Linda's Lord of the Rings Fanfiction

A guide to my original characters

Aedred – A Rohirric Healer who now works alonside Tarostar in the Houses of Healing.

Agond - A former soldier from Lossarnach,now a drunkard living rough

Alis – Estranged wife to Mahrod

Beleg - a farmer from Lossarnach

Bereth – Sister to Damrod

Borlach - An old man, headman of a village in Lossarnach

Calardan – Husband to Hanna’s late sister

Doreth - Arwen’s housekeeper

Elbeth – Young daughter of Hanna

Elestelle - Faramir and Éowyn's  daughter

Emerwen - Wife to Peladur and daughter in law to Beleg and Tasariel

Galadur - Younger son of Beleg and Tasariel

Gwinhir - Son of Vanreth and Finrod

Fennas – Brother to Hanna

Findegil - A jewel merchant and craftsman,father of Melian

Finrod - Husband of Vanreth

Fontos – Lord of Lossarnach, son of the late Forlong.

Fosco – Lord of Lamedon, son of the Lord mentioned in LOTR

Gudrun – An elderly widow born in Rohan, now owner of a smallholding and orchard near to Minas Tirith

Hanna – A kitchen maid, daughter of the Porter at the Rath Dinen, who was killed by Beregond

Hareth - A widow from a small village in Lossarnach

Meneldil – Lord of Lebennin

Lady Meril – One of Arwen’s ladies in waiting

Lady Morwen – One of Arwen’s ladies in waiting

Laerwen - One of Eldarion's nursery maids

Lamrung – A former prison warder, now a member of the Citadel Guard.

Maglor - A Citadel Guard

Mahrod – A former Ithilien Ranger, now a prison warder

Melian - Ostopher's sweetheart, daughter of Findegil

Ostopher - A young carpenter

Pelendur- Eldest son of Beleg and Tasariel,married to Emerwen

Tarostar – Chief Warden of the Houses of Healing, son of Denethor’s late sister.

Tasariel - Wife to Beleg and mother of Pelendur and Galadur

Thoron - A hot tempered youth from Lossarnach

Vanreth- Daughter of Hareth

Zana – Mother of Hanna and Fennas, grandmother to Elbeth, widow of the late porter.

Original characters found in "A Time to Reap"

The villagers 
Beleg - a farmer

Tasariel - his wife, also the village healer

Pelendur and Galador - Beleg's sons

Emerwen - wife to Pelendur

Borlach - Headman of the village

Thoron - A hot-tempered youth

Hareth - a widow, mother of Vanreth

Vanreth - daughter of Hareth

Finrod - Vaneth's husband

Gwinhir - Infant son of Vanreth and Finrod

(Morrandir and Falborn are the names that Aragorn and Faramir use here to disguise their true identities) 

Animals

Iovas - Faramir's chestnut mare, a wedding gift from Éomer.

Zachus - A bay gelding,given to Faramir by his father.

Nimrodel - Eldarion's spaniel puppy, a birthday gift from Faramir.

Laurea - Elbeth's ginger cat

My current story "A Time to Reap" owes much of its inspiration to the Grail legends.

I was inspired by the legend of wounded Fisher King in search of healing and the wasteland which cannot flourish unless the King is healed.

The lake represents an "otherworld" where time and the usual pressures of life have no meaning. Tolkien's Lothlorien is an example of such a place.

You can read more about the myths here
http://www.celticgrounds.com/chapters/mytholsection/c-otherwrlds.htm

Lakes were an important part of Celtic mythology.For example in the King Arthur legends,he is given his sword by the Lady of the Lake and taken acros a lake to be healed after his last battle.

http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/nimue.html

I often think of my favourite operas when I write and I had the music of Wotan and Brünnhilde's embrace from Act 3 of " Die Walküre " in my mind when I wrote Aragorn and Faramir's reconcilliation.

The Grail Realm in Wagner's "Parsifal" also helped inspire certain scenes.

Aragorn and Faramir's experience of oneness with all is best summed up in the Sanskrit phase "Tat Twam Asi" which is fully explained here,
http://www.mihira.com/mihmar99/THAT_YOU_ARE.htm

The story also contains other spiritual themes which will further unfold as the story unravels.

You can read more about the food in the story at www.GodeCookery.com

Aragorn is using a cradle scythe to harvest the wheat.
You can learn more about reaping in olden days at

http://www.londonmuseum.on.ca/Artifacts/TheForks/mvc-899f.html
http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Reaping
http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/tools.html
Aragorn uses reflexology to treat Faramir.

http://www.ofesite.com/health/reflex/chart/index.htm
http://www.reflexology.org/
and accupressure in the previous chapter
http://www.beatcfs.info/accpress.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002117.htm
Although, the creature that attacked Faramir is based on Shelob, I have also based his symtoms on real life spider bites. If you are interested, you can read more here.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-spider-bites/FA00048

This scene near my home was the inspiration for the river bank where Aragorn and Faramir sunbathe.

Traditional English cornfields adorned with poppies. Such sights are sadly rare nowadays but were commonplace before the Second World War.
http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/Photos/Vercors2004/d29v0426.html
shrewsbury.gov.uk/.../Gallery/outoftown.htm

 and this is what they were wearing when they swam in the river

These were based on a 12th century illustration.

You can see a whole range of replical mediaeval clothing at
http://www.historicenterprises.com/ from which this photo is taken.

244 From a draft to a reader of The Lord of the Rings [A fragment at the top of which Tolkien has written: 'Comments on a criticism (now lost?) concerning Faramir & Eowyn (c. 1963).']

Eowyn: It is possible to love more than one person (of the other sex) at the same time, but in a different mode and intensity. I do not think that Eowyn's feelings for Aragorn really changed much; and when he was revealed as so lofty a figure, in descent and office, she was able to go on loving and admiring him. He was old, and that is not only a physical quality: when not accompanied by any physical decay age can be alarming or awe-inspiring. Also she was not herself ambitious in the true political sense. Though not a 'dry nurse' in temper, she was also not really a soldier or 'amazon', but like many brave women was capable of great military gallantry at a crisis.

Faramir

I think you misunderstand Faramir. He was daunted by his father: not only in the ordinary way of a family with a stern proud father of great force of character, but as a Númenórean before the chief of the one surviving Númenórean state. He was motherless and sisterless (Eowyn was also motherless), and had a 'bossy' brother. He had been accustomed to giving way and not giving his own opinions air, while retaining a power of command among men, such as a man may obtain who is evidently personally courageous and decisive, but also modest, fair-minded and scrupulously just, and very merciful. I think he understood Eowyn very well. Also to be Prince of Ithilien, the greatest noble after Dol Amroth in the revived Númenórean state of Gondor, soon to be of imperial power and prestige, was not a 'market-garden job' as you term it. Until much had been done by the restored King, the P. of Ithilien would be the resident march-warden of Gondor, in its main eastward outpost – and also would have many duties in rehabilitating the lost territory, and clearing it of outlaws and orc-remnants, not to speak of the dreadful vale of Minas Ithil (Morgul). I did not, naturally, go into details about the way in which Aragorn, as King of Gondor, would govern the realm. But it was made clear that there was much fighting, and in the earlier years of A.'s reign expeditions against enemies in the East. The chief commanders, under the King, would be Faramir and Imrahil; and one of these would normally remain a military commander at home in the King's absence. A Númenórean King was monarch, with the power of unquestioned decision in debate; but he governed the realm with the frame of ancient law, of which he was administrator (and interpreter) but not the maker. In all debatable matters of importance domestic, or external, however, even Denethor had a Council, and at least listened to what the Lords of the Fiefs and the Captains of the Forces had to say. Aragorn re-established the Great Council of Gondor, and in that Faramir, who remained by inheritance the Steward (or representative of the King during his absence abroad, or sickness, or between his death and the accession of his heir) would [be] the chief counsellor.

Criticism of the speed of the relationship or 'love' of Faramir and Eowyn. In my experience feelings and decisions ripen very quickly (as measured by mere 'clock-time', which is actually not justly applicable) in periods of great stress, and especially under the expectation of imminent death. And I do not think that persons of high estate and breeding need all the petty fencing and approaches in matters of 'love'. This tale does not deal with a period of 'Courtly Love' and its pretences; but with a culture more primitive (sc. less corrupt) and nobler.

Denethor

Denethor was tainted with mere politics: hence his failure, and his mistrust of Faramir. It had become for him a prime motive to preserve the polity of Gondor, as it was, against another potentate, who had made himself stronger and was to be feared and opposed for that reason rather than because he was ruthless and wicked. Denethor despised lesser men, and one may be sure did not distinguish between orcs and the allies of Mordor. It he had survived as victor, even without use of the Ring, he would have taken a long stride towards becoming himself a tyrant, and the terms and treatment he accorded to the deluded peoples of east and south would have been cruel and vengeful. He had become a “political” leader: sc. Gondor against the rest.

So while God (Eru) was a datum of good[1] Númenórean philosophy, and a prime fact in their conception of history. He had at the time of the War of the Ring no worship and no hallowed place. And that kind of negative truth was characteristic of the West, and all the area under Numenorean influence: the refusal to worship any 'creature', and above all no 'dark lord' or satanic demon, Sauron, or any other, was almost as far as they got. They had (I imagine) no petitionary prayers to God ; but preserved the vestige of thanksgiving. (Those under special Elvish influence might call on the angelic powers for help in immediate peril or fear of evil enemies.[2]) It later appears that there had been a 'hallow' on Mindolluin, only approachable by the King, where he had anciently offered thanks and praise on behalf of his people; but it had been forgotten. It was re-entered by Aragorn, and there he found a sapling of the White Tree, and replanted it in the Court of the Fountain. It is to be presumed that with the reemergence of the lineal priest kings (of whom Lúthien the Blessed Elf-maiden was a foremother) the worship of God would be renewed, and His Name (or title) be again more often heard. But there would be no temple of the True God while Númenórean influence lasted.

Faramir and Aragorn live in a very different society from our own and freely express their affection for each other,as do Tolkien's characters in the book.

I see Aragorn and Faramir as eventually coming to love each other like brothers or father and son.

This article describes well the more affectionate way of life of a different culture.

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=394155&in_page_id=1770

I subscribe to a newsletter called "Daily Om" and found the article for August 23th 2006 to to extremely appropriate with regard to Aragorn and Faramir's friendship.

I quote

August 23, 2006
To Be Human
Putting People On Pedestals
When we fall in love with someone or make a new friend, we sometimes see that person in a glowing light. Their good qualities dominate the foreground of our perception and their negative qualities. They just don't seem to have any. This temporary state of grace is commonly known as putting someone on a pedestal. Often times we put spiritual leaders and our gurus on pedestals. We have all done this to someone at one time or another, and as long as we remember that no one is actually "perfect," the pedestal phase of a relationship can be enjoyed for what it is-a phase. It's when we actually believe our own projection that troubles arise.

Everyone has problems, flaws, and blind spots, just as we do. When we entertain the illusion that someone is perfect, we don't allow them room to be human, so when they make an error in judgment or act in contradiction to our idea of perfection, we become disillusioned. We may get angry or distance ourselves in response. In the end, they are not to blame for the fact that we idealized them. Granted, they may have enjoyed seeing themselves as perfect through our eyes, but we are the ones who chose to believe an illusion. If you go through this process enough times, you learn that no one is perfect. We are all a combination of divine and human qualities and we all struggle. When we treat the people we love with this awareness, we actually allow for a much greater intimacy than when we held them aloft on an airy throne. The moment you see through your idealized projection is the moment you begin to see your loved one as he or she truly is.

We cannot truly connect with a person when we idealize them. In life, there are no pedestals-we are all walking on the same ground together. When we realize this, we can own our own divinity and our humanity. This is the key to balance and wholeness within ourselves and our relationships.

The "Daily Om" website is at
http://www.dailyom.com/

Touch

This is another insightful article from Daily OM,this time from January 17th 2008, which could well apply to Aragorn's healing methods.

Healing Our Bodies
Touch

Sometimes we might concentrate so much on our spiritual lives that we overlook the wonders of being present in our physical form. When we are more aware of the fact that our bodies are also important in terms of our personal growth, we may find it easier to nurture them. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through human touch, for a loving, comforting touch allows us to access the part of ourselves that yearns for a sense of oneness with the world around us. Even simple forms of touch connect us not just to our bodies but also to the energetic presence of other people.

There are so many ways to incorporate touch in our daily lives, one of the easiest being a heartfelt embrace. Just making a point to hug someone on a daily basis and really feel our energy pass between each other can strengthen the bonds that keep us together. Hugs help us heal any hurt or upset we may have recently experienced by letting us release into the moment of the embrace and realize that no matter what happens to us, we have someone in our lives who supports and cares for us.

Another nourishing form of touch is massage. While we may think of massage as a luxury, it is actually an ancient form of healing that enables us to open up our energetic pathways in order to receive unlimited energy from the universe. It doesn’t matter whether a simple massage comes from a loved one or a massage therapist, but by giving ourselves the gift of massage every once in a while, we are doing something healthy and beneficial for our bodies. Massage helps our bodies activate their own restorative powers, creating a wonderful way to engage fully in our own healing.

Letting ourselves take advantage of the healing nature of touch creates space where we can truly live in and experience the world through our bodies, allowing us to completely immerse ourselves in the loving sense of joy and wonder that is our life.

You can find Daily OM at

http://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/browse/browse.cgi

Thought Bonding

The "Thought Bonding" I use in my stories was inspired by the Vulcan "Mind Meld" used in "Star Trek".
http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Vulcan_mind_meld

I have also incorporated elements of the spontaneous telepathy that can occur between close friends and relatives.

In my stories, it can only occur between two people who love each other and are in harmony.It is initiated by touching foreheads together, but once a close bond is formed, contact is not always needed to share a telepathic link.

The idea came to me from reading about the Numenorian and Elven enhanced mental abilities .

When Aragorn heals Faramir, he has his hand on his head,as if attempting to somehow communicate with him.

Now Aragorn knelt beside Faramir, and held a hand upon his brow. And those that watched felt that some great struggle was going on. For Aragorn’s face grew grey with weariness; and ever and anon he called the name of Faramir, but each time more faintly to their hearing, as if Aragorn himself was removed from them, and walked afar in some dark vale, calling for one that was lost.

Arwen is able to watch over Aragorn from afar in thought.

Arwen remained in Rivendell, and when Aragorn was abroad, from afar she watched over him in thought;

Aragorn's Ordeal and its after effects in "Web of Treason

When I wrote about how Aragorn is effected by the cruel torture he undergoes in "Web of Treason" and "A time to Reap" I used information supplied by the following organisations who do valuable work to help real life torture survivors.

The Medical Foundation

http://www.torturecare.org.uk/

Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/

You can support Amnesty's work for free by clicking the button on this page each day.

http://stopviolence.care2.com/

I quote here from "The Physicians for Human Rights " Website
http://www.phrusa.org/research/torture/tort_faq.html

"Victims often suffer from psychological symptoms such as lack of sleep, nightmares, problems with concentration, anxiety, depression, irritability, adjustment disorders, impotence, and feelings of powerlessness, shame and guilt."

and the website of "Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Committee"
http://www.kurdistan.org/you-can-end-it/bro1.html

"The psychological effects of torture often include: recurrent nightmares, the inability to sleep or fear of sleep, flashbacks, chronic anxiety, feelings of betrayal and the inability to trust any other person. These psycho- logical consequences are likely to have devastating, long-term effects not only on survivors but their families, friends, and communities as well."

Faramir's feelings in Burden of Guilt

Faramir is suffering from clinical depression for much of "Burden of Guilt"

     .An unusually sad mood that does not go away 

     Loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable

• Tiredness and lack of energy

        Loss of confidence in themselves or poor self-esteem

• Feeling guilty when they are not at fault
• Wishing they were dead
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Moving more slowly or, sometimes becoming agitated and unable to settle
• Having sleeping difficulties or, sometimes, sleeping too much
• Loss of interest in food or, sometimes eating too much. Changes in eating habits may lead to either loss of weight or putting on weight.

Taken from  http://bluepages.anu.edu.au/symptoms/diagnosis/

Faramir's reactions to the fear what Mahrod may have done to him, also form a thread in the story.

Below is a link to a site for victims of sexual abuse

http://www.dcrcc.org/home.htm

Please note,the content is unsuitable for children.

The Development of Aragorn and Faramir's friendship in my stories.

I use the symbolism of the rainbow in several of my stories.

Wallpapers

A reader, Elenhin Kindly made some wallpapers to illustrate my stories. My Faramir is not the film version, but the designs illustrate the themes of the stories well.

Burden of Guilt.

Web of Treason

I know many of you find the quotations I use interesting.

Some I already know.

I find many others at

http://www.bartleby.com/quotations/

I take many from the Bible or Shakespeare which can be found online at

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/

I also often use the librettos of Wagner's operas

http://www.rwagner.net/e-t-opere.html

In HoME XII (The Peoples of Middle-earth) this appears which failed to make it into the final draft of The Stewards of Gondor (Appendix A) in the ROTK Appendices:

These may be added, for though not in the direct line, the Hurinionath, the family to which Pelendur and Mardil belonged, were of Numenorean blood hardly less pure than that of the kings, and undoubtedly had some share in the actual blood of Elendil and Anarion.

It is unclear whether that means that they were related to Elendil via his ancestors or actually descended from Elendil, but there does seem to be an implied connection, though not in the direct line (father to son). (page 218, hardcover edition, in Ch. VII, The Heirs of Elendil)

Several pages earlier, there's another version of the same paragraph:
Here follows the roll of the Stewards of Gondor
that ruled the realm and city between the going of Earnur
and the coming of Elessar

The Ruling Stewards of Gondor


The names of these rulers are here added; for though the Hurinionath were not in the direct line of descent from Elendil, they were ultimately of royal origin, and had in any case kept their blood more pure than most other families in the later ages.


But...this is still not canonical. And Faramir says plainly in TTT that
We of my house are not of the line of Elendil. though the blood of Numenor is in us.

It could,however be that Faramir meant that his house is not of the direct, father-to-son line of Elendil (remember that Pelendur rejected Arvedui's claim to the throne of Gondor on behalf of his wife Firiel who was the daughter of Ondoher, the last King of Gondor of the line of Anarion).

Personally,I think it highly unlikely that a Hurin never married at least a younger daughter of one of the Kings,so I felt justified in creating a granddaughter for Elendil who married an ancestor of Faramir's,especially as Tolkien rarely mentioned daughters in his histories of the Kings and Stewards.

With thanks to Raksha for researching this information.

Tolkien was inspired by various mythic sources when he wrote "The Lord of the Rings".

One of his main sources was the "Volsung Saga"
which you can read here.

http://omacl.org/Volsunga/

This old Norse epic was also the inspiration for Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen", which I often quote from in my chapter headings.

To cut a very long story short-

Alberich/Andvardi steals the Rhine gold and makes a magic ring from it.

Wotan/Odin asks the giants to build a castle, Valhalla for him.He steals Alberich's ring to pay them.

Alberich curses the ring to be desired by all and bring death to all who own it.


Wotan is now enthralled by the ring and refuses to part with it but relents when the Wala(pronounced Vala),Erda counsels him to relinquish it.
The curse takes immediate effect as one of the giants kills the other.

Many years pass and Wotan anxious to regain the ring, rathers a hero, Siegmund.Meanwhile, Alberich has also fathered a son,Hagen/Hogni while the surviving giant, Fafner/Fafnir has turned himself into a dragon to guard the Ring. Wotan's plans go awry and he orders his daughter Brünnhilde /Brynhild to see that Siegmund is killed in battle.

Brünnhilde  decides to spare him,thereby incurring Wotan's wrath.He imprisons her on a mountain,where she will sleep surrounded by fire until a fearless hero awakens her.She will lose her immortality by marrying a mortal.

About twenty years later,Wotan has taken to wandering the world as an old man dressed in a grey cloak. Siegfried/Sigurd the son of Siegmund kills the dragon, Fafner and takes the magic ring for his own. He then awakens Brünnhilde and claims him as his bride.

Eager for new adventures, Siegfried leaves Brünnhilde   after giving her the ring. He travels to the Hall of the Gibichungs when Gunter/Gunnar lives with his sister Gutrune/Gudrun and half brother Hagen.

They give him a drink to make him forget Brünnhilde  and fall in love with Gutrune.Siegfried then agrees to win Brünnhilde for Gunther.

Betrayed and furious,  Brünnhilde conspires with Hagen to kill Siegfried,which he does.

She then learns the truth and over come with remorse orders a funeral pyre to be built for Siegfried.Once it is lit she jumps on it and the flames rise to consume Valhalla and all the gods within.
The Rhine floods the hall and Hagen is drowned and the ring restored to the Rhine.

A new age of men dawns,now the gods are no more.

You can hear music from the Ring Cycle here.
http://www-scf.usc.edu/~gishii/ahis001/wagner/downloads/index.html
and read the librettos here
http://www.karadar.com/Operas/wagner.html

I grew to know and love these operas when I was in my teens and the fact they were inspired by the same myths was what first drew me to Tolkien about ten years later.

There are some ideas found only in Wagner and Tolkien and not in the original myth,the most notable being the ring having the power to devastate the world and an immortal woman losing her immortality to marry a human.

I am well aware that Tolkien claimed the only thing his work had in common with Wagner's is that "both rings are round", but am more inclined to agree with the writer of a Tolkien study I recently read, who felt Tolkien protested too much and was indeed influenced by Wagner's Ring.

Here are my favourite links to some both well and little known sites, which I have found very helpful both as sources of inspiration and information.

The Encyclopedia of Arda, is an essential site for any fanfic writer,an invaluable reference guide to everyone and everything mentioned in Tolkien's works.
http://www.glyphweb.com/ARDA/

The Thain's Book
http://www.tuckborough.net/
An encyclopedia of Middle-earth in the Third Age divided into detailed sections on People,Places, Things, Creatures and Events.

Mythic Truth - http://www.mythictruth.com/

This is a very interesting and detailed site about Catholic influences in "Lord of the Rings".

Highly recommended, it greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the book as well as giving me ideas to help me with writing my stories.

Talking about Tolkien - http://www.talkingabouttolkien.com/index_english.html

An interesting site with lots of photos of Tolkien and info about his work. It is being compiled for Chinese fans but is in English too.
It even tells you what lines from the book found their way into the films and has the timeline,useful if your copy of LOTR Is in another room while writing a fanfic.
There are also links to audio and video of the Professor.

From pointy ears to Grima's tears -
investigations of a Tolkien enthusiast

A collection of essays on various subjects the most interesting being about healing in Middle-earth


http://www.istad.org/tolkien/

Finduilas's J.R.R Tolkien Page

Information and essays concerning Tolkien's world, from timelines to speculations about magic in Middle earth.


http://fin.go.wifl.at.org/layers/html/main.shtml

An interesting essay about different kinds of love and friendship, as well as sex in Tolkien's work.

Warm beds are Good

http://www.ansereg.com/WarmBedsareGood.pdf

A very useful list quoting what Tolkien has to say about the hair and eye colour of his characters. 

Tolkien Geek
A delightful site summarising and commenting on Tolkien's works.

http://tolkiengeek.blogspot.com/

Hair and Eye Colours

http://www.lcwsites.org/~lisa/colors.html

Sindarin Dictionary

http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/sindar/online/sindar/dict-sd-en.html

I am thrilled and honoured to have past and present readers from all over the world.
They come from

Australia
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Bulgaria
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Romania
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UK
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If you come from a country not on my list, do please add a comment at the bottom of the page.

It is such a thrill to know people from so many countries are interested and manage to understand what I'm saying! It puts my linguistic skills to shame!

Here are some of my all time favourite stories,which I highly recommend.

The Falcon and the Star - Raksha the Demon

http://www.tolkienfanfiction.com/Story_Read_Head.php?STid=695

The Taming of the Badger -Pentangle

http://www.naiceanilme.com/viewstory.php?sid=1011

Castle - Timmy 2222

http://www.naiceanilme.com/viewstory.php?sid=256

Conversion - Pentangle

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2841495/1/

In the hands of the Enemy - Meckinock

www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=910

Arwen's Heart - Bodkin

www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=3611

Getting away from it all - Bodkin

www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=5389

Bare feet and Beer - Gwynnyd

www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=2945

Flame of the West - Altariel

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1680658/1/

Journey's End - Altariel

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3600767/1/

Blossoms - The Girl in a Red Jacket

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1897638/1/

The Healer and the Warrior - Madeleine

www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=4228

For love of the Lord of the White Tree - Legolass

www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=3394

The gruesome method of execution feared by Faramir in "Burden of Guilt" and which Dervorin was sentenced to in "Web of Treason" was an actual method used in Britain between 1241 and 1820.

To read more click below, but be warned, the information is not for the squeamish.


http://www.richard.clark32.btinternet.co.uk/hdq.html
http://www.richard.clark32.btinternet.co.uk/hanging1.html

Hanging was the official method of execution in the British Isles until it was abolished in 1964.

Tolkien does state that certain offences are punished by death in Middle-earth. However, he gives us no indication of the method used.

For example

For I am commanded to slay all whom I find in this land without the leave of the Lord of Gondor.

and

And the King said to Beregond: ‘Beregond, by your sword blood was spilled in the Hallows, where that is forbidden. Also you left your post without leave of Lord or of Captain. For these things, of old, death was the penalty. Now therefore I must pronounce your doom.

Silk shirts and Arrows

I learned about silk shirts proving some protection from arrows by watching a documentary about Genghis Khan on BBC TV.

The programme explained that the Mongul warriors were especially hard to overcome because if shot with arrows, they did not suffer such devasting injuries as their opononents as long as no vital organ was hit.

I quote here from the website of EduNet connect

"The Mongol army was based on lightly armoured horse archers. Under a quilted jacket or water-proofed leather jerkin, Mongol warriors wore a silk shirt. Even if an arrow penetrated their armour, unlike other cloth, the silk shirt would not tear but would wrap around the arrow head. This made it easier to remove the arrow and reduced the chance of infection. With cotton, wool or other cloth, bits of torn material would be driven into a wound making a dangerous infection likely."

http://www.edunetconnect.com/TimeMachine/northeastasia-700.php

Further information can be found at
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/War/WarArmor.html
http://biphome.spray.se/coif/history/kublai/kublen03.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_advances_of_Genghis_Khan