#molinde hcs

And this is once again from Molinde's notes, but this time it's ✨the Nolofinweans✨

So, best to worst.

Aredhel: exactly like Celegorm. The only thing she will insist is that the banner is white - from a seamstress' POV it's the worst decision ever, but she is a Princess of the Noldor. And she pays. Most of the times these banners are used on hunts, tho, and she lives somewhere in Beleriand that's protected or so she says.

Maeglin: like mother like son. Though the banners must be black and not white. The banner will have a mole and some stars. Reasonable. Polite. Very reserved, have to pry out the words by force sometimes.

Argon: He is alright. Does not ask for so many stars. Actually very chill. A pleasure to have in the workshop. Probably the chillest among the Finweans. Would be lovely at family dinners, he has the vibes.

Fingon: another one EXACTLY like Maglor. Music and stars on blue rather than on red. At least this one is the funny one. Must keep away from working tools, or he'll get too brave, try embroidering and ruin everything. Gets special treatment for saving Lord Maedhros. Adding eagle motifs on everything after that. Can be reasoned and calmed down if Maedhros is there.

Turgon: the fucking STARS MANIAC. Stars everywhere. All shapes of stars. Banners MUST be blue. Subpar number of stars is unacceptable. You have to count all of the bloody stars. Other than that he is a reasonable guy. Wish we knew where the fuck he lives so we can stop delivering stuff near Nan Elmoth, or to Nargothrond. King Finrod in particular is getting quite crossed about having King Turgon's stuff delivered in Nargothrond. Payment schedule is perfect tho.

And last but not least ✨the Arafinweans✨

Finarfin: requested only ONE banner - did not use it as he went back to Valinor. Was not really fussy about it, I guess he was doing that because the Older Brothers were doing that. So, not really counting him.

Angrod: has beef with Caranthir, but otherwise a nice and reasonable guy to have. As long as the banner is cooler than Caranthir's he is going to be happy. Usually it's the Arafinwean crest on green.

Aegnor: another chill one. Probably he and Argon get along splendidly. No stars, just the Arafinwean crest. HOWEVER. He will ask on the side heart-shaped stuff for the love of his life, Andreth. Currently forcing everyone to learn the Edain's language so his poems for her can be embroidered correctly. Andreth DOES provide us with her Mannish biscuits which are lovely. Asking Aegnor for Andreth's recipe on a daily basis and holding his heart shaped trinkets as ransom until he complies. Mannish life is short, let the biscuits legacy live on!

Orodreth: he can be difficult and unreasonable, but mostly due to his anxiety and his undecisiveness! Most useless. Lovely when quiet, but put him in front of two pieces of fabric and he will have a meltdown. Very good at delegating though, Finduilas will come and talk to us for him.

Finrod: Currently VERY unsure of where he takes after. His parents are SO CHILL. And he will be playing music for us and bring in more Edain, forcing everyone to learn the Mannish tongues. it's not the embroidery the problem, IT'S THE BEADING AND BEDAZZLING of the banners the issue! He will give use beads, pearls and gems to use, BUT he WILL tell us how to put them and WHERE to put them. Absolute hell. Would rather face Morgoth than sew another pearl in the most inconvenient place ever because of the ✨AESTHETIC✨. DO NOT pair up with Curufin. They will make the seamstresses cry.

An incomplete list.

Aragorn keeps telling her that she is a much nicer Queen Beruthiel. Molinde doesn't know how to feel about it.

Molinde has a very personal ranking regarding war banners requests - she developed it during the First Age to help herself coping with stuff. No one knows about her secret ranking lol

This is ✨the Feanorians Ranking✨ (coming soon the Nolofinweans and the Arafinweans rankings too)

So.

✨The Feanorians✨ - Best to worst

Celegorm: doesn't really understand embroidery. He just wants the coolest stuff to show off. As long as it is red, there are dogs/hunting motifs and a Feanorian star he is happy. Will not care for kind of fabric/specifics as long as his enemies look at the banner and have the wow effect reaction.

The Ambarussar: they don't care. As long as the Feanorian star is there they are happy. Also, they don't really have much money, given the area they dwell, so anything will be ok.

Maedhros: surprisingly chill about the banners. He comes all "scary warlord" façade, then lays eyes on embroidery and will gently ask for war banners. He prefers sturdy fabrics, so it's usually linen/silk/corduroy. He will ask for a Feanorian star, if you want to add stuff (within reason) he will say yes. Loves the biscuits, constantly hungry due to nearly dying of starvation in Angband. DO NOT ask any Angband related stuff.

Maglor: ... it depends WILDLY on his Mood of the Day™. Can be really finicky with details if he is not in a happy mood, though he can be reasoned with if enough persistence is applied. Must have musical motifs somewhere. And stars. Not as many as the Nolofinweans, but a fuckton of stars nonetheless.

Curufin: really the opposite of Celegorm. Stubborn. Very fluent in ©Sarcasm™. Must understand the reasoning behind every single motif you want to embroider. If Tyelpe is there he will be a little gentler because he is a Parent and the Child must learn manners. Little Tyelpe is a tiny ray of sun to be protected at all costs. Curufin can be lenient if Tyelpe is offered treats and hugs. Honestly Molinde would die for Tyelpe and that is probably the only reason Curufin tends to be an okay guy.

Caranthir: second worst. He is an embroiderer too, after all, and will get annoyed and picky and also he is STINGY. Made Molinde unrvel and redo from scratch half banner one time, because of a teeny tiny lump that ws invisible. He was embroidering the banner too. Has STANDARDS. Would feel less judged if Vaire herself was there.

And because I still have some time, I am going to talk a bit more about my girl Molinde.

She can be a bit material. She will be kind, do stuff for free from time to time, she will find a really good compromise and fold herself over if needed, but let's face it: a girl's gotta eat. Even if it is just a coin or two, she will take payment for her work. She has learned the hard way that if she doesn't want to starve to near death, as it happened when she first set foot on ME, she needs to have some money. Also, material costs, especially if it is during a war and especially if Lord [INSERT NAME] has requested banners today for yesterday.

I know I have said in her bio that she has petitioned several times for the hand of a SoF in marriage in exchange for free war banners and tapestries. This is not actually something she is THAT serious about, she is self-aware enough that to even think of attracting the eye of a prince/king she should actually do something worthy and that seing/embroidering war banners is just her job. The "petition" is mostly something she says to the Elf in charge of designing the banners when they request her something inane and ungodly.

Due to the above she has indeed collected a few pricey things. Like a metal/silver armor that she dons over her dress when needed (because she can fight, but she is not a soldier)

By the time she is in Eregion she has a tiny army of apprentices and she can delegate a bit of the smaller work to them. She personally taught them all.

Of course she knows that "Annatar" is Sauron. She has seen him in the First Age, he has spotted her. They have a general idea of who is who, but it's the second age, Sauron is undercover and she maybe is thinking that she is seeing things, until something really clicks. And then it's like the "I know that you know that I know that you know". They probably are spending time together mainly for different reasons: she is hovering over Annatar and Celebrimbor to keep an eye on definitely-not-sauron and he is trying to get her off his scent. She definitely feels guilty, but also she is seeing Celebrimbor full of energy, Eregion thriving and she knows she'd just be taken for a mad elf if she said anything at all. She might suggest, or give a nudge, vagueing about the whole thing, but she definitely will carry her guilt. And then ofc everything happens and she then sews the "FUCK YOU, I TOLD YOU THAT "ANNATAR" WAS SUS AS HELL" banner.

By Third Age she is noticeably quieter. She is now established in Imladris under Lord Elrond's realm, and she has mostly left war banners in favour of napkins, handkerchiefs, tablecloths and pretty dresses. I have headcanoned her as the one who taught young Arwen how to embroider/sew. I think it gives her a nice closure.

Whilst brainstorming a little bit, I quite liked the idea of her finally tying the knot with Maglor (who in my head is in Imladris as well under code name Lindir), who has been found by Elrond and dragged in Imladris. Yes, I know Maglor is technically married already, but would he still be in the Fourth Age? With his faceless wife apparently ditching him the moment he followed Father and Brothers? I think it would be nice for Maglor and Molinde to bond over shared losses and proceed from there <3

In spite of everything, Molinde doesn't have a really big family. They all are among the common folk, so whilst very practical and pragmatical, they all struggle a little bit with emotional connection due to a not so comfortable life. Molinde has suffered a bit from that, but saying that she doesn't miss her family is a lie. In their own way, they love each other. It's not a tightly knit family, but they do care for each other.

Anyway, I decided that she needed a proper family, hence the family tree under cut.

All the characters are made using @elequinoa character creators.

Elvish transcription provided by Tecendil.

Because I like having everything in one place and not spread across 15 posts, here's more about my girl.

Molinde truly wants to be perceived as the strong independent Elf who needs no help, especially when it comes to her small army of embroiderers, seamstresses and students and basically whoever she holds near and dear her heart. She surely looks the part, in front of everyone. She is actually very soft and also a nervous wreck.

Molinde is a follower of Nienna. She wasn't originally, she didn't much care for the Valar in her youth. And then everything in the First Age happened, then the destruction of Eregion happened and she nearly broke, especially being a) one of the remaining three Elves who first came with Feanor in ME and b) a survivor with a lot of guilt. So she turned to Nienna, hoping that etending compassion and understanding would rekindle her hope, and maybe she could be forgiven. It is a work in progress to this day.

She has become through the years a no-nonsense kind of person. She will humour drama if she feels like it, but having had firsthand experience with dealing with the Feanorians, and by proxy the rest of the Finweans, she has become sort of immune to any shenanigans.

And I thought I'd complete Mol's notes on the people here :D Because she lives in a fairly central place, accessible to anyone, and her policy is to serve anyone who asks regardless of sides, she gets a lot more people than the Finweans.

So. Here's an incomplete list of most notable people.

From Molinde's notes. More will come in different posts <3

Lord Celebrimbor: he is an absolute joy. A delight. I have been sewing stuff for him ever since he was a toddler. He brings in cat-themed trinkets all the time. I sometimes wish that his actual parents were here to see what an upright gentleElf he has become. I am so proud of him and I am sure they would be too.

Beleg: the most relaxed and pleasing Elf to have around the workshop. Very polite. Not fussy. His clothes are usually very well kept and they require minimal upkeeping. He willask for new stuff only when the old one is exhausted. Very good with conversation. Has very interesting stories to tell.

Turin: like Beleg, but more sad. I do not like that talking sword at all. I think I saw it in someone else's hands before, but I can't pinpoint exactly whom. In the last few times I have seen him he has been asking for some crocheted flowers for graves. Something bad has happened, but a man's business is their own.

Mablung: exactly like Beleg and Turin. When you say "peas in a pod". Very responsible. Will worry that we are too overworked. Cat loves him, mainly because of the treats Mablung feeds him with.

Lady Haleth: she is a very down-to-earth woman and chief. Not fussy at all, she will ask for sturdy clothing. Lord Caranthir will pay us extra to add some nice embroidery, we all suspect he has a crush on her. Understandably. Lady Haleth has not said anything about this yet. We suspect she reciprocates.

Lord Cirdan: he seldom comes, but he is a pleasant one to have, mostly. He will ask for sea and ocean themed details, but other than that he is very easy to dress up. He brings us pretty shells.

Beren: it depends if Lady Luthien is here. He is a simple man with simple tastes, but if Lady Luthien is here then he is going to be a bit finicky on details. A good person, but we had to reiterate our policy to Lord Celegorm and Lord Curufin's attendants, or we would have been kinslayed.

Lady Luthien: she is a bit particular - she will ask for Mannish decors and will want them mashed with Doriath's heraldry. Her own heraldry is a fuss to embroider, but at least hers is not going to be thrown in the mud.

Eol: appeared exactly twice. Gave everyone the heebie-jeebies. The first time he asked for wedding robes in the size of Lady Aredhel and for himself. Very paranoid. Gloomy. I almost stopped him. I kind of regret not having been more firm. The second time he came for boy clothes. I gathered that Lord Maeglin was hisson because I recognised the embroidery. Have never seen himagain after the second time.

High King Gil-Galad: not specifically fussy, just fussy in a way I was not seeing since Lord Findekano. TONS of stars again, gold embroidery required.

Lord Glorfindel/Lord Ecthelion: I might as well put them together. They do come always together. I have begged them to let AT LEAST the delivery Elf where they live, so we do not have to leave their stuff in the middle of nowhere. See notes on King Turgon.

Lady Melian: nope. She does not need our services. She will modify ANYTHING we make. The embroidery is never beautiful enough. The dress fits perfectly, but not in that particular spot. Measures? "Oh, you Elves are funny. Just go with your heart!". The patience it takes me, sometimes.

King Thingol: oh absolutely NOT. He will step in all lordly and requireall attention on himself. "You know that my best friend was Finwe?", well, he is not doing a good job in being diplomatic with his best friend's grandsons. He wants beading. And intricate stuff. I might lose my eyesight if I have to sew another teeny tiny leaf on the most inconvenient spot on the cape he's ordered. NOTE: do NOT show this to King Thingol. I don't want to be the cause of a kinslaying.

King Dior: WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT KING DIOR. For sure the entire thing was uncalled for, but stupidity evidently runs in the family. NEXT TIME JUST LISTEN TO LADY MELIAN!