Arwen's ending is quite lonely and sad...


Appendix A LotR

I feel that Tolkien was illustrating what a great sacrifice she made in staying and the cost to herself of loving Aragorn and following her heart.

I don't know how Gimli and Legolas went to Undying Lands but again in Appendix A it says:



Cathol-linn wrote a story about Legolas and Gimli and how they left Middle-earth. Find it here

Tell This Mortal

It is a beautiful story and a wonderful interpretation of Legolas and Gimli's leaving Middle-earth.

Oh Virumor how un romantic

Unromantic? Depends on culture..

In Nepal, Tibet or somewhere arond there, people bring their dead loved ones up on a mountain peak to be devoured by the birds. They even cut them up a bit to help with the process. The birds are seen as the link between heaven and earth, and in return for the flesh the birds bring the spirit of the dead to the God(s). (Disclaimer: IANAA)

Our traditions of putting our dead in a hole in the dirt is seen by many as rather disgusting and disrespectful.

The ancient Romans and Egyptians(?) was equally horrified with each other.
The Romans: "Gaah! Those uncivilized Egyptians eat their dead! How horrible! "
The Egyptians: " Gaaah! Those uncivilized Romans burn their dead, as if they were garbage! How horrible!"

Only one?! Are you made of stone or what?

In Vee's post above, there is a link to a story written by one of our members, Chathol-linn. It is well worth the read.

Mordor before Sauron. That's an interesting one. Sauron created the Dragonsteeth Mountains, so they were not there before. I think Mount Doom was already there, though, so the plains of Gorgoroth may have been volcanic ash irrespective of whether Sauron turned up or not. I'll have to have a look through HOME to find out more.

What are the Dragonsteeth Mountains? Isn't that from the Wheel of Time series.

Mordor was bordered by the Ered Lithui and Ephel Duath mountain ranges, and therefor chosen by Sauron as his dwelling place. The only thing Sauron built, was Barad-Dûr. He wasn't Melkor who could build entire mountains ranges and lands - like the Misty Mountains.

Furthermore, what has Mordor to do with Legolas & Gimli?

Dying is never romantic, safe perhaps for necrophiles.

Arwen could have had a totally different ending, though, instead of the melodramatic way she chose : she could still stay in Minas Tirith after the death of her husband, among her people and her family, instead of doing the desperate sorrowful black widow trick.

I never liked that ending. It seems so self-absorbed to me. It's not like everything she had in her life was Aragorn, was it ? There were still things left for her, things to liv for (pun intended).

I can't help but agree. "Farewell my children, I will now leave you and die I won't give you a grave to mourn by beacuse all that matters is me and my grief." Or maybe she was the senile one. An old, confused lady who ran away to Lothlorien to see her husband. And her kids just made up a nice story to hide the truth from the tabloids.

I didn't.

Well actually I couldn't stop crying my hubby was wondering what was up. I couldn't stop reading. It was beautiful. I left a review for the author. I always leave feedback if I like something (I have even sent 'Thank you' e-mails to companies if they have given good service - it's nice to say thanks, (soppy - that's me).

If anyone else has read good stories - I'd like to know.

ps Amarie I loved your website, I left you feedback a while ago.

The Children of Aragorn and Arwen would be mortal because their parents had accepted the Gift of Man. There appears to only have been choice in the matter when the gift had been refused by a parent. Elrond and Elros were both given the choice, and so were Arwen, Elrohir and Elladan even though their father had turned down the Gift for himself. Had Arwen refused the Gift herself, and remained immortal, I imagine the children would have had the choice themselves.

It must be remembered that mortality and the ability to leave the confines of Ea is a Gift not a curse. Where both parents are mortal, there is no need of choice in the Children... they automatically have the right to the Gift. Where one (or both) parent has chosen to be Immortal, however, the Children cannot be denied their right to the Gift if they so choose to take it, so they are given a choice.