced partners.
• Alternatively, the older/more experienced partner being the cautious one, while the younger/less experienced one is more than raring to go.
• Anything about overcoming shyness and/or inhibitions.
• 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.
• 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 fandom usually puts on the bottom get to be on top for a change. So if you’d like to depart from the usual orthodoxy, be my guest!
DNWs
• First or second person POV (unless it’s the POV of the original canon).
• Modern/mundane/coffee-shop AUs.
• Soulmate/soulmark/soulbond AUs. (For Tolkien fandoms, that includes the fanon 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.
The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff
Relationship: Flavia/Saxon Husband
How did Flavia go from being captive slave to the wife of a Saxon warrior? When Aquila asks her if it’s love or hate between her and her husband, she tells him it’s a bit of both, which makes me wonder so much about what sort of complex and conflicting emotions lie behind those words. I like to think, at least, it means there’s something more going on than just Flavia being utterly forced and unwilling, even if that’s how things started out. And if that’s how it did start, how did things change? Was the birth of Mull a catalyst for something changing between them? How does their relationship progress over the years? Do they have more children? Does Flavia ever tell her husband about how she helped her brother escape his thraldom?
The fact that her husband gives Flavia back the dolphin ring as a bride-gift seems like quite a sweet, respectful gesture, given the circumstances: almost like an acknowledgement or apology for the loss of her family and former life, giving her back something that’s rightfully hers. I’d love to see anything about his point of view - part of me wonders if he was attracted to Flavia after seeing her fighting “like a Fury” during the raid on the farm. We don’t get much information on the husband, so admittedly you’re having to craft a character out of whole cloth. But there are a few things. Flavia describes him as brave, so does that mean she’s had an opportunity to witness his courage in other situations? She also trusts him not to beat her, so has he demonstrated gentleness and kindness to her, perhaps in some unexpected way?
Aquila himself wonders if Flavia’s situation was anything like Ness’, so to be honest, I’d like to imagine that Flavia and her husband were also able to find some common ground and affection. I just want Flavia to find some healing and peace in the end, too. The mingling of peoples and bloodlines is also such an important theme throughout Sutcliff’s work, and I’d love anything exploring the cultural contrasts between Flavia and her husband. How far does Flavia assimilate into Saxon life? What, if anything, of her Roman identity does she hold onto? Does her husband take an interest in her past and family?
Given the circumstances, don’t feel you have to whitewash the brutality or tragedy of the situation. The world of The Lantern Bearers is a harsh one, and I’m fine with portrayals of/references to rape, or at least an attitude of “lie back and think of Roman Britain”, if that’s what the story requires, but I’d prefer there to be something more than that.
Art prompts: anything capturing the clash and/or mingling of cultures between the two of them. The gifting of the dolphin ring, perhaps? The contrast between dark little Flavia and her big golden husband. A moment of hard-won tenderness between them.
Relationship: Ambrosius Aurelianus/Flavia
Firmly in AU territory here, but it’s one of those “Hey, what if…?” ideas that hit me one day. What if Flavia also somehow escaped the Saxons, made her way to Dinas Ffaraon, and met Ambrosius?
It could happen a few ways: either she escapes the raid on the farm by herself, or she does escape from Tanatus with Aquila when he asks. The second version potentially has more drama in it, because it comes with the added complexity of her having lived among the Saxons - especially if she brings Mull with her. What would happen between the British king-in-exile and the runaway wife of a Saxon warrior? It seems to me that there could be so many issues of allegiance and identity to explore by throwing these two together. Does it start with Ambrosius trying to pick her brains about Hengest’s settlement and his military strength, and is she willing to comply? Or does the fact that she does have Saxon ties make her unwilling/conflicted?
There’s also the fact that Flavia was privy to her father’s involvement with Ambrosius’ cause. How does she feel about that now? Up till now, Ambrosius and the royal line might have been more or less an ideal, a symbol of Rome-in-Britain, but now he’s a flesh-and-blood person. Is she a fervent supporter of the cause, or does she feel any resentment over the fact that it was why Vortigern sent the raiders to destroy the farm? How does she feel upon meeting the man behind the symbol?
It’d also be pretty interesting to explore the relationship from Ambrosius’ side, as he is quite a solitary figure, and in Sword at Sunset especially we learn that he has remained unmarried for political reasons. So how very inconvenient (and how narratively delicious!) would it be to see him falling in love, especially with Aquila’s sister, especially if she has a Saxon husband and a half-Saxon son?? As far as the last part goes, there’s also the fact that he’s had the raising of Artos, his brother’s illegitimate son - another child with an uncertain place in Dinas Ffaraon (if not quite so uncertain as Mull’s might be - his situation might be an interesting side-issue to touch on). Perhaps this is an area where he and Flavia find that they understand each other?
This uncertainty of position might also be something that causes their relationship to develop. How are Flavia and Mull regarded in Dinas Ffaraon? Roman Britons who escaped from Saxon thraldom, or quasi-Saxons to be treated with suspicion? I can’t imagine anyone would dare fuck with Aquila’s family, but maybe Aquila asks Ambrosius to take Flavia and her son under his protection whenever he’s away campaigning, and things develop between them from there. (One can only imagine Aquila’s reaction!)
This is the sort of pairing I can imagine developing fairly quietly and organically over the years, almost in tandem with Aquila and Ness’ - though perhaps not as acrimonious in its beginning? What sort of relationship do they work out in the end? If you want to take things further, into the Sword at Sunset timeline, how does Ambrosius’ crowning as High King affect things for them? Does it make things easier, or does it simply throw up new challenges for them? If you really feel like breaking my heart, is Flavia still around for Ambrosius’ illness and final hunt…?
Don’t worry, it’s Sutcliff, so I’m perfectly prepared for a bittersweet, imperfectly happy ending at best, or utter heartbreak at worst!
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
Relationship: Sauron/Witch-king of Angmar
I find both Sauron and the Witch-king endlessly fascinating, and I’d love to know more about their relationship. Angmar may be an undead slave in complete thrall to his master, but he also seems to have considerable powers, and definitely comes across as Sauron’s favoured lieutenant. So - tell me all about what’s going on with these two!
How did Angmar fall under Sauron’s sway in the first place? Considering the Second Age was Sauron’s peak sexy phase, I’m all up for some seduction *wink wink* to the dark side! Did he dust off the old fair form to win Angmar over, enthralling him with beauty as well as the promise of power? Did he come among the nine kings as an Annatar-style figure again, or did he use another gambit entirely? I’d love to know more about the Witch-king’s origins. Was he originally quite a noble figure, whose good qualities were twisted to evil? (Not unlike Sauron himself, come to that!) His background and personality are things that are entirely unknown in canon, leaving you to create them pretty much from scratch, and I’d be fascinated to see your take on him, and how these things factor into his relationship with Sauron.
This pairing strikes me as having all sorts of great opportunities for dark loyalty kink and a relationship that is twisted, co-dependent and highly dysfunctional (to put it mildly!), but still somehow satisfying to both parties. (If it helps, my favourite kind of villain ship is the sort that is clearly fucked up, but hey, it seems to work for them.) Is Angmar jealous of his master’s favour and the place he holds at his side? And what about Sauron’s feelings? I love my Sauron thoroughly evil, but maybe, even though Angmar is undoubtedly his slave, buried somewhere deep, deep within that black little heart of his, there’s still the capacity for affection, if not exactly true love.
On a similar note, it could also be interesting to explore Sauron’s feelings at being to Angmar what Morgoth once was to him. I do ship Sauron/Morgoth mightily, so I certainly wouldn’t be averse to some shade of past Angbang lurking in the background of the Sauron/Angmar dynamic. Is this something Angmar himself aware of?
I’d love to see anything set during Angmar’s natural lifetime, as well as anything exploring his time as a wraith. What are his feelings when he realises the cost of his power? Horrified, betrayed, or does he deem it worth it to serve his master forever? How does their dynamic work when he’s fully undead? Is he mindlessly beholden to the One Ring, or does he retain enough of a sense of himself to serve Sauron with his own fervour? We know that after the fall of Númenor, Sauron loses the ability to assume a fair disguise. Is this the first time Angmar sees his master’s true self, as it were? What’s his reaction?
And what about the Third Age? Did the Nazgûl have to seek out the spirit of their master after Isildur cut the Ring from his hand? Did they have to guard him while he regained his strength? Want to do some sort of evil h/c with the Witch-king watching over his weakened master? I’m here for that! How do you carry on a relationship with your boss when you’re an invisible wraith and he’s a semi-divine being of dubious corporeality?
If you’re in the mood for something daft: I like that line in the book where an Orc says something about the Nazgûl being “the apple of the Great Eye”. Do the Orcs of Mordor have Theories about the relationship between the Dark Lord and his Black Captain? Does Minas Morgul have a betting pool? Do they make up bawdy songs (very much out of earshot of their masters!)? Give me all the Mordor water-cooler gossip!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on Sauron and the Witch-king during the Second Age - perhaps with Sauron offering the Ring of Power to him? Alternatively, the two of them in their more… insubstantial forms? Any scenes of kneeling and pledging undying fealty, all that good stuff!
Relationship: Khamûl/Witch-king of Angmar
Admittedly, this is something of a crackship. But, well, the Lord of the Nazgûl and his second-in-command? There’s a dynamic I can’t resist. Seeing some gorgeous fanart definitely helps! And hey, they even have matching rings. ;)
Since we know virtually nothing about these two as individuals, you have complete carte blanche to do whatever you like with this idea. And as per my likes above, I love things that fill in characters’ backstories. So tell me all about these two and whatever it is that’s between them.
Who were they when they were alive? We know Khamûl was an Easterling, but the Witch-king’s identity is unknown. He may be one of the three Númenórean lords who accepted rings from Sauron, but it’s equally possible he belonged to one of the indigenous kingdoms of Middle-earth. Did he and Khamûl know each other before they joined Sauron - old rivals, perhaps, who were constantly at war with each other? Cue all the Nemesis Mine scenarios, UST-laden sword-fights, etc. Was one of them ever a prisoner of the other 👀? Or maybe they were even unlikely allies, who banded together against some common enemy, and discovered they had even more in common than that? Did Sauron recruit them individually, or did he get them as a package deal? Did he somehow manipulate their relationship to bring them under his thrall? Were they willing servants of the Dark Tower, or were they originally noble figures, whose good qualities were twisted towards evil ends? Did one of them end up in some sort of mortal danger, prompting the other to turn to Sauron to help him save him, only for them both to be caught in his net?
Honestly, I’ll take absolutely any sort of story about these two, any kind of dynamic. Enemies to lovers, enemies with benefits, frenemies with benefits, or even a completely devoted captain and second-in-command? Mordor’s equivalent to the Sacred Band of Thebes??
If you’re into worldbuilding, this pairing has so many opportunities to build on! Cultural differences - and similarities - between the Men of the East and the West. Different perceptions of kingship and lordship, territorial rights, courtship, m/m relationships… the whole lot! I’d love to know more about Easterling history and culture, their POV on the history of Middle-earth.
And how does their bond work as they stop being living men and become wraiths? There’s some sense in canon that although they are totally in thrall to Sauron, they’re not quite mindless drones. The Witch-king in particular seems to have some personality of his own, and the fact that they have different degrees of power suggests there are some traces of individuality still there. Do Angmar and Khamûl retain some sense of their own personalities and their relationship? Do they still have feelings for each other, and if so, how does that gel with the fact that their raison d’être is now wholly to serve Sauron and the Ring? Can wraiths even have personal relationships? Does Sauron get any cruel enjoyment out of manipulating their bond for his own purposes? And what is Khamûl’s reaction when the Witch-king is slain? Is he still able to feel grief?
Similar to my Sauron/Witch-king prompts above, if you fancy doing something daft, I’d love to see what the Orcs and underlings make of any relationships (real or suspected) among their superiors!
Art prompts: I’d love to see your take on both Angmar and Khamûl when they were living men, including your take on Easterling costume (and Númenórean, if that’s the background you’re choosing for Angmar). Something involving the motif of their two rings? Something featuring them as wraiths would also be cool. If the Witch-king’s wraith form is a pale king, how does Khamûl appear?
The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
Relationship: Beleg Cúthalion/Túrin Turambar
I read The Children of Húrin just before Christmas there, and it pretty took what was left of my heart after reading the version of the story in the Silm, and pummelled it into mush. Which is to say, holy crap I love these characters so much. Give me more, MORE!!!
I love the relationship between Beleg and Túrin. Just - the way Beleg’s love for Túrin continually overrides his own instincts, the constant devotion, the way all of Túrin’s outlaw gang get so jealous of Beleg, the heart-wrenching tragedy of Beleg’s death and Túrin’s complete blue-screen-of-death devastation after it.
I’d love absolutely anything and everything expanding on what we get in canon. I’d love to know more about their time fighting together on the borders of Doriath: Beleg training Túrin in Elvish fighting and tracking, battling side-by-side and back-to-back against the hordes of Angband, rescuing each other and tending to each other’s wounds, their friendship gradually turning into something else as it’s forged in the fire of war. Those lodges used by the Marchwardens also sound like eminently cosy places when you’re alone out in the wilds together…
I wonder what it would be like for Beleg, falling in love with a Man, especially since it’s been less than twenty years since Lúthien left Doriath for the sake of mortal love. Then there’s the fact that he’s known Túrin since he was a child. The lives of Men must pass in a flash to the Eldar, so I imagine for Beleg there must have been an incredible whiplash moment of realising that Túrin was suddenly an adult (swiftly followed by the disconcerting realisation of “oh no he’s hot”). As for Túrin, I’m tempted to imagine that he always quietly adored Beleg from the time of that first rescue, with that adoration gradually maturing into something more over the years.
Anything set during their time among the outlaws would also be great: Túrin tending Beleg’s wounds after he’s roughed up by the group, renewing their bond, fighting together as they used to in the Land of Bow and Helm. (The entire area is named after them!!) Plus if you want to work in some jealous one-sided Andróg/Túrin, I certainly wouldn’t complain!
For me, the great beauty of this story is very much in its tragedy, so I’m perfectly happy if you want to do something canon-compliant. That said, we fans do tend to be a sappy, soft-hearted lot who just want our faves to be happy, so if you want, I certainly wouldn’t say no to an AU where things somehow end happily - or at least, happier. What if Beleg doesn’t die in Taur-nu-Fuin, but accompanies Túrin and Gwindor to Nargothrond (and beyond)? What if Túrin agrees to return to Doriath after all? If you have some idea how the curse might be lifted and they all live happily ever after, go for it!!
Art prompts: I love the contrast between Túrin’s all-black aesthetic, and Beleg in his white cloak, so anything leaning into that would be lovely. Any scenes of more contented days in Doriath, or stolen moments in the House of Ransom, etc. There are also so many iconic weapons and other artefacts associated with these characters - the Dragon-helm, Anglachel, Belthronding, etc., so I’d love to see something featuring them. Something dark and tragic featuring Anglachel, perhaps, since they both die by its blade?
Relationship: Celebrimbor/Narvi
I love these two so much, even though we never really meet them face to face, as it were. The friendship between the Elves of Eregion and the Dwarves of Moria, and in particular between Celebrimbor and Narvi, is one of the few bright spots in the history of the Second Age, and I always find it moving. I wonder how the personal and political reflected each other. Was it the good relations between Hollin and Moria that allowed the bond between Celebrimbor and Narvi to flourish, or was their relationship key in establishing peace between the two kingdoms?
I’d love to know more of their story, how they met and how their relationship developed. Did they meet through diplomatic or trading channels, or through their shared profession - maybe one decided to seek out the other for some advice on a project? Were they rival craftsmen who realised that they actually really liked each other when they met? Or did they meet through sheer chance?
This ship has the potential for so much fun and sweetness. I love the idea of the two of them working together, sharing ideas, learning the techniques and crafting lore of each other’s races, nerding out over all sorts of smith-based stuff, becoming ever and ever closer until they find their friendship has morphed into something more. Is there lots of pining and fretting, worrying that if their feelings become known it’ll ruin their friendship? Is everyone else just watching them, wondering when the hell they’re going to get a clue and kiss each other already?
And of course they’re both craftsmen, so what else do they make together? Do they make each other courting gifts? Or, for something more spicy, do they come up with things to liven things up in the bedroom? ;) Are the Doors of Durin their big collaboration, or are there more? Perhaps deep in the halls of Moria, or somewhere among the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil, there are other gates or doors or artefacts that bear the names of Celebrimbor and Narvi together.
Anything dealing with the history and cultural differences between Elves and Dwarves would be great, too. I’d love to see them visiting each other’s homes, getting to know the traditions, languages, and lore of each other’s peoples. And, of course, courting and marriage customs! (I’m always weak for the trope where some gesture that’s completely innocuous in one culture is actually a deeply personal, intimate thing in another.)
We don’t have any dates for Narvi, so I wonder if he was still alive when Annatar appeared on the scene. If so, how did he feel, watching Celebrimbor fall more and more under the thrall of this stranger? Dwarves seem to be more resistant to Sauron’s subtleties than other races, especially in the case of the Seven Rings, so did he perhaps sense something off from the first - and if so, did he try to warn Celebrimbor, or dismiss it as his own jealousy? Was he there for the destruction of Eregion and the sight of Celebrimbor’s body carried aloft at the head of Sauron’s armies? Did he withdraw into the dark along with the other Dwarves when they closed the gates against the outside world?
Alternatively, Narvi may have already been dead by the time Annatar arrived, which comes with its own angsty possibilities. Did the loss of Narvi make Celebrimbor even more vulnerable to Sauron’s seduction, because he saw in Annatar someone who might fill some of the emptiness left by Narvi. Or did it actually make things harder for Sauron, because Celebrimbor’s grief made him resistant to letting anyone else get so close?
Looking even further ahead, I’d also love to know what sort of stories are told about Narvi and Celebrimbor into the Third Age. Their reputation as master smiths has obviously survived, but is their relationship common knowledge, or is it something that’s now only ever alluded to in scandalised whispers, or dismissed as slander on both sides? Give me that Middle-earth gossip!
Art prompts: the height difference!! Either or both of them decked out in the fashions of each other’s people. Canoodling in the workshop. Anything incorporating the various motifs on the Doors of Durin. We’re past Christmas now, but something featuring Eregion’s signature holly?
Relationship: Eönwë/Sauron
This is one of those pairings that has exactly one canon interaction — but oh, the possibilities! I like to imagine that when Sauron dons his fair form and surrenders to Eönwë after the War of Wrath, we’re not just seeing Morgoth’s lieutenant surrendering to Manwë’s herald, but two Maiar who were once friends meeting again after several ages apart, following very different paths. Friends - or possibly even lovers? Just imagine all the messy emotions that would be flying around a reunion like that!
Imagining they did have a history together, what was it like? Perhaps a slow, tentative friends to lovers scenario: flirting in the gardens of Almaren, first kisses, experimenting together as they get to know how their physical forms work, etc. Or is it something that lies between them, unspoken, perhaps not even fully understood, still unfulfilled when Mairon leaves to follow Melkor? Did Mairon ever confide in Eönwë about his doubts and inner conflict as his allegiance began to shift, or did he keep it all absolutely secret? Did Eönwë ever sense that something was off with him, or did Mairon’s betrayal take him completely aback?
Alternatively, perhaps their relationship originated while Mairon was still in Almaren as Melkor’s spy. Did he perhaps strike up a flirtation/seduction of Eönwë in order to gain information about Manwë’s intentions and/or movements?
And what about when Mairon finally leaves Aulë’s house for good? Does Eönwë learn of his betrayal, perhaps confronting him before he leaves? Does Mairon try to convince him to come with him? Or does Eönwë only learn of Mairon’s betrayal after he’s gone? What are his feelings when word reaches Valinor of Melkor’s terrible new lieutenant? Does he think that Mairon might have been taken by force, or does he guess the truth at once, that Mairon is fully devoted to his new master?
(fwiw, Angbang is pretty much my otp where Sauron is concerned, so if you want to throw a bit of that into the mix, I’ll certainly not complain! Is Mairon torn between his feelings for Eönwë and his growing devotion to Melkor? Are Eönwë and Melkor both aware and highly jealous of each other?)
There’s so much scope for conflict and angst and regret in this pairing, especially after Mairon has gone over to evil. Just as Manwë gives Melkor a chance to redeem himself, does Eönwë hold out hope that Mairon might still come back to the light? And what about Mairon? I adore how absolutely, gleefully evil Sauron is in the Silmarillion, but according to Tolkien himself, he still wasn’t completely beyond redemption even then. Are there ever times that he finds himself remembering, with just a teeny-tiny tinge of regret, what he had with Eönwë? During the various wars with the Valar and their hosts, does he ever subtly deflect Melkor’s attentions away from endangering Eönwë?
Then we come to the surrender. Is it simple manipulation on Sauron’s part, assuming his fair guise in the hope that he can use their former relationship to charm or seduce Eönwë into showing him leniency? Or if we go with the view that Sauron’s repentance at this point was genuine, what sort of emotions and memories are stirred up? Is Sauron surprised by how strong his feelings for Eönwë still are, after all this time? Does Eönwë try to resist his own feelings in order to carry out his duty properly? Does he believe in Sauron’s sincerity? When the book says that he doesn’t have the authority to judge a fellow Maia, but tells Sauron to face the Valar’s judgement, it rather sounds to me like he genuinely wants to help, but his hands are tied. Is there a passionate but short-lived reunion between the two of them, before Sauron flees? Is Eönwë crushed by this latest betrayal, or did he know in his heart that Sauron would never return? And does Sauron feel any last lingering regret for betraying Eönwë yet again as he disappears into the East?
And what about the Second and Third Ages? How does Eönwë feel, learning about Sauron’s rise as the new Dark Lord? The Maiar have the ability to walk about the world undetected even by the Eldar, so does he ever travel to Middle-earth and witness Sauron’s atrocities for himself? Do they ever meet again? At the end of the War of the Ring, does Eönwë have to go out and gather up whatever little is left of Sauron’s spirit so he can be cast into the Void once and for all?
Art prompts: Anything with Eönwë and Mairon in the Years of the Lamps. I’d love to see your take on these Maiar in either their physical or spirit forms. Or something playing with the various contrasts between them: eg. Eönwë the warrior vs. Sauron the sorcerer, the heavenly herald of Manwë vs. the diabolical lieutenant of Morgoth. Any rendering of Sauron’s surrender would be great!
Relationship: Sauron/Tar-Míriel
Apart from Sauron himself, Tar-Míriel is my favourite figure in the Akallabêth, and I’d love to know just what the hell she made of him scheming his way into Númenor and leading her people down the path to ruin. I assume that they couldn’t help crossing paths pretty often, and I’d love to know more about their dynamic: the rightful Queen and the (not so) humbled Dark Lord. I think they would make for a fascinating hate-ship!
Did Sauron ever try to corrupt her along with Ar-Pharazôn? I can imagine he must have tried, perhaps by working on her various grievances: the fact that her queenship was usurped, or perhaps working on her feelings of isolation, trying to make her feel that she had been abandoned by Elendil et al.? I like to imagine that as the daughter of Tar-Palantir, Míriel had the insight to recognise him for what he really was, and refused to be taken in by his manipulations, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t tempted - perhaps managing to pull herself back from the brink just in time. Maybe Sauron tries to add seduction to his manipulations, and is equally frustrated/turned on by the fact that Míriel doesn’t fall for his wiles.
Did Míriel ever try to prevent Sauron gaining power over the King, if only for the sake of her people? Perhaps that there was some sort of struggle or stalemate between the two of them over their influence with Ar-Pharazôn, that becomes more and more intense. Or does Míriel hate her husband enough that she’s willing to stand aside and let Sauron ruin him… only to realise too late that it’s not just Pharazôn who’ll suffer, but her whole civilisation. Or, hell, is bedding Sauron the one tiny scrap of agency she can claim for herself in this whole situation?
I’m into the idea of Sauron being relentlessly manipulative, but also genuinely attracted to Míriel. Perhaps, too, he sees something of her ancestress Lúthien in her, and so considers seducing her as a kind of revenge for the humiliation he suffered at Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Is Míriel aware of this lore, and does she use it against him somehow — perhaps straight-up laughs at him for him for it!
The potential for hate-sex is delicious, especially in somewhere symbolic. The royal throne? The court of the White Tree? The Temple of Melkor?? That said, I do enjoy hate-ships that are complicated by genuine moments of connection. In this case, both Tar-Míriel and Sauron are alone, in their own ways, and both share a common enemy in Ar-Pharazôn. Perhaps they find themselves understanding each other in alarming ways!
And what about Ar-Pharazôn? Does he ever realise that the two are sleeping together, and if so, what’s his reaction? Maybe he’s too far under Sauron’s thumb to make any genuine protest, or Sauron convinces him that sharing his wife is clearly the right and honourable thing to do. Hell, want to go for something utterly debauched with Míriel and Sauron fucking in front of the King? I’ll eat that right up! (As long as the focus is on them - I don’t care about Pharazôn too much. :P)
I’m also up for an AU where Sauron does turn Míriel to the dark side, after all. Is that the reason why she isn’t spared from the wrath of Eru? Or you could carry the AU further: perhaps he’s able to spirit her away at the same time he escapes from the wave, and takes her back to Middle-earth as his captive and/or consort? Any fucked-up dub-con scenario here would be delicious, as would Dark Queen Míriel, with her and Sauron forming a genuinely evil partnership against the Last Alliance. Is she even one of the three Númenórean Nazgûl?
Art prompts: the two of them have the potential to be very handsome together, with Sauron in his fair guise, and Tar-Míriel being “fairer than silver or ivory or pearls”. Anything suggesting the opulence of Númenor would be lovely. As for scenarios: charged looks behind Ar-Pharazôn’s back, fraught clinches in odd corners of the palace? Art that incorporates the symbols of the White Tree and the Eye, or some suggestion of the Great Wave looming in the background.
Young Germanic Warrior With Helmet - Osmar Schindler (Painting 1902)
Relationship: Young Germanic Warrior/Owner of the Helmet
I first came across this painting via this Tumblr post, which interprets it as the barbarian warrior dominating the old Roman order. That’s definitely what’s the pose suggests, but despite the obvious eroticism of the image, I don’t really get dominance or aggression from it. Looking at the warrior’s face, I see something soft, rather sad, in his expression as he looks down at the helmet. What if it belonged to someone he knew and loved? I can see all sorts of wonderful possibilities for a story in the vein of a Rosemary Sutcliff novel: of sword-brothers across the cultural divide, individuals meeting across the gulf of conqueror and conquered, comradeship and intense love and loyalty that’s tested to its limit when war flares up between their peoples…
First off: who was the owner of the helmet? The fancy crest denotes an officer, so presumably someone of fairly genteel birth. Perhaps he and the young warrior grew up together; maybe the warrior is himself the son of a chieftain. His tribe may have been allied with Rome against a rival tribe, which led to the two of them meeting and fighting together. There were also plenty of instances of Germanic tribesmen being recruited/conscripted into serving in the Roman army. Perhaps our warrior was one of them, and the helmet’s owner was a Roman officer who served as the auxiliary commander, or a military liaison of some sort. Perhaps they found themselves working together to defuse tensions between the Germanic auxiliaries and their Roman commanders, and gradually growing closer. Or they’re the ones who get off on the wrong foot, but find their relationship being forged through adversity.
Just… gosh, there are so many stories you could tell here. A story of adventure and intrigue, about empire and Romans and “barbarians”… or something on a smaller scale, about the intimacy between two people growing against the backdrop of their daily life.
Of course, the fact that the painting shows the helmet, rather than the owner himself, suggests that whatever the story, the ending isn’t a happy one. Did war erupt between Rome and the warrior’s tribe, forcing the two onto different sides? Were they always lovers across the enemy divide, or did alliances break down and turn to animosity? Did it end on the battlefield? Has the warrior just found his lover’s helmet amidst the carnage, and realised he must be among the fallen? Or - for maximum tragedy - did it come down to single combat between the two of them? Or is there some other situation going on here? Perhaps the warrior was trying to rescue the Roman from some danger, but came too late. Maybe the Roman wasn’t killed by the warrior himself, but by one of his tribesmen - perhaps thinking his friend was being dishonoured by being bedded by a Roman, perhaps thinking he was coerced, perhaps out of sheer jealousy? Whatever the case, I feel there’s a tragedy of operatic proportions happening here!
However, if you’d rather create something happier, I’d say there’s room for that too. Perhaps the warrior has just found the helmet, realised who it belongs to, and is able to find the owner, wounded but alive. Maybe what we see in the painting is actually the beginning of the story, and what follows is rescue, healing, and finding a way to forge a new life together. Assuming the Roman was fighting against the tribes, perhaps he turns his back on Rome and “goes native” among the warrior’s people instead.
Honestly, the possibilities here are endless! I’m barely scratching the surface here, and no doubt you’ll have your own impressions from the painting.
As for setting: I’m definitely no expert on the material culture of the early Germanic tribes, so I don’t know if there are any clues in the warrior’s get-up that hint at what tribe/time period he might belong to. I suspect his depiction is more romanticised than accurate, so you can pretty much set it whenever you want. And there’s plenty of choice bits of history between Rome and the Germanic tribes, from the Teutoburg Forest to the Sack of Rome, so do whatever you want! I’d also be quite happy with a Guy Gavriel Kay kind of deal, in an invented setting that’s obviously heavily based on history.
Art prompts: I’d love to see the Germanic warrior pictured with the actual owner of the helmet, in whatever kind of situation you fancy. What comes before the image in the painting — has he found the helmet, or taken it from the owner’s body? What comes after — does he throw it away, or keep it? Treasure it as a memento of a lost love, or offer it as a sacrifice to the gods for his lover’s shade?
