Your local panda

Happy June and Happy Pride! Take a look at our stunning new banner from the amazing @morcian-draws! This was done based on prompts from our Year of Bagginshield list!

This is based on, I will admit, a basic knowledge of the Valar and other such Powers. I have read the Silmarillion, but that was a long time ago. If anything is inaccurate, we'll just call it part of the AU.

(I am pretty sure that Yavanna being connected to hobbits is fanon. But it's fanon I like, so I'm going with it.)

Story idea:

Thorin is Favored by Mahal, and Bilbo is Favored by Yavanna. Dunno if this would mean special abilities or just getting, you know, nudged in the right direction for things to work out. Also unclear exactly how this would manifest in their everyday life, or how aware of this they are. (I imagine the two Vala would not exactly work in the same style, so they way they intervene would likely be different between the two of them.)

I'm thinking of it as something that shows up in small but relevant ways, and that they, very rarely, can hear/speak with their respective Vala. Also, since this is an out there thing to have happen, that few, if anyone, besides themselves know about this.

It could go in a lot if different directions, but regardless, Thorin and Bilbo are Chosen by Mahal and Yavanna respectively.

Not sure if Mahal and Yavanna are conspiring about this, to bring their respective Chosen ones together. But it would be funnier if they absolutely did not let the other know at all. 😆

Either way, Thorin and Bilbo meet, maybe as in canon exactly, maybe diverging, maybe some way different entirely.

And they fall in love, fated as Mahal and Yavanna were.

Not sure what would be better: An all at once, sudden thing, like would be fitting to those Favored. Or a more mortal, gradual falling in love, as happens more with their kind. Either could work.

Could even have it that their respective Vala are playing matchmaker, either separately or conspiring together.

Yavanna: Look, Favored One, I have found you Love!

Bilbo: You just picked a mortal as alike to your husband as you could find, didn't you?

Yavanna: 🥰 You're welcome.

Thorin: Why a halfling?

Mahal: My wife likes them. 😁

yeah come on thorin share the love

Bofur and his need to keep his hands moving! His little whittling projects he carries around with him at all times. Everyone is claimed by Bofur with a little trinket or token carved just for them.

Bofur who cries easily. He cries when he's happy or scared and when he's too tired and when he's hurting but he is also the first to offer someone a smile. To offer someone comfort or a hug or even just kind words.

Bofur who loves a good story. Is full to bursting with stories he's learned from folks of all walks of life, who can spin a tall tale around a campfire better than anyone.

Bofur who is a good friend and a good brother. A listening ear, a cheerleader, someone to rely on. Bofur who keeps his promises and commitments and never misses a moment if he can help it.

Bofur who loves to clap and dance and sing! Bofur who feels no embarrassment or shyness, who touches hands with everyone on the dance floor and will always invite someone new to dance. Bofur who drinks until he is silly and merrily flushed, still clapping his hands in time with the music he croons along to.

Bofur who is bad at cards. Bofur who refuses to accept he is bad at cards.

Bofur who is loved and cared for by all who know him. Bofur who is missed whenever he isn't around. Bofur who is well fed when he is sick, who's heart is touched by all he had touched before. Bofur who is held and safe.

From movies, i would say that when Frodo and Sam think they're going to die after the ring was destroyed and they just hold eachother while awaiting their fate.

Also a scene (I don't remember from what movie.) That was Sam saying something like "At this pace we won't have any food for the the return journey " and Frodo looks at him surprised and replies "Do you really think we're gonna return" or something like that.

Actually any scene with Frodo and Sam in The two towers and Return of the king is heartbreaking to me. I can't see them suffer without suffering too I'M WEAK FOR MY HOBBITS OK??? 😭

But I would also say Boromir's death is one breaks my heart for all it represents for him as a Character and how he was doomed from the start 😞.

As for the books. I can't say yet, cause I have only read Fellowship of the ring and first chapter of The Two Towers So can just say moments that were heartbreaking in that parts specifically 🤔 here's my list anyways

Everytime the book describes Frodo having "turbulent dreams" 'cause they're always Water-related and that makes me think how the trauma of losing his parents at such young age still affects him.

When Bilbo Apologizes to Frodo for having to let him "carry his burden".

When all of the fellowships starts crying after Gandalf dies in Moria.

In light of some of the many things happening across the world this year, I thought this Pride Month needed a special illustration.