Tapestry of Dreams, Part 2 Discussion - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

mark12_30 · 06-04-2015, 04:59 AM

Is he more Mellondu the blacksmith or is he forsaken-Amroth-without Nimrodel? He got used to the allegiance and devotion of Erebemlin and Taitheneb, even as he resented it. Ravion he hasn't bonded with as much, and Ravion will be Mellonin' s New focus. She still loves Mellondu, of course, but he may feel skittish and in-the-way around the pair.

I'm not sure. Maybe he remains in Gondor and dreams of the departed elves to the end of his days. Or maybe he goes with them for a while, but the forests are silent, and Amroth and Nimrodel are gone, and their sadness does him little good. Or maybe he becomes the focus of their healing because they realize what he went through.

I envision the epilogue to be a sort of C. S. Lewis epilogue, wrapping up the details in a fairly brusque fashion, like the Gamba epilogue I wrote for The Lonely Star.

littlemanpoet · 06-04-2015, 05:52 PM

So is it that Mellondu essentially got taken over, body and soul? If so, then any Mellondu that is still there is severely damaged, not unlike Frodo because of the Ring. That's my thinking.

Or, if Amroth merely borrowed him, and Mellondu never was overwhelmed by the Elf's personality, then you have a different situation. Your call.

If Mellondu can recover, then I think that he will need both Mellonin and Ravion.

I think I like the idea of a brusque wrap up.

mark12_30 · 06-04-2015, 07:30 PM

Mellondu started out as a willing volunteer and eager participant, until he grew tired of being taken for granted by Amroth (on the one hand) and then wanted Nimrodel to love him (Mellondu) for his own sake. Then he rebelled, and resisted Amroth, and it became a struggle for control. Some bargaining was involved, agreements were misunderstood on both sides (we heard /saw only hints of that) and in the end it was uncivil between the two. Nimrodel brought an uneasy truce.

Mellondu is heartbroken and disillusioned,on one hand, and on the other hand knows what he put Amroth through and how his subjects loved him. He has a hard time looking Erebemlin and Taitheneb in the eye.

Perhaps Erebemlin and Taitheneb take him under their wings for a year or two, and teach him some (proprietary) elvish skills, and then Taitheneb sails west and Erebemlin disappears with Marigold, and Mellonin returns home. Maybe he serves with Legolas planting trees in the city. Or helps Gimli repair Osgiliath and Minas Tirith.

littlemanpoet · 06-05-2015, 04:46 AM

If you can pardon me dipping into my knowledge of PTSD and related subjects, what you describe looks like something from which one could recover, because Mellondu never lost control of his own will. A whole lot of "body" work - such as helping Gimli for example - could bring eventual healing.

mark12_30 · 06-06-2015, 04:18 AM

There was a struggle for control and Amroth won more than once, but I do think Mellondu could receive a good amount of healing through physical work. I think there will always be scars and regrets, and I doubt he'll ever marry.

What do Liornung and (what's her name) do?

littlemanpoet · 06-06-2015, 07:36 AM

Liornung and Bellyn? I haven't a clue. I suppose Liornung would go on his merry way, with his immensely fulfilling life as a troubadour. I suppose Bellyn might just join him? She seemed to be leaning toward that, don't you think?

mark12_30 · 06-06-2015, 07:50 PM

Agreed. They harmonize well. Good characters...

Does Ravion join (or rejoin) the Ithilien rangers that are free to do other things now after the war?

Should we split the group and split the epilogue? You could write Raefindan, Indis and... your third character, I've forgotten her name... and Tharonwe, and Liornung and Bella. And don't forget Jorge.
I could cover the ghosts-- oh, names names names. The pickpocket and his troubled sister. Nimrodel and Amroth I think should remain mysteries; would it add anything to the tale to say they met in the halls of Mandos, were reborn, grew, and remarried, and lived happily ever after until the final music of Iluvatar? Although I suppose we could mention the voices of the stream and the wind on Cerin Amroth.

06-04-2015, 04:59 AM	#1
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Is he more Mellondu the blacksmith or is he forsaken-Amroth-without Nimrodel? He got used to the allegiance and devotion of Erebemlin and Taitheneb, even as he resented it. Ravion he hasn't bonded with as much, and Ravion will be Mellonin' s New focus. She still loves Mellondu, of course, but he may feel skittish and in-the-way around the pair. I'm not sure. Maybe he remains in Gondor and dreams of the departed elves to the end of his days. Or maybe he goes with them for a while, but the forests are silent, and Amroth and Nimrodel are gone, and their sadness does him little good. Or maybe he becomes the focus of their healing because they realize what he went through. I envision the epilogue to be a sort of C. S. Lewis epilogue, wrapping up the details in a fairly brusque fashion, like the Gamba epilogue I wrote for The Lonely Star. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

06-04-2015, 07:30 PM	#3
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Mellondu started out as a willing volunteer and eager participant, until he grew tired of being taken for granted by Amroth (on the one hand) and then wanted Nimrodel to love him (Mellondu) for his own sake. Then he rebelled, and resisted Amroth, and it became a struggle for control. Some bargaining was involved, agreements were misunderstood on both sides (we heard /saw only hints of that) and in the end it was uncivil between the two. Nimrodel brought an uneasy truce. Mellondu is heartbroken and disillusioned,on one hand, and on the other hand knows what he put Amroth through and how his subjects loved him. He has a hard time looking Erebemlin and Taitheneb in the eye. Perhaps Erebemlin and Taitheneb take him under their wings for a year or two, and teach him some (proprietary) elvish skills, and then Taitheneb sails west and Erebemlin disappears with Marigold, and Mellonin returns home. Maybe he serves with Legolas planting trees in the city. Or helps Gimli repair Osgiliath and Minas Tirith. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve. Last edited by mark12_30; 06-04-2015 at 07:36 PM.

06-06-2015, 04:18 AM	#5
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	There was a struggle for control and Amroth won more than once, but I do think Mellondu could receive a good amount of healing through physical work. I think there will always be scars and regrets, and I doubt he'll ever marry. What do Liornung and (what's her name) do? __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

06-06-2015, 07:50 PM	#7
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Agreed. They harmonize well. Good characters... Does Ravion join (or rejoin) the Ithilien rangers that are free to do other things now after the war? Should we split the group and split the epilogue? You could write Raefindan, Indis and... your third character, I've forgotten her name... and Tharonwe, and Liornung and Bella. And don't forget Jorge. I could cover the ghosts-- oh, names names names. The pickpocket and his troubled sister. Nimrodel and Amroth I think should remain mysteries; would it add anything to the tale to say they met in the halls of Mandos, were reborn, grew, and remarried, and lived happily ever after until the final music of Iluvatar? Although I suppose we could mention the voices of the stream and the wind on Cerin Amroth. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve. Last edited by mark12_30; 06-08-2015 at 09:18 AM.

06-04-2015, 05:52 PM	#2
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	So is it that Mellondu essentially got taken over, body and soul? If so, then any Mellondu that is still there is severely damaged, not unlike Frodo because of the Ring. That's my thinking. Or, if Amroth merely borrowed him, and Mellondu never was overwhelmed by the Elf's personality, then you have a different situation. Your call. If Mellondu can recover, then I think that he will need both Mellonin and Ravion. I think I like the idea of a brusque wrap up.

06-05-2015, 04:46 AM	#4
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	If you can pardon me dipping into my knowledge of PTSD and related subjects, what you describe looks like something from which one could recover, because Mellondu never lost control of his own will. A whole lot of "body" work - such as helping Gimli for example - could bring eventual healing.

06-06-2015, 07:36 AM	#6
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Liornung and Bellyn? I haven't a clue. I suppose Liornung would go on his merry way, with his immensely fulfilling life as a troubadour. I suppose Bellyn might just join him? She seemed to be leaning toward that, don't you think?