Hi I've been exhausted lately but I finally finished some Middle-Earth cane designs for Disability Pride Month and they make me very happy.
Click for better quality, zoom in please I spent way too long on these.
I'm a cane user, and most fictional or antique canes really annoy me, because they're rarely actually usable or practical. So this is my attempt to design usable but still interesting canes for characters I have somewhat arbitrarily projected disability onto. For example, they all have padded handles and most have wrist straps.
Individual design ramblings below!
Nerdanel has some type of genetic chronic illness, I haven't decided exactly what yet. Her cane has metalwork decoration, and a locking hinge mechanism to allow it to fold, because one of my canes is folding and it's super useful. Those parts were made by Mahtan. The Fëanorian star carving and crystal section were later modifications, and I think Nerdanel would continue modifying it throughout her life.
I've drawn Idril with prosthetic legs post-Helcaraxë, and some people with prosthetics use canes or other mobility aids for extra balance. I also headcanon that her silver legs were made by Celebrimbor once he ended up in Gondolin, so before that she may have had lower quality prosthetics and relied more on a cane. Hers has an eagle carved into it (Thorondor maybe), as well as eagle feathers, ribbons, and her heraldry for decoration. Elenwë's name is also carved closer to the base as a memorial (hopefully I did the tengwar right).
Celebrían uses a cane in Valinor due to her injuries. Hers is mallorn wood with metal decorations. Specifically the snake and flowers reference the House of Finarfin. The snake is made of mithril, which i think would be popular for mobility aid details due to its light weight. Also, she got Celebrimbor to help her make it after she dragged him out of Mandos.
Elros' is the only one without a wrist strap because I unfortunately couldn't work it into the design well. He uses it due to a leg injury from the War of Wrath, mostly because I wanted Elrond to encourage him about it in a fic I never finished. The handle is a carved and painted seagull, the column shows fish, and the base has Eärendil's star.
Caranthir inherited Nerdanel's condition, the only one of the sons who did. He didn't start using a cane until they were in Beleriand, so his is a from-memory recreation of Nerdanel's, made with Curufin's help. It also has metalwork details and a hinge. The textile wraps were his own addition, and the claw and beads were gifts from Haleth.
Faramir was born disabled with chronic health issues (again haven't decided exactly what yet), but this wasn't publicly acknowledged by Denethor as it didn't "fit the image". He had very little access to mobility aids growing up because of this. Injuries from the War of the Ring certainly didn't help, and he started using a cane after that. His was given to him by Éowyn, and was made in Rohan, hence the horse. The blue fabric band with stars is a reference to the cloak he gave her, and the lower band was made using remnants of Boromir's horn as a way for Faramir to carry his brother with him.
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I think my funniest take on maglor is when I imagine him as a morose waif well before anything bad ever happened to him. He was the emo kid with his preppy family. He was well known for writing laments in the middle of valinor, a place that's notoriously lamentless. There was a whole year in which he refused to speak unless it was in poem or song. There was an even longer period of time in which he refused to put his hair up or wear any adornments when performing because it apparently distracted from the music—he'd just roll into concerts looking like the grudge but kept being invited onstage because he was just that good. I need him to be maedhros and celegorm's (admittedly incredibly talented) loser brother that gets dragged out with them because they adore him.
When Maedhros comes back from Thangorodrim, the sun burns him. It burns him like it burns orcs, burns him like he is one of Morgoth's fell monsters. And sometimes he thinks that the sun must be able to recognise the darkness in him, the fact that he truly is not so different from the other creatures of Angband that he slays. It's only centuries later that he realises: oh, gingers just do that
I can't stop thinking about a Silmarillion fix-it AU. I don't usually like AUs, but this one is a balm to my soul: Nerdanel went to the War of Wrath. Maybe in secret. And at the very end, she is the one standing guard over the Silmarils. Her sons sneak into the camp and are about to kill the guard... BUT THEN THEY SEE WHO IT IS and stop. In the end, it all turns out well for them. Someone, please, write this fanfic 🤧🤧🤧
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See one of my favorite Rivendell headcanons is that even though it's a wonderful, peaceful sanctuary, pretty much everyone there could be incredibly dangerous if they wanted to be. Like, let's think about who lives in that valley.
Elrond Peredhel, resident healer and eldritch crime against nature, self-explanatory
Glorfindel, slayer of balrogs, self-explanatory
Erestor, probably Feanorian, definitely dangerous
Old Feanorian diehards, all of whom are probably looking for an excuse to commit morally justified violence
Old Gondolindrim/Iathrim, who, despite what they might tell you, are exactly as dangerous as the Feanorians
Garthaglir the Library Orc, who absolutely remembers how to use the giant battleaxe he keeps behind his desk
A strange, shadowy figure roaming the valley who I'm *sure* isn't Maglor Feanorian, but who is nonetheless a terrifying singer
Elladan and Elrohir, who have spent the last several centuries becoming nightmare fuel for Sauron's forces
Arwen, eldritch, bites
Bilbo Baggins, not to be underestimated, can defeat a grown man with nothing more than his scathingly polite commentary
Dunedain visitors, vaguely feral, highly trained
Aragorn, very feral, highly trained
Lindir, not actually dangerous, but if you upset him you are going to have problems with everyone else on this list
I actually really like the idea that a lot of the people who live in Rivendell are inherently kind of dangerous, because it means that they're actively choosing peace and kindness for themselves and I love that.
During the War of the Last Alliance, Sauron was TERRIFIED of Elrond. I mean his great grandma literally killed him with a dog once, of course he's gonna be put off when he sees her image in him. Especially once Gil-Galad is killed (and Celebrimbor's body brought forth) and Elrond is enraged. Sauron is on the battlefield and he sees this elf, dark hair moving as if it's magic like the only being to ever kill him, wearing a Feanorian star and pure rage on his face. An elf that's from Turgon's line, the line Morgoth's end came from as was foretold. And he's wearing Vilya, crafted by Celebrimbor, taken from Gil-Galad's hand. A ring that gives him power, and amplifies what he likely already has. Sauron looks at Elrond, and he sees Luthien, Turgon, Celebrimbor, and every Feanorian.
Here's a visual I made to show what Sauron sees lol
I've seen lots of people headcanon Elrond as super tall, which is definitely fun, however, he is a short king to me. Elros is too. This is for the sole reason that I think it would be incredibly funny if their kids are all taller than both of them. The tall genes just skipped a generation. The numenoreans are known for being super fucking tall except Elros himself. Everyone forgets that and newer statues of him gradually get taller, leading everyone to think he was way taller than Elrond. Elrond disputes this and no one believes him. 18 year old Aragorn is at least a head taller than Elrond. Do you see my vision.
